5 Tips to Create a Sophisticated Commercial Bathroom Experience

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There are several ways that you can make the commercial bathroom experience pleasant and enjoyable, rather than routine and unimpressive. As a facility manager, you’ll want to curate a sophisticated space for your occupants when they need to visit the restroom. Most commercial bathrooms are uninspiring and cookie-cutter, without any design implementations to make occupants reflect on how nice or stylish the facilities are. Luckily, there are a few ways to make your commercial bathroom more enjoyable through different designs and materials.

Here are five tips to create a sophisticated commercial bathroom experience for your occupants to enjoy.

Maximizing the Space for Your Commercial Bathroom

Even if you have the space and measurements plotted for the bathroom in your facility, you can still utilize some commercial bathroom design to amplify the space, making it a little more open and cozy. No one likes going to a cramped bathroom, so making use of your space is important. Luckily, you don’t have to scrap your original plan to make use of the space.

Using mirrors can help make your commercial bathroom seem a bit larger and more comfortable. Using a lot of mirrors will help amplify the space and by a slight optical illusion, your bathroom will seem bigger. Not only do mirrors take up very little space, but occupants will have plenty of opportunities to check their appearance before continuing their day.

Use Softer Colors and Proper Lighting

Most commercial restrooms have an unnatural feel to them, mainly because of their lack of character and the harsh lights. You can combat this, and make a more comfortable experience for your occupants, by utilizing softer colors as opposed to the bright and bland white. To add to this experience of warming up the room, you should use softer lights rather than the factory-esque fluorescent lights. Not only is it less harsh on the eyes, but it will give the restroom a more inviting feel.

Aria Partitions in Sandcastle Color

Increase the Privacy

The key to occupants’ comfort in a public restroom is adequate privacy. This means utilizing materials to eliminate sightlines and design flaws. When it’s time to pick out the stalls, be sure to find ones that can help you decrease the exterior visuals. HDPE plastic partitions like Hiny Hider Partitions® and Eclipse Partitions® will help you reduce the sightlines, and they even have hidden hardware that will simply add to the aesthetics.

Preventing Mold from Ruining the Experience

Of the negative criticisms that occupants have of commercial bathrooms, smell ranks pretty high on the list. There’s nothing as off-putting as unpleasant smells emanating from your restrooms. In order to kill the odors where they stand, you’ll need to utilize materials to help counteract mold growth. Mold grows, and thrives, in humid and moist environments, which make your restroom the perfect breeding ground.

Mold tends to find its way into the core of common partition materials, which end up resulting in awful smells and a pricey replacement. But utilizing materials like HDPE plastic can help you prevent mold. HDPE is a solid plastic that can resist mold growth and can go a long distance in keeping your restroom smelling fresh and inviting.

Keeping the Restroom Clean

It’s no secret that your commercial restroom needs to be cleaned daily, but there are ways to ensure that it stays fresh for the occupants who will use it. You learned that HDPE plastic partitions and antibacterial bathroom hardware can help prevent mold growth, but it’s also beneficial to know that this material is also low-maintenance and easy to clean. Utilizing materials like this not only helps keep the facilities clean, but you won’t have to hold up the restroom flow by blocking it off during maintenance. The cleanup will be quick, easy, and efficient.

Want to learn more tips and tricks on how to make the commercial restroom experience more sophisticated and inviting? Check out our free eBook, Restroom Design for Commercial Facilities, from your friends at Scranton Products.

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Going Green in the Bathroom: 6 Ways to Keep Your Facility Restrooms Sustainable

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An environmentally friendly restroom provides major benefits for facility managers as well as patrons. With a sustainable restroom, maintenance costs become much cheaper, materials are more sanitary, and you work to support a healthier environment by reducing industrial waste.

In this day and age, an environmentally friendly approach can go a long way in a facility’s restroom, and we’re here to show you how. Read on as Scranton Products teaches you six ways to keep your facility restrooms sustainable.

1. Eliminate Painting

Repainting the materials in your restroom releases a variety of VOC emissions. This harms the air quality of your restroom, which will affect the people who use it. Partitions, vanities, and other restroom products that don’t require repainting will help your restroom stay sustainable.

2. Clean Smart

Various commercial cleaners have a significant number of chemicals in them. From the production of these chemicals to the application of them on your products, they don’t promote clean air quality inside and out.

Make sure that your restrooms can be steam cleaned or power washed for an environmentally friendly approach to restroom sanitizing.

3. Germ Resistant

Restroom materials that are naturally germ-resistant provide a major service for facility bathrooms. Mold, mildew, fungus, and bacteria occur in restrooms because of the high level of moisture and humidity. This also harms the air quality and creates an unsanitary place for your patrons. Germ-resistant materials are a must for supporting sustainability in your restroom.

4. Built from Recycled Material

When facility managers with recycled material, they do a serious service to our environment. With recycled materials, you reduce the amount of industrial waste and energy that goes into the building process.

5. Recyclable Material

When you use recyclable material for your restroom partitions, you also work to reduce industrial waste. Years after your materials are constructed to build your facility’s restroom, they can be reused and repurposed for another project. Check to see if your restroom material is recyclable.

6. Don’t Build with Added Formaldehyde Resins

While many bathroom materials are built with added urea-formaldehyde resins, there are significant drawbacks and health concerns that negatively affect the environment of your restroom. By negatively affecting the air quality, urea-formaldehyde resins increase the chance of respiratory infection or cancer when the chemicals are released into the air. For a more sustainable environment, choose a different material for your bathrooms.

What Material Covers All of These Sustainable Practices?

The answer is simple: HDPE plastic.

HDPE plastic bathroom materials are built with a homogenous color throughout so they won’t require repainting and can resist mold and mildew. They can be steamed cleaned or power washed, are built from recycled material, and can be recycled themselves. And, most importantly, they’re free of any urea-formaldehyde resins.

You can learn more about how to build an environmentally friendly restroom when you find out where you can buy Scranton Products’ HDPE materials near you.


Sustainable Building Products

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The Right Questions to Ask When Shopping for New Restroom Partitions

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Whether you’re conducting a thorough renovation of your facility’s restrooms or the partitions have succumbed to wear and damage, it’s important to choose the right restroom partitions. There are plenty of options out there, but you don’t want to make the same mistake twice. That’s why you should come prepared with questions so you can make the right decision towards the new stalls in your facility’s bathrooms.

Here’s the right questions to ask when shopping for new restroom partitions.

What Do These Partitions Offer in Terms of Durability?

Regardless of what type of facility you oversee, you’ll want to be sure that you’re choosing reliable materials for your restroom. Durability is important because you want the doors and frames to be strong and not endure any unnecessary damage due to an occupant closing the door a little rough. While there are plenty of strong and reliable materials out there, HDPE rises to the top due to its scratch- and dent-resistant surface. This material can take quite a few hits and not show any surface damage or cosmetic issues.

Is There a Paper Core Interior?

Most run-of-the-mill toilet partitions feature a paper core interior. However, you’ll want to avoid this for a variety of reasons, but mainly to avoid any costly replacements down the road. Paper core interiors may seem cost-effective at first, but due to the constant exposure to humidity and moisture, they can end up absorbing the moisture. Soon after they absorb the moisture, they can begin to sprout mold, resulting in foul odors and bacteria. Eventually, a replacement of the entire affected partition will be needed. For the best results, you’ll want to seek out a solid non-absorbent material like HDPE.

Do These Partitions Require Considerable Maintenance?

There’s no way to avoid routine maintenance; however, choosing the right material can greatly reduce the costs and the time spent on repairs and adjustments. What you want to look for is a material that can withstand the elements, provide a strong structure, and have a great screw retention. Another factor to consider is finding a material that doesn’t have to be repainted, so you don’t have to take the time to not only paint, but close off your restroom until the harmful toxins and emissions have dissipated.

How Long Will These Partitions Last?

When you’re investing in new toilet partitions, you’ll want to be sure that it’s money well-spent. That means choosing a material that not only meets your criteria, but a material that will last you the years without needing frequent replacements. HDPE solid plastic is warranted for 25 years, meaning that it can last, and is covered should an unforeseen event occur that requires a replacement of your partition.

It’s good to ask these questions when you’re browsing different materials that can be used as your next toilet partitions. You’ll want to make the right decision by choosing a durable and low-cost maintenance material that will last. Want to learn more about finding the right materials? Check out this free eBook, Choosing Bathroom Materials, from your friends at Scranton Products.

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How You Can Prevent Bacteria Growth on Bathroom Partitions

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When you’re in charge of a public or commercial bathroom, you want to be sure that it remains clean and free of any harmful bacteria. It’s especially important to keep bacteria in bathrooms at bayin order to create a sanitary space for its users.

But with all of the moisture and humidity in bathrooms, how can you prevent harmful bacteria growth, such as mold and mildew, on bathroom partitions?

You can have a clean, presentable, and sanitary bathroom thanks to the help of Scranton Products. Read on to learn how you can prevent bacteria growth on your bathroom partitions.

Choose a Bathroom Partition Material That’s Impermeable to Moisture

Moisture is one of the leading causes of bacterial growth and reproduction in public and commercial bathrooms. In fact, moisture is the catalyst for mold, mildew, and bacteria in bathrooms. However, if you select a partition material that repels moisture, you will have taken an important step to help reduce bacteria from growing on the surface.

This impermeable surface can be found through the use of HDPE plastic bathroom partitions such as Scranton Products’ Hiny Hiders, Eclipse Partitions and Aria Partitions which don’t allow for the growth of mold or mildew.

Build Your Bathroom Partitions with Material That’s Resistant to MRSA Bacteria

MRSA is a bacteria that causes hard-to-treat infections. Upon exposure, individuals may experience sores or blisters, while more severe cases can infect the bloodstream. Needless to say, it’s a type of bacteria that you want to keep out of your bathroom and off your bathroom partitions.

To easily prevent this bacterial growth, you need to build your bathroom partitions with naturally germ-resistant material, such as the HDPE Hiny Hiders. The naturally germ-resistant material kills 98.4% of MRSA bacteria on the surface of the partitions within 24 hours without cleaning.  This is important for the health of the people using your bathrooms, especially if they put their hands on the bathroom partitions.

Make Sure That Your Bathroom Partitions Have Been Properly Tested to Repel Bacteria

When trying to prevent bacteria from growing on your bathroom partitions, make sure that the material you choose has been properly tested for this.

You don’t have to take our word for it when we say that the HDPE Hiny Hiders bathroom partitions are impermeable to moisture and naturally germ resistant. Scranton Products HDPE underwent a 28-day test by the American Society for Testing and Materials, during which time they didn’t experience any microbial growth, such as mold or mildew, as opposed to other bathroom partition materials. And the SiTU Biosciences Lab confirmed that HDPE material is germ resistant without the help of any cleaning supplies.

Bathrooms are breeding grounds for bacteria and germs, and you don’t want your bathroom partitions to be susceptible to them. The easy method for prevention would be to choose HDPE Hiny Hiders, Eclipse and Aria Partitions from Scranton Products which have been tested to prevent and be resistant to harmful bacteria in bathrooms, creating a more sanitary environment for your bathroom partitions.

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4 Ways to Be More Environmentally Conscious without Remodeling

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It’s important to attempt to be environmentally friendly as much as possible, and that includes commercial restrooms and public locker rooms. Even a few minor tweaks and changes can go a long way in terms of supporting the environment.

You don’t have to completely remodel your restroom or locker room to boost your eco-friendly aspects. Scranton Products is here with four ways that you can be environmentally conscious without remodeling, so read on to learn how.

Read more

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Important Architectural Considerations When Designing a Gender-Neutral Bathroom

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Potty politics have made their way into the national spotlight once again, and this time, they’re focusing on gender neutrality. As the debate heats up on both sides, architects and contractors are starting to weigh in on how gender-neutral bathrooms might affect the overall design of a facility. Two primary concerns when it comes to any bathroom, gender neutral or otherwise, are security and safety.

Below, we review some of the important architectural considerations suggested for designing a gender-neutral bathroom.

[NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of private architects and contractors and don’t necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Scranton Products, its employees, or its partners.]

A Focus on Bathroom Privacy

The more privacy a bathroom offers, the better in terms of promoting a welcoming environment. Well-designed partitions between urinals in a men’s restroom, for example, are one traditional privacy solution. But with gender-neutral bathrooms on the rise, it might be time for architects to take a fresh look at how their designs are helping users feel safe.

One solution is to simply add more stalls and do away with urinals. Handicap-accessible bathrooms and toilets, after all, can accommodate any user, including those with disabilities. Plus, having bathroom stalls with a lockable door gives users an extra level of privacy and security.

Added Security for Gender-Neutral Bathrooms

For optimal security, some designers have suggested only installing single-user restrooms. These gender-neutral bathrooms would have room for only one user at a time and provide a lockable door for additional security.

While this solution may be sound in theory, actual implementation may provide a few complications. For one, allowing only one user at a time means that a queue would form outside the door if more than one user needed to use the restroom.

In an effort to solve this problem and to meet local building requirements, it may be necessary to install multiple single-user restrooms to accommodate your guests.

Additionally, experts agree that a lockable door leading into the restroom can both provide and be a threat to the safety of the user. For example, the door could be used to trap someone inside or to hide the noise of a fight or bullying.

An alternative to the bathroom door is something commonly referred to as a labyrinth entrance. This entrance type features a winding hallway to provide privacy without the need for a physical door. This method also makes the bathroom more hygienic.

While some architects have embraced the removal of urinals and the installation of multiple stalls, others have criticized the solution, citing that adding more bathroom partitions could be costly, given their need to be resilient to threats commonly found in restrooms (e.g., rust, mildew, bacteria).

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) offers cost-conscious builders a possible solution thanks to its resistance to all these factors, including dents and graffiti. HDPE, a heavy-duty plastic, can be used for bathroom partitions, vanities, and lockers.

While it’s still too soon to say what legislation may require for gender-neutral bathrooms, many businesses and architects have taken the initiative to add a single-user bathroom in addition to the men’s and women’s restrooms. This single-user restroom doubles as a family restroom and can easily accommodate any user.

For more information on bathroom design, download our free eBook Restroom Design for Commercial Facilities.

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How to Choose Commercial Bathroom Partitions for Virtually Any Facility

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As a professional contractor or building administrator, you’re faced with a number of important decisions. When it comes to sourcing materials for bathrooms, you want to be sure the that materials you choose are durable, require little routine maintenance, and fit within your budget, which can be easier said than done.

So in this post, we’ll teach you how to choose commercial bathroom partitions for just about any facility, from schools to stadiums to office buildings and more.

bathroom materials

 

Selecting Cost-Efficient Materials

One of the most important factors when choosing bathroom partitions is cost. There are many different materials available, with varying initial and long-term costs to consider. The five materials we’ll look at are enamel painted steel over paper, phenolic core, stainless steel, reinforced composite, and high-density polyethylene.

Baked Enamel Painted Steel Over a Paper Honeycomb Core

The most inexpensive of these is definitely baked enamel painted steel over a paper honeycomb core. This type of partition is frequently found in schools and office buildings because of its low initial cost. However, the life expectancy of enamel painted steel is extremely low given its propensity to rust when exposed to moisture.

Solid Phenolic (Black Core)

Solid phenolic core, sometimes referred to as black core because of its color, features a resin-impregnated kraft paper core. This material is very dense and composed of many compressed layers, similar to how fiberglass is created. However, this material may easily be damaged by scratches.

Stainless Steel

Many designers for high-end establishments and sports clubs favor stainless steel because of its clean and modern look. However, stainless still is also prone to rust and high costs, both initially and in terms of routine maintenance. Stainless steel partitions are also known to show smudges and fingerprints easily, making them harder to keep looking clean.

[READ MORE: Commercial Bathroom Trends]

Solid Color Reinforced Composite (SCRC)

You’ll commonly spot SCRC in high-traffic areas such as sporting arenas, schools, and train stations. This material is durable like black core partitions. The two biggest downsides to SCRC are the high cost, as it’s much more expensive than solid plastic or stainless steel, and its limited color options.

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

HDPE is a type of solid plastic that’s perfect for use as commercial bathroom partitions. About 1 inch thick and solid color throughout, HDPE is highly resistant to graffiti, scratches, mold, mildew, and even bacteria. Given that this material is environmentally friendly and doesn’t negatively impact the indoor air quality, it’s a favorite for schools, medical facilities, and restaurants. It also requires little long-term maintenance.

Installation Types for Your Commercial Bathroom Partitions

Depending on the design of your commercial bathroom, there are four different methods for installing your bathroom partitions. The fastest and most economical option is to have the partitions floor mounted and overhead braced. This type of installation process works well with either wood or concrete floors and works by mounting the pilasters to the floor and the panels to the wall. An anti-grip aluminum headrail is positioned along the top of the partitions to offer additional support and stability.

If your bathroom has a low ceiling, you can choose to have them floor mounted only. This method requires at least 2 inches of concrete flooring in order for the pilasters to be mounted firmly. The panels are then mounted to the wall. The top of the partitions will be flush.

For a modern and unique look, or if the floors of your bathroom aren’t adequate for mounting, ceiling-hung partitions are a great option. You’ll need steel ceiling supports to withstand the weight and installation process. The pilasters are mounted to these supports, and the panels are mounted to the walls. One benefit of this installation method is that it makes the floor of the bathroom easy to clean.

[READ MORE: 9 Things to Consider Before Designing Your Commercial Bathroom]

The final installation method is floor-to-ceiling. In this scenario, pilasters are mounted to both the floor and the ceiling for maximum strength. It’s suggested that the facility have concrete floors and steel ceiling supports.

Choose an Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Material

When you choose high-density polyethylene (HDPE) materials from Scranton Products for your restrooms, lockers, and other interior applications, you’re supporting a healthier environment both inside and outside your facility. Our HDPE products help to reduce environmental impact and offer initial and long-term improvements to the indoor air quality of your projects.

Choose a Color That Compliments

The last step in choosing commercial bathroom partitions is selecting the color. Materials like HDPE come in a wide variety of colors and textures so you have plenty of options to choose from. You can either go with a shade that matches the interior of the bathroom or pick a different color that compliments the theme. Either way, you’re sure to be left with one terrific-looking bathroom.

Want more information about building a cost-effective bathroom? Download our eBook The Professional’s Guide to Commercial Bathroom Renovations and Remodels. This FREE resource is full of useful information that will teach you pro tips for choosing materials, how advances in materials are leading to more fluid designs, and which must-have amenities your commercial bathroom needs.

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Bathroom Privacy Ideas: Planning the Privacy in Your Bathroom

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Privacy is one of the most crucial components to your bathroom. Using the restroom is something that everyone experiences, and more often than not, they want to experience it privately. So, you need to figure out ways to ensure that your bathroom and the toilet partitions offer enough privacy and security for occupants to use comfortably. Keeping reading to check out some great bathroom privacy ideas!

Determining Any Weaknesses in Privacy & SecurityAria Partitions in Sandcastle Color

While you may think that your bathroom is confidential enough for you, you may want to take a closer look to notice some of the weak spots that hinder one’s privacy. This may include visible vantage points above or below the stall. However, it can also include the separation in the stall’s pieces, which may provide a clear view in between the door and the frame. If you notice these imperfections and issues, you should start thinking of ways to correct them so occupants can go to the bathroom worry-free.

Bathroom Privacy Ideas to Get Started

Here are some bathroom privacy ideas to get your gears turning and a full bathroom plan if you’re starting from scratch:

  • Add peel-and-stick frosted privacy glass over windows.
  • Separate your space with folding restroom privacy screens.
  • Find the right stall that offers ample privacy.
  • Sightlines can be removed through shiplap cut edges.
  • Angled doors and hidden hardware offer extra privacy to guests.

Bathroom Stalls with Ample Privacy

Some bathroom stalls on the market can offer your guests ample privacy. Their sightlines can easily be removed through a shiplap cut edge. Once closed, these partitions provide zero visibility due to the cut edges perfecting shutting out the seam.

Other HDPE toilet stalls, like Aria Partitions®, are specifically designed to provide each occupant with the higher privacy. Aria Partitions will provide you with innovative designs like overlapping edges, continuous edge mounted hinges and floor mounted side panels to keep these partitions as secure and private as possible.

Using HDPE for Private Partitions

HDPE plastic can be tailored to fit any design for your facility’s restroom. Whether you’re going for free-standing stalls, between-walls, open-ends, or alcove-style partitions, you’ll be happy to know that HDPE can be a versatile material to utilize in your restroom for your custom partitions. HDPE can be produced in a variety of different sizes, so you can figure out the best options to provide a secure toilet stall for your occupants who hold privacy very high.

It’s no secret that people want privacy when they’re using a public restroom. If you’re looking for ways to make your facility’s restroom more private for the occupants, check out the eBook Restroom Design for Commercial Facilities from your friends at Scranton Products.

 

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The Importance of Sustainability in Restroom Partitions

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Sustainability is a factor that all facility managers strive for, especially in todays’ top leading industries. The need for using sustainable products or executing green practices is important towards building a better future, and it can start with your facility! Utilizing sustainable building materials can be very beneficial towards your facility, especially when it comes to the restroom. There are a few types of materials you can use in your facility’s restroom, but when it’s time to decide, you’ll want to find reliable and sustainable materials for the job.

Making sustainability a priority for your bathroom is crucial, so here’s a list for the importance of sustainability in restroom partitions.

Choosing Materials That Will Last You

One of the most sustainable aspects of choosing the right toilet partition materials is finding one that can outlast the standard types and materials. Most toilet partitions are subject to wear and damage over time; however, some endure these deteriorations much too early.

By choosing a sustainable material, you’ll be selecting partitions that are designed to last and withstand the elements. The goal is to not only put off a replacement but also rely on a material that doesn’t require significant maintenance over the years. When you have a durable material for your toilet partitions, they won’t incur any damage that most standard materials are susceptible.

Finding Post-Consumer Materials That Can Be Recycled

Everyone is familiar with the importance of recycling, but have you ever utilized building materials that have been through the process of recycling. A lot of plastics, like HDPE (high-density polyethylene), are recycled and then redistributed, whether they’re the same product or formed into something new. By using recycled building materials, you’re helping reduce waste while relying on a material that can not only last you, but when it’s time for a replacement, the material can be recycled once again.

Reducing Harmful Emissions in Your Restroom

Another major benefit to utilizing a sustainable material like HDPE plastic is that this material doesn’t require any painting. If graffiti somehow shows up, your first instinct is to get a paint match to cover over the drawing; however, with HDPE, you can simply wipe away the marker or spray paint. Since HDPE is non-absorbent, you don’t have to buy additional paint and perform any touch-ups. Due to the lack of repainting, you won’t be exposing your restroom, or its occupants, to the harmful VOC (volatile organic compounds) that are present in most paints.

The Benefits of Using Sustainable Building Materials

There are plenty of benefits to going green and sustainable. There are many environmental benefits, such as not using up any valuable resources. By using sustainable materials, you’re doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint. You’ll also enjoy the benefit of having reliable materials that are durable, low maintenance, recyclable, and great for the environment.

Want to learn more about utilizing sustainable building products to take your facility in a greener direction? Check out this free eBook, Sustainable Building Products: How to Make Your Facility Eco-Friendly from Top to Bottom, from your friends at Scranton Products.

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Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: What Happens When Your Locker Rooms & Bathrooms Can’t Stand the Test of Time?

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What’s the one thing that you don’t look forward to each year in terms of your bathrooms and locker rooms? Maintenance costs.

If you’re a facility manager, you never want to have to repeatedly dip into your budget for pesky repairs and tweaks that only end up reoccurring each year. If you’re noticing this issue, the problem stems from the inability of your bathroom and locker room materials to stand up to the test of time, and we know why.

Scranton Products is familiar with this trend and is dedicated to making sure that your bathroom or locker room is durable and long-lasting so you won’t have to worry about any extra maintenance costs. Continue reading to learn why your bathrooms and locker rooms aren’t standing the test of time, what happens when they can’t, and how you can prevent this problem. Read more

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