Don’t you hate walking into a dirty restroom? You are not alone. About seven in 10 customers polled in a recent survey revealed a bad experience in a public restroom.
Specifically, Bradley Co., based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., found that nearly 70% of Americans reported having a particularly unpleasant experience in a public restroom due to its poor condition. The top restroom aggravations include clogged or unflushed toilets, an old, dirty or unkempt appearance and unpleasant smells.
On the other hand, 62% of Americans make a point to stop at businesses with clean and well-maintained bathrooms when they need to use the facilities, and nearly 60% willingly spend more money there.
Those findings are based on a 2024 survey of more than 1,000 American adults conducted by Bradley, a leading manufacturer of commercial washroom fixtures. Bradley has conducted the Healthy Handwashing Survey for 15 years to monitor the state of public restrooms, perceptions surrounding them, and Americans’ handwashing habits.
While 43% of Americans believe the overall condition of public restrooms has improved over the past 15 years, 57% remain unimpressed, according to Jon Dommisse, vice president of business development and strategy for Bradley, who oversaw this year’s survey.
Business owners with subpar restrooms are leaving untapped sales opportunities on the table. This year’s findings pinpoint key consumer pain points, preferences and behaviors in restrooms, providing insights on ways to improve washroom facilities for repeat business.
Here are some of the study’s biggest takeaways:
Misbehaviors Spoil the Restroom Experience. Sometimes, the lax or poor behavior of other restroom users irks restroom users, which can still reflect poorly on the business. Top restroom pet peeves include used paper towels left on the floor or sink, water splashing around the floor or sink and careless or reckless behavior that results in damage.
The survey also queried participants’ attitudes when they observed someone in a public restroom not washing their hands before exiting. Almost 70% of Americans recall seeing somebody use a restroom without washing their hands, which creates a negative impression about that person. Men (79%) are more likely than women (59%) to witness others skipping handwashing.
Covid Hangover. Despite being four years out from the COVID-19 pandemic, people remain in an elevated state of germ consciousness, causing sensitivity to the cleanliness in restroom spaces. In fact, 80% of Americans say they are now more conscious about coming into contact with germs because of the coronavirus. The facilities that cause people the most concern about germs are:
- Stores
- Health care establishments
- Restaurants
- Gas stations
Like the iPod forever changed music and 9/11 changed air travel, Demisse said COVID has changed public bathrooms. People want clean, well-stocked restrooms that they don’t have to touch.
Can’t Touch That. People go to great lengths to avoid coming in contact with germs in public restrooms. Almost 70% of Americans use a paper towel as a barrier between themselves and flushers, faucets and doors. Additionally, 46% use their foot to flush a public toilet — much to the dismay of building maintenance staff responsible for fixing broken flushers.
With so many people cautiously avoiding contact with restroom surfaces, 86% believe it is important to have touchless fixtures in a public restroom. According to the study, 70% are more likely to return to a business that offers touch-free technology like faucets, flushers and soap and towel dispensers in its restrooms.
Restroom Wishlist. When asked what improvement they’d like to see in restrooms, respondents said, “Clean them more regularly and keep them better stocked.” Next on the wish list is making everything touchless.
Even if it means investing in an additional staff person, survey responses tell retailers that they should make restroom cleanliness and proactive maintenance high priorities at their businesses, Dommisse said. It’s an investment in customer satisfaction, brand image and health and safety.
The annual Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley polled 1,003 American adults in early 2024 about their handwashing habits, concerns about seasonal viruses and use of public restrooms. Participants were from around the country and fairly evenly split between women (51%) and men (48%). Approximately 1% of survey respondents selected others.
Elie Y. Katz is the CEO and president of National Retail Solutions (NRS).
