The condition of a public restroom often leaves bad impressions on building users, and those impressions typically reflect badly on the institutional or commercial facility responsible for their care.
An unkempt restroom that smells bad or one that’s lacking soap or paper towels or contains out-of-service fixtures can lead to health issues that can spread disease-causing organisms.
The 2025 Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley Co., reveals that unclean restrooms may mean fewer people are choosing to wash their hands due to less-than-pleasurable conditions and lead to the spread of diseases like the flu or norovirus.
The number of people neglecting to wash their hands after using the restroom may be more than some think. Bradley asked 1,032 Americans about their handwashing habits, concerns about seasonal viruses and their use of public restrooms and found that 84 percent of responders say an unclean or unpleasant restroom in an institutional or commercial facility has a negative impact on the overall impression of the facility.
"It’s no wonder that the most desired improvement in public bathrooms is keeping them more consistently clean and stocked with supplies,” says Jon Dommisse, vice president of business development and strategy.
The survey was conducted in January, and some alarming responses were revealed regarding handwashing practices. The survey revealed that more and more Americans (77 percent) frequently see others leave public restrooms without washing their hands, which is up nearly 10 percent from last year’s survey.
Dave Lubach is executive editor for the facilities market.
