bathroom

Oatey^® Stain-Free Plumber’s Putty, the only putty on the market compatible with ABS, PVC, and other plastics, is non-staining on porous stone surfaces

Oatey Co., a leading manufacturer in the plumbing industry since 1916, is pleased to introduce its reformulated Oatey^® Stain-Free Plumber’s Putty. Now compatible with ABS plastic pipe, it is the only plumber’s putty that provides a solution for ABS connections without compromising appearance.

With Oatey’s Stain-Free Plumber’s Putty, plumbers, contractors and homeowners alike can now rely on one putty for all applications, simplifying inventory, reducing costs, and ensuring they have the right product on hand for any job.

Plumber’s putty creates a waterproof seal between rigid surfaces, effectively preventing leaks and maintaining fixture integrity. With its unique formulation, Oatey Stain-Free Plumber’s Putty stays flexible and is easy to mold and work with, offering exceptional performance in every application.

In addition, its non-staining formula guarantees that it will not discolor most porous surfaces, including granite, marble, quartz, sandstone and Corian, preserving the aesthetic quality of the work. The putty cleans up easily and requires no cure time, saving valuable time on the job site.

Oatey’s improved Stain-Free Plumber’s Putty formula also remains pliable throughout its shelf life, providing workability long after it is first opened.

For more information, visit oatey.com.

Bio Bidet by Bemis, a leading manufacturer and retailer of bidet toilet seats and attachments, today announced findings from its 2024 survey, opening the lid on rising consumer sentiment around bidets.

The holiday equals bidets for more consumers

The survey found that overall bidet sentiment and popularity continues to increase — just in time for the holidays. In fact, 48% of people said they would buy or would consider buying a bidet or bidet attachment as a holiday gift this year, up from 38% in 2022.

Of the generations, younger consumers are paving the way for buying bidets. Gen Z was found most likely to consider purchasing a bidet or bidet attachment as holiday gifts this year.

Younger consumers have bidet FOMO

The rise in bidets as a holiday gift coincides with growing consumer interest in trying bidets — 58% of consumers are willing to try a bidet. Younger consumers are leading the pack for trying bidets, with 71% of millennials and 69% of Gen Z most likely to check them out.

Although most people want to try a bidet, many still haven’t pulled the lever. Seventy-four percent of consumers haven’t used a bidet yet. Gen X and baby boomers are the generations most likely to have never used a bidet at 78% and 82%, respectively.

It’s all about the bidet experience for consumers

Another reason for bidets’ growing popularity is the experience that comes with using one, thanks to features like warm water, a heated seat and a night light.

Consumers’ favorite bidet features include:

• Durable quality – 51%
• Nice design – 48%
• Warm water – 47%
• Multiple washing patterns – 42%
• Night light – 72%
• Easy installation – 53%

The easy installation of bidets also points to a trend among bidet owners: They’re more DIY inclined. The data shows that 65% of bidet owners have started or completed home improvement projects this year versus only 39% of people who don’t own bidets. Even when things go down the drain with their plumbing, 79% of bidet owners are very or somewhat comfortable handling the task themselves, like replacing a faucet or toilet.

“The results continue to exhibit an increase in not only bidet familiarity, but DIY savviness, too,” said Spencer Christian, marketing manager at Bio Bidet. “The customer satisfaction rate related to bidet purchases is landing them on more and more wish lists every holiday season, and this year is no exception.”

Bio Bidet offers fully featured bidet toilet seats for all households starting as low as $199.  Visit biobidet.com to learn more about bidets and explore an assortment of leading products, including the new app-enabled BB-1200.

Most Americans seek out – and spend more – at businesses with good bathrooms while canceling businesses with messy ones

Businesses that fail to keep their restrooms clean and maintained are unwittingly flushing away customers’ repeat business and sales. According to the Healthy Handwashing Survey™ from Bradley Corporation, almost 60% of Americans make it a point to stop at a business and will spend more money at the establishment if they know it has clean and maintained restrooms.

In fact, those age 25-44 are even more likely to shell out more cash based on the condition of a business’ restroom.

Conversely, there are negative business repercussions for experiencing a restroom in poor condition. More than half of Americans say an unclean or unpleasant public bathroom shows poor management and causes them to lower their opinion of the overall establishment. The 55+ age group is especially turned off by unkempt restrooms with more than 60% reporting a damaged impression of the overall business.

Almost 20% say a sloppy restroom actually makes them less likely to clean up after themselves.

The business fallout of unpleasant restrooms

Perhaps most damaging for customer-facing businesses is that 52% say a bad restroom experience causes them to vow not to return in the future or think twice about doing so. Another 32% will either tell a friend or post a comment on social media about the negative encounter.

While there are a variety of restroom maintenance issues that may tarnish customers’ restroom experiences, the most common ones include clogged or unflushed toilets; an overall appearance that is old, dirty or unkempt; unpleasant smells; and empty or jammed dispensers for soap, toilet paper and hand towels.

“Restroom maintenance may seem like a business no brainer but limited budgets and facility staffing issues mean that companies are doing more with less staff and resources,” says Jon Dommisse, vice president of marketing and corporate communication, Bradley Corporation. “Nevertheless, customers place a high value on clean restrooms – and reward businesses that offer them. It’s incumbent upon facility managers to prioritize regular restroom cleaning and make sure that everything is in good working order.”  

Understanding the aversion to touching restroom surfaces

“In 2023, Americans continue to be in an elevated state of germ consciousness and don’t like touching things in shared public restroom spaces,” adds Dommisse. “As a result, people use all sorts of techniques to avoid coming into contact with surfaces.”

62% use a paper towel to avoid touching toilet flushers and faucet and door handles. 43% operate the flusher with their foot. 31% hover over the toilet seat and 27% open and close doors with their behind to eliminate contact. Women are considerably more likely than men to use these evasive actions.

With so many people deliberately avoiding contact with restroom surfaces, it’s not surprising that 82% believe it is important to have touchless fixtures in a public restroom. Another 60% are more likely to return to a business that offers touch-free technology like faucets, flushers, soap and towel dispensers in its restrooms.

“When asked what restroom improvements they’d like to see, cleanliness topped the list,” Dommisse said. “After that, Americans want touchless fixtures and better stocking of supplies, such as toilet paper, soap and paper towels.”

The annual Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley Corp. queried 1,025 American adults Jan. 4-10, 2023, about their handwashing habits, concerns about the coronavirus and flu and their use of public restrooms. Participants were from around the country and were fairly evenly split between men (45%) and women (55%).

For more information, visit www.bradleycorp.com/handwashing.

The Challenge

Aqua Savers, a company that specializes in retrofitting water-efficient products in multifamily properties, completed a water efficiency program for the Washington, DC community, Girard Street Apartments.

The apartments, built to offer an affordable housing option for residents ages 55+, were required to be ADA compliant to fit the needs of their tenants. Upon the completion of the preliminary water bill analysis, it was clear that there was an issue at the property that needed to be investigated. When Aqua Savers completed the onsite audit, it was learned that the existing toilets had been improperly installed and were using a high GPF, thus resulting in exorbitant water and sewer costs for a property of its age and size.

The Products

The existing toilets were replaced with an Ultra-High-Efficiency model from Niagara. The Original utilizes Niagara’s patented Stealth Technology^® and comes in an elongated shape that is best for comfort.

By using a vacuum-assisted flush that uses ambient air inside a simple vessel, The Original can flush up to 800g of miso in as little as 0.8 GPF. Niagara’s Original with Stealth Technology can meet the ADA requirements through various options of handle functionality, height, and accessibility, making it the perfect choice for this property.

The Results

By just replacing toilets, the property was able to realize a 77% reduction in consumption and a 73% decrease in water/sewer cost. These reductions resulted in a 375% monthly ROI for the owners, who were so satisfied with Niagara’s Original and Aqua Saver’s services, that they have retrofitted several other properties and are seeing similar results.