ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

A large number of Americans are fastidious about touching the surfaces in public washrooms, according to a study.

The survey revealed that 57 per cent of Americans prefer to operate the toilet flusher with their foot rather than use their hands. Meanwhile, 55 per cent said they used a paper towel to avoid touching the door handle directly.

And 45 per cent open and close the outer door with their hips rather than their hands.

More than 1,000 Americans were polled in a Healthy Hand Washing Survey conducted by washroom product manufacturer the Bradley Corporation.

Almost 60 per cent of respondents claimed to have had an unpleasant experience in a public washroom. Top complaints included bad smells, toilets that were clogged or not flushed, and washrooms with a dirty, unkempt or old appearance.

When asked about their hand washing habits, 92 per cent of respondents said it was important to wash their hands after a visit to the toilet. However, only 59 per cent of men and 75 per cent of women said they actually did so.

"When we asked about the single most important improvement respondents would like to see in restrooms, 'cleanliness' topped the list," said Jon Dommisse, director of global marketing and strategic development at Bradley Corporation. "Restroom hygiene is a hot button with Americans since 85 per cent say they hurry to exit a restroom when it's unpleasant."