As summer travel drives heavier traffic through airports, parks, restaurants and other public facilities, a recent survey from Bradley Company highlights the importance of clean, well-maintained restrooms in supporting public health and improving the visitor experience.
According to Bradley's 17th annual Healthy Handwashing Survey, 81 percent of Americans say they wash their hands more frequently during outbreaks of illness, underscoring the role public restrooms play in encouraging proper hygiene. The findings come as public health officials continue monitoring foodborne illnesses, norovirus, respiratory viruses and recent Cyclospora outbreaks.
While 93 percent of respondents said handwashing is important to their overall health, only 76 percent reported always washing their hands after using a public restroom. Additionally, 77 percent said they have witnessed someone leaving a public restroom without washing their hands. Respondents cited the lack of soap or paper towels as one of the primary reasons for skipping handwashing.
The survey also found that restroom conditions influence how visitors perceive a facility. Eighty-six percent of respondents said they believe the quality of a business' restrooms reflects the quality of its goods and services, while 68 percent said they are more likely to return to a business with a clean, well-maintained restroom.
Americans identified more frequent cleaning and restocking, providing paper towels even when hand dryers are available, and expanding the use of touchless fixtures as their top priorities for improving public restrooms.
