How to Clean Under Bathroom Partitions: Tips to Maintain Bathroom Hygiene

April 3, 2025

Picture this: You’re at a restaurant, a stadium, or even your workplace, and nature calls. You head to the restroom, expecting a clean and fresh space—only to be hit with a wave of foul odors the moment you step inside.

At first glance, it seems fine. The sink is clean, the mirrors are spotless, and the stall doors look well-maintained. But then you look down—the floors are sticky, discolored, and covered in who-knows-what. The area under the bathroom partitions and around the toilets and urinals has been cleaned improperly, or worse–neglected, with visible stains and a lingering smell that tells you this isn’t just today’s mess.

Now you’re stuck. Do you hold your breath, step carefully, and hope for the best? Or do you turn around and search for another restroom, knowing that might not be an option? Either way, it’s an uncomfortable and unsanitary situation—one that could have been avoided with proper restroom floor maintenance.

Your customers’ experience is no different if this occurs at your facility.

A dirty, smelly restroom can lead to lost patronage due to poor hygiene, foul odors, and increased complaints. Not to mention they’ll be wondering how clean the rest of your facility is.

Did you know that foul odors have a profound impact on customer satisfaction and retention? A poll reported that nearly 80% of people are negatively impacted by foul odors in restaurants and around 75% in hotels. Shopping malls and retail also see significant negative effects at over 60%, while entertainment, office, and fitness venues are affected for over half of those polled.

Why is it Important to Clean Under Bathroom Partitions?

Around 90% of your restroom odors are caused by urine. Over time, urine splashes, mineral buildup, and bacteria can accumulate, leading to persistent odors and sanitation issues.

Much like our guide on cleaning around urinals, even if the main areas of the restroom are cleaned regularly, easily missed or forgotten areas like under bathroom partitions can quickly degrade the quality of your restroom. Let’s examine what left-behind residue can lead to:

Bacteria
Foul Odors
Urine Stains

1. Bacteria

Bacteria growth is one of the most concerning issues with an unclean restroom. When restroom surfaces are not disinfected properly, they offer high transmission potential because bacteria can survive on them for longer periods of time and spread through the air when the toilet flushes. This increases the risk of transmission.

2. Foul Odors

A hallmark of the undesirable and unclean restroom, foul odors are often the first thing a patron will notice when entering and can make or break the restroom-using experience. In many cases, a smelly restroom can be enough to deter a return visit to the establishment.

3. Urine Stains

Urine stains are very bad for public restrooms because they create unpleasant odors, indicate poor hygiene, and foster bacteria growth and spread. Not only that, but people find urine stains to be generally off-putting and unhygienic.

Now that we understand the why, let’s quickly discuss the benefits of a clean restroom.

Benefits of a Clean Restroom

A well-maintained restroom is more than just visually appealing—it plays a crucial role in hygiene, customer satisfaction, and your business’s reputation. Here’s why keeping restrooms, including the areas behind urinals, clean and sanitary is essential:

Better Hygiene & Health
Odor Prevention
Positive User Experience
Health & Safety Compliance
Longer Lasting Fixtures

Better Hygiene & Health

Routine cleaning prevents the buildup of bacteria, mold, and other harmful pathogens that contribute to odors and potential health risks.

Odor Prevention

Removing urine splashes and mineral deposits helps eliminate persistent smells, ensuring a more pleasant restroom experience for employees, customers, and guests.

Positive User Experience

A clean, fresh-smelling restroom leaves a lasting impression, whether in a restaurant, office, or commercial space.

Health & Safety Compliance

Following proper restroom cleaning protocols helps businesses meet sanitation standards and avoid health code violations.

Longer-Lasting Fixtures

Regular maintenance prevents mineral buildup and corrosion, extending the lifespan of urinals, plumbing, and flooring while reducing costly repairs.

Prioritizing restroom cleanliness not only enhances the overall environment but also minimizes maintenance costs and negative feedback. Up next, let’s dive into the best practices for effectively cleaning under bathroom partitions.

How to Clean Under Bathroom Partitions

Before you start cleaning, gather the appropriate supplies:

Materials Needed:

Enzyme-Based Urine Cleaning Chemical
Disinfectant
Scrub or Grout Brush
Microfiber Cloths
Towels
Wet Floor Signs
Restroom Closed Signs
PPE (goggles, gloves, etc.)

Equipment Needed:

Air Mover
Micro Scrubber
No-Touch Bathroom Cleaning Machine

Always begin any cleaning procedure by putting on the necessary personal protective equipment. For cleaning under bathroom partitions, safety goggles, gloves, closed-toe shoes and shoe covers, and long-sleeved clothing should be worn to protect against chemical contact.

Now let’s dive into the steps you need to follow for cleaning behind urinals:

Your Step-By-Step Guide to Clean Under Bathroom Partitions

Follow these steps for daily cleaning behind urinals to keep your restroom in top shape:

Area Prep
Use an Enzyme-Based Cleaner
Apply a Disinfectant
Dry the Area

Step 1: Area Prep

Proper preparation ensures cleaning staff can work safely and effectively.

Start by placing out ”Restroom Closed” signage to prevent entry. Unauthorized access could lead to slips or exposure to cleaning chemicals. If you do not have closed restroom signage, wet floor signs can also signal not to enter the restroom.

Step 2: Use an Enzyme-Based Cleaner

It’s time to start cleaning. Enzyme-based cleaners are essential for breaking down urine proteins—the main cause of restroom odors. Unlike air fresheners, these cleaners eliminate odors at the source rather than just masking them.

Spray the cleaner onto the affected areas and scrub it in with your micro scrubber or a scrub/grout brush. Allow the cleaner to dwell for the recommended time (refer to the product label or SDS) before wiping it away with a microfiber cloth.

For stubborn urine stains or buildup, repeat this step as many times as needed.

Step 3: Apply a Disinfectant

Next comes disinfecting. Apply the disinfectant onto the entire affected area, allow it to rest for the chemical’s recommended dwell time, then wipe away with a microfiber cloth. Rinse the area thoroughly with clean water to remove any cleaner residue.

Step 4: Dry the Area

Before reopening the restroom, it’s essential to ensure the area is fully dry to prevent slips and maintain cleanliness.

Here are three effective drying methods:

Hand dry with clean towels. The fastest option, but it requires manual effort. Be sure to wait for the recommended dwell time before wiping surfaces dry.
Allow the area to air dry. This is the simplest method, requiring no extra tools, but it takes the longest. Plan accordingly if choosing this approach.
Use an air mover. Our preferred method, as it speeds up drying without additional labor, and ensures the area is ready for use more quickly.

Now the area under your bathroom partition is clean and your restroom is ready to make a great impression!

Touch-Free Restroom Cleaning Machines

For deeper, more restorative cleaning, or if you have a large amount of restroom cleaning to do, consider a touch-free restroom cleaning machine.

Restroom cleaning machines are specialized pieces of equipment designed to efficiently and thoroughly clean, sanitize, and vacuum bathroom surfaces, including toilets, urinals, floors, and more. These machines typically combine spraying a cleaning solution, rinsing, and vacuuming to remove dirt and grime and can do so in a touch-free process, improving hygiene.

These machines are typically used in large commercial settings like hotels, hospitals, and office buildings to streamline the restroom cleaning process and make it more efficient.

Challenges of Cleaning Under Bathroom Partitions

Restroom floors, especially in and around stalls, are often overlooked during routine cleaning. However, neglecting these areas can lead to hygiene issues, odors, and long-term damage.

Here are key challenges to be aware of to ensure restroom floors remain clean and sanitary:

Urine Splashes & Residue
Hard-to-Reach Areas
Mineral Deposits & Scaling
Bacteria & Biofilm Growth

1. Urine Splashes & Residue

Urine can accumulate on floors around toilets and urinals, leading to stubborn stains, foul odors, and bacterial growth. To prevent buildup:

Regularly replace urinal screens and floor mats.
Use enzyme-based cleaners that break down urine proteins rather than masking odors.
Implement daily and deep-cleaning routines to prevent long-term damage.

2. Hard-to-Reach Areas

Tight spaces, like under partitions, behind toilets, and along baseboards can trap dirt and moisture. To ensure a thorough clean:

Use a micro scrubber to reach under partitions.
Apply foaming disinfectants, which cling to vertical and uneven surfaces for better coverage.

3. Mineral Deposits & Scaling

Hard water and uric acid can cause stubborn stains and buildup on restroom floors, especially near urinals. To combat this:

Allow for proper dwell time before scrubbing and rinsing.
Perform preventative maintenance by sealing grout lines and deep cleaning tiles.

4. Bacteria & Biofilm Growth

Restrooms provide the perfect environment for bacteria and biofilm to thrive. To keep floors sanitary:

Disinfect floors regularly to kill bacteria at the source.
Improve ventilation and airflow to reduce excess moisture and prevent mold growth.
Use odor-control solutions, such as enzymatic cleaners and a metered aerosol system to maintain freshness.

By addressing these common challenges, you can maintain cleaner, safer, and more pleasant restroom floors for employees and guests alike.

Quick Tips

Here are some quick tips to make cleaning under bathroom partitions easier to manage and much more efficient:

Use a micro scrubber to agitate chemical into the floor: These can help scrub away dirt and grime.
Apply cleaners and let them work: Give chemicals a chance to break down stains and buildup by waiting for their recommended dwell time before wiping.
Focus on grout lines: If you have tile floors, use a grout brush to scrub between the tiles where bacteria can build up.
For deeper cleaning, consider a touch-free restroom cleaning machine: These will spray, rinse, and vacuum, all in one machine.
Make sure your restroom is well ventilated: This will mitigate moisture, bacteria growth, and foul odors.

Preventative Maintenance

In addition to regular cleaning and disinfecting, there are some steps you can take to maintain the quality of your restroom and make cleaning it even easier:

Seal the floor and wall joints: This prevents urine from seeping into the grout lines and baseboards, which are much more difficult to clean.
Use odor neutralizing toilet mats: These catch and trap urine drips and splashes before they can reach the floor.
Regular inspections: Check for leaks, clogged drains, or broken flushing mechanisms that can contribute to increased moisture.

Final Thoughts

A clean restroom is more than just a visual expectation—it directly impacts hygiene, customer satisfaction, and a business’s reputation.

While many restrooms appear well-maintained at first glance, hidden trouble spots like the floors beneath bathroom partitions often go unnoticed. These areas can accumulate urine splashes, bacteria, and mineral deposits, leading to persistent odors and an unsanitary environment. Neglecting these spaces not only affects cleanliness but can also create an unpleasant experience for employees, guests, and customers.

Maintaining restroom floors, especially under partitions, requires a combination of proper cleaning techniques and preventative maintenance. Using enzyme-based cleaners to break down urine proteins, scrubbing grout lines to prevent buildup, and ensuring adequate ventilation can all help in keeping restrooms fresh and sanitary.

For deeper cleaning, especially in large commercial settings, consider a touch-free restroom cleaning machine. These machines spray, rinse, and vacuum surfaces like toilets, urinals, and floors, providing a thorough and sanitary clean.

Businesses should also take proactive steps, such as sealing floor joints and using odor-neutralizing mats, to make ongoing maintenance easier and more effective.

By prioritizing these overlooked areas, restrooms can remain clean, inviting, and free of the common challenges that lead to negative impressions.

If you are located in the United States, Canada, or Puerto Rico, there is an Imperial Dade facility near you with experts that can help you implement a deep cleaning or preventative maintenance schedule. Make sure your facility has spotless restrooms by reaching out to an Imperial Dade expert today.