Upon entering the third year of the pandemic, Americans are not only more sensitive to germs in public restrooms, they now hold higher standards for the cleanliness, condition and technology used in these shared spaces, according to the annual Healthy Handwashing Survey™ from Bradley Corporation conducted in January.
Despite ongoing Covid outbreaks, most Americans have not been deterred from using public bathrooms. In fact, 41% of Americans report using public restrooms as often as they did before Covid came on the scene. Interestingly, 27% say they use them more now than previously.
“Thanks to the pandemic, more people are paying closer attention to various elements in public restrooms – how clean they are, how easy they are to navigate without touching surfaces and how they can be improved,” said Jon Dommisse, vice president of marketing and corporate communication for Bradley Corp., a global manufacturer of commercial restroom equipment.
The survey, which has examined the state of U.S. public restrooms and handwashing habits for 13 years, identified key Covid impacts on how Americans view public restrooms – as well as the businesses and establishments that provide them.
#1 Restroom maintenance gets higher marks
A positive side effect of the virus is that half of the population believes public restrooms are now cleaner and in better condition than before Covid. More men (55%) give a thumbs up to the cleanliness of restrooms compared with women (47%).
“Prior to Covid, upwards of 70% of Americans reported having an unpleasant restroom experience,” Dommisse explained. “Evidently, increased cleaning protocols and stocking of supplies is being observed and appreciated by restroom users.”
Further, 79% think a posted and updated cleaning schedule in a restroom is important. “Signage goes a long way in helping to reassure visitors the facility is taking steps to ensure a clean environment and cares about keeping them safe,” he said.
#2 Unclean restrooms tarnish the overall business
Americans increasingly think poorly of a business when they encounter a messy restroom. In 2022, 51% of Americans say an unpleasant public restroom at a business shows poor management, up from 39% in 2021. Respondents also report that encountering neglected restrooms lowers their opinion of the establishment (43%) and shows the business doesn’t care about its customers (38%).
#3 Americans place high value on touchless restrooms
84% of Americans believe it’s important for public restrooms to be equipped with touchless fixtures and 63% say they are more likely to return to a business that offers no-touch capabilities in its restrooms.
“In fact, Americans view touch-free technology as the number one feature that makes them feel safer from germs in restrooms,” Dommisse said. “Touchless features are also Americans’ most requested improvement in restrooms. More cleaning/restocking takes second place.”
Which touchless restroom features are considered most important? Respondents cite faucets, soap dispensers, flushers and restroom entrance doors as their top four.
#4 Consumers spend more money at a business with pleasant restrooms
Americans are willing to put their money behind restroom cleanliness. Almost 60% say they are likely to spend more cash at a business with clean, well-maintained restrooms. Another 58% say when out running errands they’ll take restroom breaks at a business they know has “good” restrooms.
#5 Coronavirus concerns persist, in general
The majority of Americans continue to be in an elevated state of germ consciousness, triggered by the coronavirus. While 89% of the general population felt more aware of germs in April 2020, that number has fallen to 78%. Northeasterners currently have the highest level of germ concerns (86%) while Midwesterners have the lowest level (72%).
“Certain types of facilities cause more trepidation about coming into contact with germs,” Dommisse added. “Specifically, Americans are most concerned about germs in stores (50%), medical facilities (39%), restaurants (34%) and gas stations (28%).”
The annual Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley Corp. queried 1,035 American adults Jan. 10-21, 2022, 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 (46%) and women (54%). For more information, visit www.bradleycorp.com/handwashing.
Related Stories
Industry Research | Apr 25, 2023
The commercial real estate sector shouldn’t panic (yet) about recent bank failures
A new Cushman & Wakefield report depicts a “well capitalized” banking industry that is responding assertively to isolated weaknesses, but is also tightening its lending.
Self-Storage Facilities | Apr 25, 2023
1 in 5 Americans rent self-storage units, study finds
StorageCafe’s survey of nearly 18,000 people reveals that 21% of Americans are currently using self-storage. The self-storage sector, though not the most glamorous, is essential for those with practical needs for extra space.
Contractors | Apr 19, 2023
Rising labor, material prices cost subcontractors $97 billion in unplanned expenses
Subcontractors continue to bear the brunt of rising input costs for materials and labor, according to a survey of nearly 900 commercial construction professionals.
Data Centers | Apr 14, 2023
JLL's data center outlook: Cloud computing, AI driving exponential growth for data center industry
According to JLL’s new Global Data Center Outlook, the mass adoption of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) is driving exponential growth for the data center industry, with hyperscale and edge computing leading investor demand.
Market Data | Apr 11, 2023
Construction crane count reaches all-time high in Q1 2023
Toronto, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Denver top the list of U.S/Canadian cities with the greatest number of fixed cranes on construction sites, according to Rider Levett Bucknall's RLB Crane Index for North America for Q1 2023.
Market Data | Apr 6, 2023
JLL’s 2023 Construction Outlook foresees growth tempered by cost increases
The easing of supply chain snags for some product categories, and the dispensing with global COVID measures, have returned the North American construction sector to a sense of normal. However, that return is proving to be complicated, with the construction industry remaining exceptionally busy at a time when labor and materials cost inflation continues to put pricing pressure on projects, leading to caution in anticipation of a possible downturn. That’s the prognosis of JLL’s just-released 2023 U.S. and Canada Construction Outlook.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 4, 2023
Acing your multifamily housing amenities for the modern renter
Eighty-seven percent of residents consider amenities when signing or renewing a lease. Here are three essential amenity areas to focus on, according to market research and trends.
Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023
NIBS report: Decarbonizing the U.S. building sector will require massive, coordinated effort
Decarbonizing the building sector will require a massive, strategic, and coordinated effort by the public and private sectors, according to a report by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).
Multifamily Housing | Mar 24, 2023
Average size of new apartments dropped sharply in 2022
The average size of new apartments in 2022 dropped sharply in 2022, as tracked by RentCafe. Across the U.S., the average new apartment size was 887 sf, down 30 sf from 2021, which was the largest year-over-year decrease.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 14, 2023
Multifamily housing rent rates remain flat in February 2023
Multifamily housing asking rents remained the same for a second straight month in February 2023, at a national average rate of $1,702, according to the new National Multifamily Report from Yardi Matrix. As the economy continues to adjust in the post-pandemic period, year-over-year growth continued its ongoing decline.