It may be easy to clean your own toilet, but the same cannot be said to a public toilet, especially one that is normally used by hundreds of people a day. This is even more so for a factory who also has foreign workers using the toilets. This is why in LH Plus, we strive to keep our toilets in great condition as we understand that this will create a sense of comfort among our workers, and it promotes good hygiene for better health and cleanliness. As such, we strive to maintain the cleanliness in our toilets at all times.

“Like all factories previously, our factory toilet stank and I was not proud of it,” said Callum Chen, CEO of LH Plus. “So during one gathering session with the workers in the morning, where I spoke in Malay and I had two others translating for me for effective communication, I apologised for the stinky toilets as I believe providing a clean, safe and conducive environment is my responsibility.”

He then encouraged his workers to talk about what they wanted for the toilets. “A lot of them said they wanted toilets similar to the ones in the office. I asked them, would you like it if I did one nicer than that? Like a five-star hotel’s? And they all said yes.”

But according to Callum, that’s just the easy part. “I can bring in the contractors, put in the money and have it done. But the biggest challenge is moving on. I need everyone to commit in taking care of the toilets; this means no graffiti, no stinky toilets, rubbish or even wet floors. If they can commit, then construction can be underway.”

The workers agreed, so Callum agreed to the construction of the new toilets. “As I am responsible for the four factory toilets in LH Plus, we discussed on what needs to be done for the toilets,” said Callum. With that said, ventilations were installed and toilets were a lot more open to deal with the smell, awnings were put between the toilets to keep the privacy of those who uses the toilets with higher grounds. An air blower is also available in all toilets to keep the floors dry and a cleaner is hired to keep the toilets clean on schedule.

Providing better toilets with better facilities is the easy part, but getting those who use the toilets on an almost daily basis to use it responsibly is the real challenge. During the soft launch of the new toilets, one of the workers had broken the toilet handle. Rather than see this as a failure, it was a lesson learnt as most workers in LH Plus are from overseas such as Nepal and Bengal.

This is why the key factor in keeping toilets clean through proper usage is ensuring clear communication. As some of the toilet facilities will be different from the ones they use back in their country, it's important they understand and know how to keep the toilets clean after using it.

With this in mind, signs of how to use and keep the toilets clean are provided in the different languages of these workers. When those who use the toilets understand how to use the facilities to keep the toilets clean and dry, only then can cleanliness be maintained.

There is also a hired cleaner to clean the toilets based on the schedule provided. Masino Tamang from Hydraulics had taken over the shift from the usual cleaner, who went back to his hometown for two months. He cleans it almost every hour, especially so when more people are bound to use the toilets. “My colleagues and I like the toilets here,” he said. “When it’s clean, it’s very beautiful and nice. We’re also comfortable in using it and we want to make sure it’s clean for anyone else to use it.”

It’s also important to have the right attitude as well. Having respect for the toilet and even for the cleaner who keeps it clean goes a long way, and when promises are kept to keep the toilets clean there is more respect all around. Workers do not mind being told what to do, especially when they know that it is for the best.

“If the toilets can be clean three to six months down the road, it’s no big deal,” said Callum. “If we can maintain that cleanliness for three years, five years, even ten years, then we are successful.”

The toilets were renovated three years ago, and ever since then our record of clean toilets remain impeccable until today.

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