integrate digital solutions into everyday practices to make them more efficient.


Smartphones are still widely used in cleaning. Operatives now use them to remotely monitor washroom visitor traffic, for example, and check on dispenser refill levels. Our own Tork Vision Cleaning system uses sensors to ‘connect’ the washrooms and monitor refill levels in the dispensers. Cleaning and maintenance staff can then check via a smartphone or tablet when soap and paper supplies are running out, or when high traffic means a maintenance check might be likely.


This data-driven system frees up time that the cleaner would otherwise have spent manually checking washrooms. It also enhances the user’s experience because washrooms are kept clean and well stocked at all times. Tork Vision Cleaning is now in use in airports, offices, shopping centres, amusement parks and other facilities around the world.


Technology in the washroom in general offers a wealth of possibilities and is helping to improve efficiency, optimise hygiene, monitor the visitor’s health and enhance the visitor experience. For example, washroom traffic can be sped up in busy facilities such as airports with the aid of sensor-operated lights above each cubicle. These turn green when a toilet is empty and red when it’s occupied to make it easier for visitors to pinpoint those cubicles that are available for use.


In China, futuristic urinals have appeared in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai where visitors can have their urine checked for various health complaints for a fee equivalent to less than $3.


There are also an increasing number of washrooms now in existence that analyse the visitor’s temperature and heart rate to detect for early signs of illness. For example, one cloud-connected toilet seat developed by the New York’s Rochester Institute of Technology is capable of tracking blood pressure and blood oxygen levels.


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Japanese toilets are renowned for their high-tech features such as bidet functions, precision spray technology and heated seats, and are said to be installed in more than 80% of homes in Japan. According to the Japan Times, however, sales are now rising rapidly abroad as these high-tech loos are snapped up by A-list stars, particularly in the US.


Meanwhile, technology is helping to improve the washroom experience for men in other ways. There are a number of trendy bars and clubs where video games have been installed in the urinals. These allow men to play virtual football, drive a car or operate a tank while using the loo.


Another recent technological phenomenon in the cleaning sector has been the growth in online training. This allows operatives to learn cleaning protocols at a time to suit them, reducing costs and enhancing convenience. For example, Essity’s Tork Interactive Clean Hospital Training takes staff through various real-world cleaning scenarios in a virtual hospital. It incorporates modules on daily cleaning in occupied patient rooms as well as discharge cleaning protocols, and a module is also available for care homes.


The role of technology in cleaning has expanded exponentially – and it has become even more important in light of current staff shortages.


Overworked staff members can now rely on robot cleaners to take on the more arduous cleaning tasks while they concentrate on more detailed work. They can receive vital training online, saving time they might have spent travelling to and from a learning centre. They can also stay informed of washroom cleaning and dispenser refill needs via a smartphone or tablet, removing the need for repeated maintenance checks.


As the technology develops further it will be fascinating to see what the next steps will be in enhancing the washroom experience, reducing the cleaner’s workload and making their lives more rewarding.


www.tork.ie/visioncleaning TOMORROW'S CLEANING IRELAND | 13


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