You would think acts of restroom courtesy would be common sense. You know what you hate to see when you walk into a public restroom. Yet considering how many times trying to use a public restroom is an unpleasant experience, reminders of restroom etiquette are continually needed--and one can only hope everybody finally begins to follow them.
Function
Flushing may be the top issue in public restrooms. Anyone using the restroom should always flush afterward and make sure it's all gone. If not, flush again. Also, there's the courtesy flush. If you do something so obnoxious it's going to make other people in the room uncomfortable, flush immediately. And if you're a really courteous person, you can go ahead and flush whatever somebody else has discourteously left behind.
Effects
Women shouldn't hover over the toilet seat unless they plan to clean off anything they leave behind. And men using either a toilet or a urinal should make sure they are aiming into the facility rather than the edges or the floor.
Significance
Always wash your hands, whether or not anyone is going to see you. Always wash your hands, even if there are no paper towels or linens for drying. In addition, it's not a sign of courtesy to leave paper towels in the sink, where they half-dissolve and plug up the drain, and nobody else wants to clean them up. Make sure you throw away the paper towels in the bin where they belong.
Considerations
Women should wrap used sanitary products in toilet paper and dispose of them in dispensers provided or in the garbage. Don't leave them out in the open, and also don't try to flush something down the toilet that is not going to go down.
Prevention/Solution
Alert an employee if there is a problem with the restroom. A plugged-up toilet, lack of toilet paper or no paper towels in the dispenser are all issues that employees need to know about as soon as possible. Even if it's not an enjoyable part of their work, they realize it has to be dealt with and that management will be thoroughly annoyed if they hear problems are not taken care of rapidly.
Misconceptions
Debate continues about whether it's acceptable for non-disabled persons to use the handicap stalls. Some people insist those stalls are for disabled people and no one else. However, general consensus says it's OK for anyone to use them, as long as disabled folks can get to one if they need to. Handicap restroom stalls are not like parking spaces, because the stalls are only used for very short amounts of time. Thus, the stalls are available for anyone, but it is an obvious sign of courtesy to use a different one when a disabled person is also in the restroom or headed there.
Features
If you're using a bathroom in somebody's home, lock the door to spare embarrassment if he attempts to walk in. On the flip side, if the door is closed, knock.
Tags: paper towels, Always wash, Always wash your, flush something, public restroom, sign courtesy, toilet paper