Survey: Unclean restrooms can have negative impact on business

Retailers looking for a competitive advantage in these competitive times should consider their restrooms.



Half of U.S. adults believe that unclean restrooms at a company give a number of negative messages about how the company is run or how it treats its customers, according to Bradley Corp.’s annual Healthy Hand Washing Survey. And 56% of respondents said they are unlikely to return to a business — or will think twice about doing so — after experiencing an unclean or unpleasant restroom, they either will not return to that business or will think twice about doing so.



Nearly all Americans (92%) see a direct relationship between the quality of a company’s products and services and the quality of its restrooms. This is further supported by the fact that 88% believe that if a restaurant has unclean restrooms, the likelihood is that the kitchen is also unclean.



The survey also revealed that Americans don’t like touching things in public restrooms. Instead, they will various techniques, such as using a paper towel to operate a faucet, to avoid coming into contact with surfaces in a restroom.



Cleanliness topped the list of restroom improvements survey respondents would like to see, followed by touchless fixtures and better stocking of supplies, such as toilet paper, soap and paper towels.



“Most everyone has had a bad restroom experience and, unfortunately, it's usually something you don't forget," said Jon Dommisse, director of global marketing and strategic development at Bradley Corp. "The good news is that manufacturers, like Bradley, do listen to consumers' concerns and work to address them by creating new and innovative products."