I was interested to read in the latest ‘InClean’ magazine (Nov/Dec p.44) that a company in Finland who specialise in technology and design have come up with an app that will let you monitor how busy the office bathroom is, directly from your smartphone.

The development of the app was a result of frustration that many office workers experience, particularly in busy locations, where washrooms are often occupied. The result is either a wasted walk to the amenities or having to find an alternate washroom on another floor or area within the building.

The app essentially provides a map of the facility that shows the washrooms as either free (denoted by ‘green’ colouring) or occupied (with ‘red’). Wireless sensors located in the amenities send out signals picked up by the Smartphone.

The technology is also being used in large office spaces where staff don’t have a permanent office location. Often referred to as ‘hot desking’, the app will show staff where vacant work spaces are available. It’s a bit like the car park monitoring system now being used at most of the Westfield centres, where a green light let’s you know there’s a space available but as most will know that system has it’s bugs. Very frustrating when you spot a green light above a space only to find a car sitting in it.

Hopefully the toilet app will be a bit more reliable!

If you want to read more you can visit European Cleaning Journal