Blogs from August, 2017

Public restrooms are a normal part of our daily life, but you may not realize just how much goes into them in order to make sure you can do your business without worry. This is especially relevant to business or commercial property owners who have a public restroom they are responsible for maintaining. Here are a few fascinating facts that you may not realize about public restrooms.

Dropping the Call

It should come as little surprise that smartphones have dramatically increased the average amount of time spent on the toilet, and they’ve also increased the number of people who drop their phone into the toilet, leading to the ultimate “oh, crap!” moment. Some estimates say as many as 7 million people drop their phone in the toilet each year (though this includes both private and public bathrooms).

The Most Sanitary Stall

Most people have a strong disdain for public restrooms because they’re seen as a place with high amounts of bacteria. However, you can give yourself a little more comfort by simply choosing the right toilet stall. Statistically, the first stall or fixture you see when walking in is the least used in every restroom, therefore making it most likely the cleanest.

They Use More Water Than You Think

You’ve probably noticed that public toilets have a far higher pressure water flow when they flush in order to prevent obnoxious clogging. However, this maintenance-reducing feature comes at a cost: toilets made before 1993 could use up to 16 liters of water per flush. After 1993, the National Energy Policy Act mandated that toilets cut back on water usage, and now use only about six liters per flush.

In Europe, Most Public Toilets Aren’t Free

Here in the good ol’ United States, public bathrooms are about as common as gas stations, and we take that for granted sometimes. Europeans aren’t so lucky. In fact, the vast majority of public restrooms in major cities like London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, and more actually charge you to get through the door. Some restrooms can be as high as about the equivalent of a dollar or $1.50, depending on the country.

Public Restrooms Need Regular Maintenance

Maintenance is a typical part of caring for any restroom, but public restrooms need more than just your typical cleaning every several hours. In fact, because these rooms tend to get so much more use than their residential counterparts, they’re far more likely to experience an issue. If your business or commercial property has restrooms available to the public, you should have it inspected at least every six months to ensure your fixtures remain in good working order and your pipes are free and clear from possibly building clogs.