CleanSafe operatives deep cleaning a disused underground public toilets were asked by a local resident if he could spend a penny in them – because he had not used the loos since the 1960s.
The cheeky passerby made the comment as the CleanSafe toilet deep cleaning team worked on the derelict public toilets in Central London.
CleanSafe supervisor Dave Avers said: “The toilets have been locked up and not used at least since the 1980s. A local resident came along and asked if he could go down and spend a penny for old time’s sake, as he hadn’t used them since the 1960s.
“Obviously, it wasn’t something we could allow, and they’re not in working order, but it was interesting that there were still people in the area who could remember that far back.”
Extreme cleaning specialist CleanSafe was asked to deep clean the underground toilet block by its owner. The company has many years’ experience providing hygienic deep cleaning services in a range of commercial sectors.
This particular job took three days to complete and started by clearing mounds of leaves that had gathered behind the locked gates. As health and safety is paramount, the CleanSafe team had to wear safety harnesses to carry out this work to avoid slip hazards.
A powerful steam cleaner that blasts out jets of water at 1,250 pounds per square inch (PSI) and heated to over 100 degrees Centigrade was used to clear decades of grime from the steps and then inside the building.
While the toilet deep cleaning team used the powerful machine inside the public toilets, an extraction system was set up to remove the steam from the confined space, ensuring the CleanSafe team could see what they were doing and remained safe.
Dave Avers said: “The client was amazed we got the toilets as clean as we did. They said we did a fabulous job. It took a good bit of hard scrubbing, as well as high pressure jetting, but the results were worth it.”
With high property prices and plenty of demand from developers, unused public toilets, including underground toilets like these, are being put to creative new uses across London.
In 2012, architect Laura Clark spent £60,000 turning a former underground public toilet in Crystal Palace was turned into a one-bedroom flat.
A disused underground public toilet in Oxford Street has been turned into a coffee shop.
vCleanSafe Account Manager Jane Robertson said: “Deep cleaning a building like this, after it has not been used for many years, is often not a particularly complicated process.
“However, but it does require the extreme cleaning experience we have, both in terms of using safe techniques with effective equipment, getting the job done quickly and cost-effectively, and obtaining the best results.”
CleanSafe was instructed to remove all toilet bowls from the building and block up the drain with wire wool and expanding foam sealer. The wire wool deters rats from trying to chew their way into the building via sewers.
For more information about public toilet deep cleaning services, contact CleanSafe. Telephone: 0800 668 1268
