As the festive and school holiday season approaches, public spaces across Malaysia, such as hotels, retail, F&B, shopping malls, factories and offices, are preparing to welcome larger crowds. During this festive period, spending time with family and friends, sharing meals, and taking part in community celebrations are common traditions. While these moments foster joy and connection, they also increase the risk of spreading infectious diseases such as Influenza, HFMD and COVID-19 if proper washroom hygiene is overlooked.
Globally, according to the United Nations, billions of people still live without access to safe toilets — a reminder that the commitment to clean and functional washrooms should never be taken for granted. Recognising this critical issue, and in support of World Toilet Day 2025 which calls for global action to ensure access to clean and safe washrooms as a basic human right, Initial Hygiene Malaysia introduces “Essential Hygiene That Matters”, alongside the launch of the Essential Range. This initiative highlights the importance of proper hygiene amenities in today’s evolving environment, where essential washroom care remains a timeless need of safe, clean, and reliable facilities — especially during the busy festive and holiday seasons.
Every business plays an important role in upholding these hygiene standards to protect public health. Therefore, maintaining clean, well-equipped washrooms in all high-traffic businesses becomes more than a matter of convenience; it is essential for ensuring safety, comfort, and confidence for every user, especially for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with underlying health conditions.
To further raise awareness and better understand public expectations, Initial Hygiene Malaysia collaborated with Malaysian social media influencer Marissa Wong, also known as the “Toilet Reviewer,” and conducted a public street interview exploring Malaysians’ views on washroom hygiene.
The survey revealed the following insights:
67% of respondents rated the cleanliness of public washrooms at an average of 3 out of 5, indicating moderate satisfaction but also highlighting significant room for improvement.
All respondents emphasised the importance of having basic hygiene essentials such as hand soap, tissue paper, hand sanitisers, feminine hygiene units, air fresheners, and toilet seat cleaners, with tissue paper being mentioned most frequently.
A majority of respondents agreed that a fresh-smelling washroom enhances users’ comfort, creates a more pleasant environment, and encourages longer use.
Together, these insights highlight that access to essential washroom hygiene amenities remains a fundamental expectation among users and plays an important role in shaping positive washroom experiences. Guided by these findings, Initial Hygiene Malaysia proactively offers targeted recommendations to better address the specific hygiene challenges faced by key businesses such as hospitality, manufacturing, retail, and corporate environments.
Recognising that each business has unique needs, Initial Hygiene Malaysia emphasises a tailored and thoughtful approach to hygiene — one that consistently prioritises the basic needs, which are comfort, safety, and the trust of every user.
Why Essential Hygiene Matters Across Every Business
As the festive and school holiday seasons arrive, more people are on the move — travelling, shopping, and spending time with loved ones. With larger crowds and increased washroom usage, maintaining hygiene standards becomes more important than ever.
Hospitality & Leisure
During the festive travel season, places such as hotels see higher occupancy rates as families go on holidays and travellers return home. Guests expect washrooms that reflect the same comfort and cleanliness as the rest of their stay. Essentials such as toilet paper, soap, hand sanitisers and air fresheners ensure every guest enjoys a fresh, welcoming experience that upholds the hotel’s reputation for care and quality.
Retail, F&B & Shopping Malls
Festive shopping peaks during school holidays, drawing heavy foot traffic to malls and retail stores, especially the F&B outlets. With more visitors, maintaining washroom cleanliness becomes a direct reflection of the business. Essentials such as tissue paper, hand soap, and air fresheners play a vital role in creating a positive, comfortable experience that encourages customers to stay longer and return.
Industrial & Manufacturing
The year-end period often brings increased production demands to meet festive orders. For employees working longer shifts, access to proper hand hygiene like soap dispensers, sanitisers, and paper towels helps maintain health, reduce contamination risks, and sustain productivity in high-demand environments.
Offices & Corporate Spaces
Before the year closes, many offices host festive gatherings, meetings, and client visits. A clean washroom with well-equipped toilet seat cleaners, hand soap, and paper towels reinforces professionalism and leaves a positive impression on both staff and visitors, showing that hygiene care is part of the company’s commitment and culture.
The Essential Range: Providing What Truly Matters
Building on insights from the public survey, which revealed that Malaysians value essential washroom amenities, Initial Hygiene Malaysia emphasises that good hygiene begins with the basics. From cubicle hygiene solutions like toilet roll dispensers, toilet seat cleaners, and urinal sanitisers, to hand hygiene essentials such as soap, paper towels, and sanitisers, and air fresheners that keep spaces fresh and inviting — the Initial Essential Range delivers what every washroom truly needs, no matter the industry.
As a leading provider of hygiene solutions in Malaysia, Initial Hygiene delivers accessible essential hygiene solutions to meet the critical needs and evolving demands of washroom hygiene across every business sector. For more information, visit Essential Range page to explore their full offering, or please contact:
Initial Hygiene : 1800 880 388 | initial.com/my
Rentokil Pest Control : 1300 886 911 | rentokil.com/my
This content is provided by Rentokil Initial Malaysia
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
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