Restroom cleaning is a standard requirement for office and business cleaning services. In the endeavor to keep public and employee restrooms clean, companies like All Pro Cleaning Systems rely on tried-and-true procedures, equipment, and supplies. A good case in point is the humble urinal cake found in men’s restrooms. There is more to it than meets the eye.
Known also as the urinal deodorizer block, the urinal cake has been around for decades. Not much about it has changed for the simple fact that it works so well. There are alternatives these days, but many companies still rely on the traditional urinal cake to do the same job it has been doing for years.
Its Three Primary Purposes
A urinal cake is a solid block made up of a variety of compounds designed to do certain things. It is placed in the urinal in such a way as to facilitate contact with water flowing down from the top of the unit. Over time, the water slowly disintegrates the cake.
Urinal cakes are used for three primary purposes:
- Controlling Odor – A urinal cake contains chemicals capable of mitigating the risk of a persistent urine smell in the restroom. Keeping odors at bay makes public restrooms more comfortable to use.
- Urinal Disinfection – Modern urinal cakes include compounds with disinfecting properties. These compounds prevent bacterial growth that otherwise contributes to persistent odor.
- Plumbing Maintenance – Other compounds in a traditional urinal cake can break down substances like uric acid. In so doing, they reduce the risk of clogged plumbing.
Naphthalene was the main ingredient in urinal cakes in days gone by. It is not used as much anymore. Today’s urinal cakes are based on formulations that include safer, more water-soluble compounds.
Better ingredients make for better cakes that are more effective at reducing odors and keeping bacteria at bay. And if the modern urinal cake still isn’t acceptable, property owners do have alternatives.
Alternatives to Urinal Cakes
One of the most popular alternatives to the traditional urinal cake is a product known as a water-soluble block. It looks similar to a urinal cake. The difference is that it relies more on surfactants and perfumes. The surfactant guarantees that urinal contents flow down the drain rather than sticking to the porcelain. Meanwhile, the perfume handles odors.
Other alternatives include:
- Enzyme-Based Products – An enzyme-based urinal product naturally breaks down organic material. The result is a clean and disinfected surface generally free from odors.
- Biological Products – Biological urinal products combat urinal bacteria and odor with their own bacteria that digest waste. The concept is essentially using good bacteria to get rid of the bad.
- Suspended Deodorizers – A suspended deodorizer eliminates odors without making direct contact with the bottom of the porcelain. Suspended deodorizers do much the same job as the urinal cake but with different chemicals.
It is possible to completely eliminate the use of chemical blocks and deodorizers by installing an automatic flush system instead. Automatic flushing keeps urinals cleaner by flushing on a regular cycle. This prevents material and odor buildup.
Plenty of Options to Work With
Commercial cleaning companies and in-house cleaning teams have plenty of options to work with. When it comes to cleaning restrooms, the options span more than just urinal cakes and their alternatives.
More options give us the opportunity to meet client needs in different ways. If you are an All Pro Cleaning Systems client and are concerned about the chemicals we use to clean your restrooms, let’s talk about it. We offer a variety of options, including green cleaning solutions.
