The cleanliness of an educational facility’s restrooms has a major effect on how the institution is perceived, according to a new survey, with 65% of respondents agreeing that lavatories influenced their impression of the school they attended and 60% recommending that prospective students inspect restrooms before making the decision to enroll. The Cascades 2015 U.S. School Restroom Survey, commissioned by Cascades Tissue Group, polled over 1,000 students who’d taken some combination of on-campus courses at a K-12, college, or graduate level institution within the past 15 years.
The survey also found that while students are generally pleased with restroom cleanliness, with 73% saying their school’s washrooms were at least somewhat clean, they still look for facilities teams to do more to support campus health, with 57% saying improvements should be made. Not everyone is so optimistic, however, with over 60% of respondents reporting having avoided school facilities altogether even though needing to use them, and 14% going as far as cleaning the restrooms themselves. The most common complaint with educational facility restrooms was running out of hand towels or toilet paper, according to 39% of respondents.
Additionally, the survey points out that while occupants may say they want a perfectly hygienic space, many still have unsanitary behaviors themselves – 57% report using mobile devices in washrooms, 6% say they’d used laptops there, and 12% report having eaten in the bathroom before.
Looking for strategies to improve your facility’s restroom hygiene? Check out these tips to get started.
