Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110

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Americans dish the dirt on handwashing, germs and washrooms

According to the Healthy Hand Washing Survey conducted by Bradley Corp., Americans use various techniques to avoid touching things and coming into contact with germs in a public washroom, with 57% risking injury by manoeuvring themselves into a position that enables them to operate the toilet flusher with their foot!

The results are part of the Healthy Hand Washing Survey conducted by Bradley Corporation, a manufacturer of commercial plumbing fixtures, washroom accessories, partition cubicles, emergency fixtures and solid plastic lockers.

When asked about their hand washing habits, just 66% of Americans say they always wash after using a public washroom - despite the fact that 92% believe it's important to wash their hands after a visit. Hand washing might also be considered a 'she said, he said' scenario. Nearly 75% of women say they always wash versus 59% of men who claim they always do.

And why don't men wash? Some 25% say they "didn't feel the need". In addition, men are far more likely than women to say they frequently see others leave a washroom without washing their hands.

Interestingly, a good number of women and men report they use evasive manoeuvres to avoid coming in contact with germs in a public washroom. Overall, 57% of Americans operate the toilet flusher with their foot, 55% use a paper towel to avoid touching the door handle directly and 45% employ their hip to open and close doors.

When it comes to the state of public washrooms, there is room for improvement since nearly 60% say they've had a particularly unpleasant experience due to washroom conditions. The top complaints: a really bad smell, toilets that were clogged or not flushed and an overall appearance that was dirty, unkempt or old.

For businesses an unpleasant washroom experience creates negative perceptions. A majority of consumers believe a bad washroom indicates poor management.

"When we asked about the single most important improvement respondents would like to see in restrooms, 'cleanliness' topped the list," says Jon Dommisse, director of global marketing and strategic development at Bradley Corporation. "Restroom hygiene is a hot button with Americans since 85% say they hurry to exit a restroom when it's unpleasant."

The Healthy Hand Washing Survey queried 1,030 American adults online January 5 - 16th, 2015 about their hand washing habits in public washrooms and concerns about germs, colds and the flu. Participants were from around the country, ranged in age from 18 to 65 and older, and were fairly evenly split between men and women (47 and 53%).

For more than 90 years, Bradley Corporation has designed and manufactured commercial washfountains, and today offers a solid source for plumbing fixtures, washroom accessories, washroom partitions, emergency fixtures and solid plastic lockers. Headquartered in Wisconsin, US, Bradley serves the commercial, industrial, healthcare, recreation, education and corrections markets worldwide.

T: 1-800-BRADLEY
W: www.bradleycorp.com

26th February 2015