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Americans Encountering More Unkempt Restrooms, Triggering Negative Perceptions of Businesses

Milwaukee, Wis. — The “ick factor” in public restrooms appears to be growing, according to a survey that tracks Americans’ attitudes toward restroom facilities. Almost 70% report they’ve had a particularly unpleasant experience in a public restroom due to the condition of the facilities—a nearly 20% increase since 2012.

That’s bad news for businesses since Americans say they judge establishments based on the state of their restrooms. According to the 2016 Healthy Hand Washing Survey conducted by Bradley Corporation, most consumers believe a bad restroom indicates poor management, lowers their opinion of the company, shows the business doesn’t care about customers, and makes them think the company is lazy or sloppy.

“The vast majority—91%—told us that a business with high quality products or services should have high quality restrooms,” says Jon Dommisse, director of global marketing and strategic development at Bradley Corp. “Likewise, in the workplace, 88 percent of workers think the condition of restrooms is one indicator of how a company values its workforce. Yet, only half rate their workplace restrooms as excellent or very good compared to 62% one year ago.

Bradley, a manufacturer of commercial plumbing fixtures, washroom accessories, restroom partitions, emergency fixtures and solid plastic lockers for 95 years, also delved into what factors makes restrooms so unappealing. Chief restroom grievances include toilets that are clogged or not flushed; a really bad smell; an overall appearance that’s dirty, unkempt or old; and partition doors that don’t latch closed.

Key restroom improvements Americans would most like to see include improved cleanliness, a completely touchless experience, better stocking of restroom supplies, and a never-ending supply of paper towels—even if there are dryers.

As for restroom improvements they’ve seen over the past two to three years in specific types of facilities, respondents gave the highest marks to medical buildings, airports, restaurants and higher education facilities. At the other end of the spectrum, restrooms in convenience stores, gas stations and truck stops deteriorated the most.

Americans make no secret about their disdain for coming into contact with germs in public restrooms. Restroom entrance door handles, stall handles and faucet handles are the surfaces that make them the most squeamish. Almost 60% of respondents say they operate the toilet flusher with their foot to avoid germs. More than half use a paper towel to cover the door handle while others use their butt to open and close doors.

When it comes to concerns about other people not washing their hands, restaurants and health care facilities are the two types of establishments that give Americans the most anxiety.

“It pays off for businesses to provide clean, stocked, easy to use washroom facilities with touch-free fixtures to ensure the user has a positive experience,” Dommisse said. “In our eighth year of doing this national survey, it remains clear that the condition and cleanliness of the public restroom are always in the spotlight, and affect customer, employee and stakeholder perceptions.”

The Healthy Hand Washing Survey queried 1,062 American adults online Dec. 10-13, 2015 about their hand washing habits in public restrooms and concerns about germs, colds and the flu. Participants were from around the country, were 18 years and older, and were fairly evenly split between men and women (47 and 53%).

The first few months of the year—every year—feature a gauntlet of industry trade shows where visitors can see the latest and greatest in technology and manufacturer products. Some of the products displayed aren’t necessarily new—variations of this, variations of that. But these trade shows—specifically the AHR Show, which highlights the HVAC and refrigeration, and the KBIS/IBS Show, which features some the latest designs in kitchen and bath and building technology—do offer opportunities for manufacturers to boast about new products. If a company is going to launch a new product or service in their respective industries, these are the shows to do it.

At the co-located Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Vegas, there was a head-turning moment for me—3D-printed products.

The focal point of the American Standard and DXV booth was the first residential faucets created with 3D printing. Additive manufacturing, another name for 3D printing, is the process of synthesizing a three-dimensional object by laying down successive layers of material, usually using a computer-controlled apparatus. Who cool is this? Now that’s “water cooler” talk while standing around the copiers/printers, I’d say.

The possibilities represented by 3D printing will have a major disruptive effect on the design and construction industry. “Because 3D printing offers so many benefits over traditional processes, we believe it does represent the future of manufacturing. This approach to production can reduce the inventory pressures that arise from mass fabrication of all types of products, while opening up a new world for the design and construction industry specifically,” says Jean-Jacques L’Henaff, American Standard Brands Vice President of Design.

“This approach to production can reduce the inventory pressures that arise from mass fabrication of all types of products, while opening up a new world for the design and construction industry specifically.

“This freedom and flexibility that 3D printing offers will certainly have a significant impact on traditional manufacturing methods. In addition, 3D printing provides an innovative, more efficient business model for the custom, bespoke design market,” continues L’Henaff.

The current line of DXV faucets takes much longer to complete than traditional faucets because the process incorporates customized and high quality craftsmanship techniques. The 3D printing process itself takes over 100 hrs for a set of three faucets including a hand-finishing element. Then the faucets receive an artisan-inspired butler finishing, which takes several more hours for the proper rich, patina finish to be created.

The demand for, and interest in, 3D printed products has been growing over the past few years, as has the demand for craftsmanship in luxury products. These faucets are particularly unique because they combine both trends in one eye-catching, high performance product. “The possibilities represented by 3D printing will have a major disruptive effect on the design and construction industry. American Standard made a conscious decision to become a leader in this paradigm shift, not a bystander,” says L’Henaff.

Due to the advent of spring, contractor/builder Scott Pollak says now is the optimal time for a kitchen remodel. “Early spring is the best time to really dive into the kitchen-planning stages and find the right contractor,” said Pollak, owner of Sandcastle Builders, who has been remodeling kitchens for thirty years. “In the spring, there are pre-season specials from vendors, as well as contractor specials. Tax refunds are also rolling in, giving homeowners more income to complete their projects.”

For homeowners thinking about remodeling their kitchens this spring, Pollak shares the following three benefits:

No. 1: Increased resale value. A kitchen remodel can significantly boost a home’s resale value. Additionally, according to the 2015 Remodeling Impact Report, 82% of homeowners said their updated kitchen gave them a greater desire to be at home, and 95% were happy or satisfied with the result.

No. 2: Economically feasible. Minor kitchen remodeling can be as simple as putting in new cabinet doors and drawer fronts, appliances and countertops. In fact, according to a SFGate article, by itself, just replacing tired-looking kitchen cabinets adds immediate home value improvement, while midgrade painted kitchen cabinets with newer features are affordable and may even add value comparable to high-line cabinetry. “Whites, grays and neutrals are leading the way in today’s kitchens,” adds Pollak, “creating a light and airy, clean and simple look, which also lends itself to a classic, timeless design.”

No. 3: Ready for the holidays. “If you hire the right contractor/builder now, you can have the majority of the project construction done during the summer or early fall, and your new kitchen will be ready before the holidays,” said Pollak. “Most people start at the end of summer or early fall, hoping to get the project done by the holidays, which is a mistake as you should allow yourself more time if you want to host the next Thanksgiving celebration to show off your beautiful new kitchen, as the kitchen is the hub of the home.”

This story was contributed by Scott Pollak, owner, Sandcastle Builders & Development, Inc., a licensed developer, general contractor and builder, and is rated A+ with the BBB. It specializes in all phases of construction, including commercial and residential.