An Upside to the Pandemic Is Found in the Restroom

It’s not too easy to find the benefits to a pandemic, but cleaner public restrooms appear to be one. A recent survey by Bradley Corp. found about half of Americans believe public restrooms are cleaner now than they were before the coronavirus pandemic.

The survey of 1,035 American adults analyzed their concerns about public restrooms, COVID-19, and the flu. It found survey respondents have not stopped using public restrooms during the coronavirus pandemic, with 41% reporting using public restrooms as often as they did before the pandemic and 27% saying they use them more now than pre-pandemic. Among the survey respondents, 55% of men believe public restrooms are now cleaner and in better condition than before the pandemic, as do 47% of women.

The survey also found:

• 79% of survey respondents think posting an updated cleaning schedule in public restrooms is important
• 51% say an unpleasant public restroom at a business shows poor management, up from 39% in 2021
• 43% report that encountering neglected restrooms lowers their opinion of the establishment
• 38% believe a dirty and neglected restrooms shows a business doesn’t care about its customers
• 84% believe it’s important for public restrooms to be equipped with touchless fixtures
• 63% say they are more likely to return to a business that offers no-touch capabilities in its restrooms
• 60% say they are likely to spend more cash at a business with clean, well-maintained restrooms
• 58% say when out running errands they’ll take restroom breaks at a business they know has clean, well-stocked restrooms.

“Thanks to the pandemic, more people are paying closer attention to various elements in public restrooms—how clean they are, how easy they are to navigate without touching surfaces and how they can be improved,” said Jon Dommisse, vice president of marketing and corporate communication for Bradley Corp.