Situation getting cleaner

Chemicals and detergents used in HoReCa units account for 1 per cent of operating costs. However, any defects in this area can lead to very substantial losses and the products used in rest rooms reveal much about the standard of the restaurant or bar we happen to be in. According to Dániel Cséplő, managing director of Ladies & Gentleman Hungary Kft, toilets in restaurants have become much better equipped and cleaner in the past two decades. Modern design, equipment and services are playing an increasingly important role in competition. – It is essential for HoReCa units to operate toilets of a high standard – agrees Erika Sárközi, from the AFH Tissue division of SCA Hygiene Products Kft. However, tissue is an item still often subject to cost saving, although better quality is not necessarily more expensive. Cleanliness and the cleaning of rest rooms is the other aspect of hygiene. Adequately trained staff and suitable equipment are both needed. – Apart from a wide range of tissues, soap dispensers and bags, Gastro Higiénia Kft also has a substantial assortment of detergents – says Lóránt Kovács, managing director. Their special toilet oil helps to prevent the deposition of scale and bacteria. They also offer air fragrances in the form of dispensers with motion sensors. – In the opinion of Viktor Tóth, , managing director of Italclean System Kft, attention paid to hygiene is still not sufficient in the HoReCa sector, though there are some exceptions. Products intended for household use are still used by many units, leading to shortcomings. Italclean has a wide range of toilet products for the HoReCa sector, like scale removers, air fragrances and detergents. – Our detergents are almost completely broken down biologically. Their Diavolina Bio product line contains special biological products composed of micro-organisms and enzymes. Gastro Higiénia Kft also has environment-friendly detergents composed exclusively of natural ingredients which are also hypo-allergic. Reducing environmental impact is also a priority for JohnsonDiversey, though they have not detected substantial demand for organic products. Their Pur-Eco product line has qualified for using the European “eco” trademark. Ladies & Gentleman is the regional representative of Ecover, one of the leading manufacturer of “green” detergents in the world. According to Erika Sárközi, it is a mistake to believe that tissues and towels made from recycled paper represent lower quality. SCA is proud to be the second “greenest” company in the world. The White Lilly social responsibility program was launched in 2004, with the participation of JohnsonDiversey. This is a complex project intended to improve hygiene in restaurants. Restaurants which meet the defined criteria are authorised to use the White Lilly symbol. Two audits are carried out annually in restaurants which join the program on a voluntary basis.