ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Washroom visitors are more upset by sticky floors in public toilets than factors such as bad smells, unflushed loos or lack of toilet paper according to a new survey.

Dirty or sticky floors were mentioned by 93 per cent of respondents in a study that looked into peoples' pet hates in the washroom. Around 90 per cent objected to unflushed toilets while 89 per cent were put off by bad smells.

A total of 3,130 washroom patrons were questioned in the study by Harris Interactive. Other respondents were repulsed by overflowing refuse containers -mentioned by 88 per cent - and paper towels or toilet paper on the floor, a turnoff for 80 per cent.

However, only 67 per cent of those questioned mentioned lack of toilet paper as being a problem when visiting a public washroom.

Broken doors, dim lighting, graffiti, dirty fixtures and soiled toilet seats were other factors that contributed to users perceiving a restroom to be unclean, according to the survey. Other issues mentioned included broken toilet seats, water or urine on the floors and soap dispensers that were old, outdated or empty.

Female respondents appeared to be more sensitive to washroom uncleanliness than men with 96 per cent of women citing dirty floors as a problem compared with 90 per cent of male respondents. Older people were also more likely to object to cleanliness issues than younger respondents. A total of 94 per cent of adults aged 55 and older claimed to be repulsed by bad odours compared with only 83 per cent of adults aged 18-34.