ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

American people have changed their perceptions of public toilets following Covid, according to the latest Bradley Corporation survey.

Around 80 per cent of respondents said they had become more conscious of germs as a result of the pandemic. Nearly 70 per cent said they now use a paper towel as a barrier between themselves and the toilet flush, taps and doors while 46 per cent use their foot to flush the loo.

"In the same way as the iPod forever changed music and 9/11 changed air travel, Covid will forever change public bathroom design," said Bradley Corporation vice-president of business development and strategy Jon Dommisse."People want clean, well-stocked restrooms that they don't have to touch."

The study revealed that 86 per cent of people believe it is important to have touchless fixtures in a public washroom while 70 per cent said they were more likely to return to a business that offered touch-free technology.

According to the study, 70 per cent of Americans have had an unpleasant experience in a washroom due to the poor condition of the facility. However, 43 per cent believe the overall condition of public toilets has improved over the past 15 years.

Used paper towels left on the floor and water splashed around the floor and the sink were among the top gripes mentioned in the study while others included clogged or unflushed toilets, a dirty appearance and unpleasant smells.

Almost 60 per cent of respondents said they believed an unclean washroom demonstrated poor management. And half of those questioned said they would think twice before returning to an establishment with a dirty loo.

www.bradleycorp.com/handwashing