Restroom Essentials: Supplies & Dispensers

For people in offices with shared restrooms it is extremely important that they keep it fully stocked with all the necessary supplies. There is nothing worse than a shared restroom that is not regularly cleaned and replenished.

Toilet Paper & Dispensers

There are typically 2 types of toilet paper/toilet paper dispensers. The first being the regular style toilet paper rolls like you would find in someone’s home. You might recognize brands such as Charmin, Scotts, or Cottenelle, all of which sell different styles of toilet paper. For this type of toilet paper, you need a standard sized toilet paper roll mounted in the stall. These are ideal for small offices and restrooms shared by just a few people. Standard Cottonelle Toilet Paper is a great option and it pairs with a Standard Toilet Paper Dispenser.

In commercial settings and restrooms with high volume use, jumbo toilet paper rolls & dispensers are more common. Jumbo toilet paper is typically not as soft. However, the rolls are significantly larger than standard toilet paper rolls, therefore need to be replaced much less frequently. This popular style of Jumbo Toilet Paper pairs with the Jumbo Toilet Paper Dispensers.

Paper Towels & Dispensers

An office restroom needs paper towels for employees to dry their hands after washing. Typically there are three main styles of paper towels & paper towel dispensers.

Centerpull Paper Towels

• Centerpull paper towels are sold on a roll and loaded vertically into a centerpull dispenser. This paper towel roll has perforated sheets. As suggested by the name, the paper towels are dispensed through the center of the roll. As the paper towels are pulled through the bottom, the dispenser cuts the roll along the perforations so only one sheet is removed at a time.
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Folded Paper Towels

• Folded paper towels do not come on a roll. They are individual 9 x 9.5” sheets that are stacked on top of each other inside of a folded paper towel dispenser. The paper towels are pulled out through the bottom of the dispenser one at a time.
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Hardwound Paper Towels

• Hardwound paper towels come wrapped around a roll. Unlike the centerpull towels, hardwound paper towels are unwound and ripped off from the outside of the roll. They work the same way as standard toilet paper rolls. Hardwound paper towel dispensers come in both manual and automatic. Manual dispensers typically have a lever or a pump that is pulled to dispense one sheet at a time. Automatic dispensers are activated by the user waving their hand beneath a sensor.

Hand Soap & Dispensers

Every restroom needs to have hand soap available at the sink for employees to wash their hands. There are hand soaps available for purchase that do not need to be used in accordance with a hand soap dispenser. A regular 8 oz. pump top soap bottle is the most common example of this.

In most commercial & workplace settings, it is common practice to have a hand soap dispenser mounted on the wall next to the sink. Hand soap dispensers are easier to use, and typically can hold more soap than a regular pump-top bottle of hand soap, therefore need to be refilled less.

Bathroom Cleaning Supplies

Shared bathrooms can get dirty fast. You should always keep your bathroom or janitorial closet fully stocked with the necessary cleaning supplies.

Mops & Mop Buckets

Bathroom floors should be cleaned daily. Be sure to always have clean mops and mop buckets available. The type of mop you need and the amount of mopping you need to do depends on the size of your bathroom and how many people are using it. A good rule of thumb is to clean the bathroom floors at the end of each day.

Bleach & Cleaners

Toilets, urinals, and sinks should be cleaned regularly with bleach, toilet bowl, or all-purpose cleaner. It is good practice to keep spray bottles full of cleaning solution stocked near the restroom.

Magic Erasers

The Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is a fantastic product for when you need to quickly scrub down a toilet or a sink. Use Magic Erasers as necessary throughout the day when you notice your restroom start to get dirty.

 
Miscellaneous Bathroom Supplies

Urinal Blocks & Screens

In men’s restrooms it is important the stock the urinals with the proper sanitary supplies. Many places utilize urinal blocks, screens, or even both to mask smells and keep the urinals clean. There are a variety of different blocks & screens on the market that usually come in 2 different scents – cherry & cucumber/melon. Urinal blocks & screens deodorize for up to 30 days before they should be replaced.

Urinal Floor Mats

Urinal Floor Mats are placed directly beneath the urinal to protect floors from stains and damages. They contain fungicide to fight germs and combat odor. They grip tightly to the floor to prevent sliding. You should replace your floor mats every 6 weeks.

Toilet Seat Covers + Dispensers

Sometimes you will find toilet seat cover dispensers mounted in the stalls of a restroom. Toilet seat covers are used for lining the seat of the toilet before sitting down. They are a nice feature to have for those who are concerned about the germs and sharing a restroom with multiple other people.

Sanitary Napkin Dispenser

Many office restrooms have fully stocked sanitary napkin dispensers for feminine hygiene products in women’s restrooms.

Air Fresheners

It is common courtesy to keep an office restroom stocked with air fresheners. Benchmark sells two types of air fresheners. The most economical option is a 6 oz. scented can of spray. The other option is an automatic air freshener. Simply set the automatic air freshener on a counter somewhere in the restroom and it will release an odor neutralizing spray automatically to help mask smells throughout the day.

For specific questions about the products needed to properly stock and maintain a shared restroom, give us a call at 844-423-6246. For additional products not mentioned in this article, visit the Janitorial Supplies section of our online catalog.