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Cleaning Partitions: An Ultimate Guide
So youโve bought a brand new set of toilet partitions and have them installed in your bathroom. Now you just want to keep them as perfect as the day you bought them. Regularly cleaning partitions is the best way to accomplish this.
Making sure your stalls aren’t broken and keeping them cleaned go hand in hand towards helping you keep a good bathroom environment. A dirty toilet is an obvious problem but when you flush that toilet particles fly into the air and cover the stall walls. Thatโs not even taking into consideration the other stains like grease, makeup, or graffiti that might find their way onto your partition walls.
Even the sturdiest partition materials need a clean every now and then so we created this guide to tell you everything you need to know about cleaning your bathroom stalls. Whether you just want to give your stalls a quick scrub or have some heavy duty graffiti to remove, weโve got the resources for you.
Jump To
How to Clean Bathroom Partitions
Pro Tips from the Partition Experts
NEVER Clean Your Stalls with These
How to Clean Powder Coated Steel Partitions
How to Clean High Pressure Laminate Stalls
How to Clean Solid Plastic/HDPE Partitions
How to Clean Solid Phenolic Partitions
How to Clean Stainless Steel Stalls
Tried Everything?
How to Clean Bathroom Partitions
The following steps are pretty much universal when it comes to cleaning any kind of partitions. But make sure you check the section for your partition type for more details.
- Determine your partition material and find its section below
- Determine the level of staining you need to remove
- Pick your tool of choice: Sponge/Spongy Cloth (for Smooth Surfaces Soft Brush (for Textured Surfaces), Mop, etc.
- Prepare warm water and your chosen cleaning solution (depending on the type of partition you have and the stain you need to remove)
- Soak a soft cloth in your cleaning solution and then wring it out so it is damp, not soaked.
- Wipe the surface of your stalls from side to side, top to bottom, complete one panel at a time.
- Repeat the wiping process with clean warm water and a freshcloth
- Always dry your partitions thoroughly after cleaning to avoid streaking or damage
Pro Tips from the Partition Experts
- To clean hard-to-reach areas use a wet mop. It should have a flat, cloth-covered head and be mounted on a ball joint. Use in conjunction with a spray bottle to speed up the cleaning process. Don’t reuse a mop used on dirty floors or get too much moisture on non-waterproof partitions
- Clean before you need to, cleaning your partitions regularly will prevent harder stains from building up and will help your partitions last longer
- If you try a cleaning method for your stall type that is unsuccessful try going up a level of soiling to find a method for a stronger clean. If even the strongest method for your partition type does not work you may want to consider purchasing new stalls.
NEVER Clean Your Stalls with These
Some materials seem good for cleaning but in reality they can do a lot of damage to your partitions. Here are a couple items to never use regardless of your partition type and why they arenโt good choices.
Heavy Abrasives
Using these items can create scratches in the material that become โperchesโ for dirt, rust, and even fungi to build up on. This can corrode and permanently damage the toilet partitions.
Acid
Muriatic acid and other acid-based cleaners can cause discolorations and corrode materials
Bleach
Bleach will form a chemical reaction with plastics that will discolor or even distort your partitions. Metal will oxidize once it comes in contact with bleach, so itโs best to avoid it for all partition types.
Heavy Ammonia
Light ammonia cleaners can be used on stainless steel partitions, but heavy ammonia should never be used. It can cause discolorations but worse it can also create dangerous chemical compounds
You should also steer clear of wire brushes, fibrous sponges, steel wool, scouring pads, powdered cleansers, gritty creams, toilet bowl cleaner, or scale remover. Any of these items can irreparably damage your stalls, which is the last thing you want in your brand new bathroom.
How to Clean Powder Coated Steel Partitions
Level of Soiling
Light Soiling: (Sediment, Smudges, Fingerprints)
Remove any dust or dirt using a soft cloth
Moderate Soiling: (Grease, Oil, Crayon, Makeup)
Warm water and a mild non-abrasive cleaner
Heavy Soiling: (Watermarking, Scale Deposits)
Special cleaner designed specifically for powder-coated surfaces.
Graffiti:
Specialized graffiti removers can safely be used on these to immediately and efficiently remove graffiti from sprays, permanent markers, and more. Commercial graffiti cleaners: are NOT recommended on a normal powder coating finish.
Ways to Protect Your Stalls
-
- Purchase anti-graffiti powder coatings with certain finishes
- Maintain your hardware, every time you clean tighten all screws and ensure all pieces are fitting together properly
- Use automotive paste wax to prevent moisture damage (great for stalls in high moisture areas)
- Touch up painting is possible but touched up areas will have different textures
- Make sure all surfaces are dry before and after cleaning
Manufacturerโs Cleaning Guide
Download the manufacturerโs cleaning guide for powder coating (Hadrian). Or, read about the special procedure for cleaning anti-graffiti powder coating (Hadrian).
How to Clean High Pressure Laminate Stalls
Level of Soiling
Light Soiling: (Sediment, Smudges, Fingerprints)
Mild cleaning solution (ex: 2 tbsp. mild dishwashing liquid, like Ivory, mixed with two cups of water in a spray bottle)
Moderate Soiling: (Grease, Oil, Crayon, Makeup)
Degreaser
General Purpose Cleaner (Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner, Krud Kutter)
Thick paste of water and baking soda
Heavy Soiling: (Watermarking, Scale Deposits)
Heavy duty cleaner (choose one with acetic acid)
Graffiti:
Use a special graffiti remover
NEVER
- Soak, splash or spray material
- Fail to rinse and dry surface after cleaning
- Pressure Wash/Hose Down Stalls
- Use abrasive sponges, cloths, or cleaners
Ways to Protect Your Stalls
- A light application of clear furniture polish or furniture wax can protect laminate surfaces
- Check your stalls hardware tightness and functionality regularly to ensure life-span of stalls
- Make sure all surfaces are dry before and after cleaning
Manufacturerโs Cleaning Guide
Download the manufacturerโs cleaning guide for laminate surfaces (Bobrick).
How to Clean Solid Plastic/HDPE Partitions
Level of Soiling
Light Soiling: (Sediment, Smudges, Fingerprints)
Mild cleaning solution (ex: 2 tbsp mild dishwashing liquid, like Ivory, mixed with two cups of water in a spray bottle)
Moderate Soiling: (Grease, Oil, Crayon, Makeup)
General Purpose Cleaner
Cleaning solution containing 1/2 cup of household detergent, 2/3 cup of trisodium phosphate, and 1 gallon of water is suggested
Heavy Soiling: (Watermarking, Scale Deposits)
Commercial cleaner containing acetic acid
Plastic-specific cleaning product safe for high-density polyethylene
Pressure Washing / Hose
Graffiti:
Use a special graffiti remover
NEVER
- Fail to rinse and dry surface after cleaning
- Use abrasive sponges, cloths, or cleaners
Ways to Protect Your Stalls
- Regularly check all the hinges, screws, and connections to make sure stalls are in perfect working order
- A light application of furniture polish can protect phenolic surfaces
- Solid Phenolic partitions are water resistant so they can be washed with a hose, still be sure to dry them afterwards
Manufacturerโs Cleaning Guide
Download the manufacturerโs cleaning guide for solid plastic (HDPE) surfaces (Scranton Products).
How to Clean Solid Phenolic Partitions
Level of Soiling
Light Soiling: (Sediment, Smudges, Fingerprints)
Mild cleaning solution
Can be washed with a hose
Moderate Soiling: (Grease, Oil, Crayon, Makeup)
General purpose cleaner
Mild degreaser
Heavy Soiling: (Watermarking, Scale Deposits)
Mild detergent
General purpose cleaner
Bathroom cleaner containing acetic acid
Graffiti:
Use a special graffiti remover
NEVER
- Forget to rinse and dry surface after cleaning
- Use abrasive sponges, cloths, or cleaners
Ways to Protect Your Stalls
- Check your stalls’ hardware tightness and functionality regularly to ensure life-span of stalls
- Resurfacing is possible as the material is the same color throughout, burnishing repair is also possible
Manufacturerโs Cleaning Guide
Download the manufacturerโs cleaning guide for laminate surfaces (Bobrick).
How to Clean Stainless Steel Stalls
Level of Soiling
Light Soiling: (Sediment, Smudges, Fingerprints)
Mild Detergent or ammonia based solution
Moderate Soiling: (Grease, Oil, Crayon, Makeup)
Solution containing a detergent, water, and a solvent like acetone or kerosene.
Heavy Soiling: (Watermarking, Scale Deposits)
Metal cleaner formulated for stainless steel surfaces
Slightly abrasive powder like Ajax
Graffiti:
Use a special graffiti remover
NEVER
- Use cleaners with bleach or hydrochloric acid (can cause rust/discoloration to form)
- Use products like steel wool (can cause severe aesthetic damages)
- Forget to wipe and dry the surface of the partitions after cleaning
Ways to Protect Your Stalls
- Regular cleaning is the most effective way to preserve the brilliance and shine
- Regularly check for any damage to the panels or hardware, ensure every screw, latch, and bolt is fastened and functional
- Stainless steel has a natural ability to resist rust. While this resistance is documented, stainless steel is not completely excluded from rusting.
- You can polish stainless steel for an even shinier clean look
Manufacturerโs Cleaning Guide
Download the manufacturerโs cleaning guide for stainless steel (Hadrian).
Tried Everything?
If youโve tried all the cleaners in the book and your stalls are still unacceptably dirty it might be time to purchase new partitions. Despite the longevity of the materials, every partition reaches the end of its lifespan eventually.
Luckily, the Partition Experts at Partition Plus have your back. We offer all of the partition materials listed above at low prices. With our quick shipping youโll have brand new stalls in no time and with this guide youโll have everything you need to keep them shining for years to come. If youโre in the Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia area we also offer installation to help you get your partitions into your bathroom.
Get a free quote online today or contact us at 800-298-9696 or [email protected]. We are happy to walk through the process with you.
