ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

One in three UK adults is unhappy about the cleanliness of the public toilets in their nearest town or city, a new study suggests.

In research commissioned by specialist hygiene services provider Citron Hygiene, seven in 10 people would prefer to buy something from a nearby coffee shop to use the facilities than visit a free public toilet, with more than three quarters (76 per cent) saying they only use public washrooms if it's completely unavoidable.

When asked why they would use a toilet in a hospitality setting, like a café or fast-food restaurant, 70 per cent of participants replied it is because of superior cleanliness. Thirty-seven per cent prefer using these facilities as they have better hand washing stations.

Proper maintenance and repairs, having a regular cleaning schedule and more being available are the top-rated factors considered to improve public toilet provision, while a third (33 per cent) would like to see more investment in touch-free technology in their local toilets - such as flushes, taps and hand dryers.

Robert Guice, ceo at Citron Hygiene said: "Washroom hygiene has never been more important, and it is clear many towns and cities across the country need to do more to provide a better public toilet experience.

"When we are out and about, we shouldn't dread having to find our nearest facilities, and when we do find one the state of them shouldn't make us think twice about using them."

www.citronhygiene.co.uk