Mumsnet users share their experiences of public loos with Domestos

[EllieMumsnet]

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Trying to find a loo when you’re out and about with your kids can be challenging. How many times have you asked if your DCs need to go before you leave the house and then they are demanding a toilet not even five minutes into your outing? We’ve all been there! Which is why at Domestos we want to know about your experience of public loos.

How often do you need to locate a loo when you’re out with your family? And how difficult are they to find? How do you feel when you have to go in and ask staff to use the loo in a pub? Or a café you weren’t planning on buying a coffee from? Or do you even ask? Are you ever met with resistance from staff when you ask to use their loo? What would you change to make this experience easier?

Here’s what Domestos have to say: “Domestos believe everyone deserve access to a clean, safe toilet. In the UK the problem is locating a public toilet when we’re out and about, in other countries the problem is far more serious. Domestos is committed to providing solutions, and have an ambition to help 25 million people around the world get cleaner, safer toilets by 2020.”

Whatever your experience is with public loos, post them on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

I find that there is hardly ever enough room to take a buggy in the cubicle which makes it difficult when I am out on my own with my baby. However my worst experience was in America where there are big gaps at the side of the doors so anyone can see in.

Very difficult to find and many are expensive (private owned) and others you need change!!
If you are shopping, days out and using public transport etc. they should be free!!

Train loos are often yukky and if you can find one near your carriage!!

If you go in a shop they are often hard to find, out of the way!

My experience with public toilets isn't exactly joy. With a few minor exceptions, they usually tend to be pretty dirty and untidy. Even in places like wetherspoons, they're always pretty vile. I completely understand the staff don't want to clean them as they're on a pitiful wage already. I just wish the people who used them weren't so horrible and would actually go IN the toilet instead of on/around it. It's not hard.

i absolutely abhor public toilets. dirty infested places but unfortunately its a necessity with small children but i always clean the seat before my little one sits. hate the places

There are becoming few and far between these days but I only use them in emergencies or when ED needs to go. I always get her to go to the loo before we go out lessening the risks of public toilets!

I try to avoid, too any are not cleaned regularly enough and are too small for anyone with young children.

MY SON IS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM AND ITS VERY HARD. IM ALWAYS ON THE LOOK OUT FOR PUBLIC TOILETS AND TRY TO SUSS OUT WHERE THEY ARE BEFORE WE PLAN A JOURNEY

fnej01

In Germany my mu was suprised you had to buy a 'kit' before using the loo but it had everything in, a toilet seat cover, toilet paper, hand sanitazer.

At a bus station in Ecuador it was similar but a real person not a machine, you handed over a few cents and got a pack of paper, soap etc.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fun-Gift-Public-Toilet-Survival-Kit-Pack-Disposable-Toilet-Seat-Covers-/142877692645?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

I refuse point blank to go to public toilets, the last one i went to was filthy .

I've never had a problem with public loos. Then again, I've only ever used them once in my whole life!

The public loos we have used recently have been horrendous! We now hang on until we can find a loo in a shop somewhere - or wait until we get home.

I have to admit I try and avoid public toilets if possible because they're never that nice.

i find public toilets really dirty and smelly. i wont use them as an adult let alone take my children into them. if i need my children to use one i use a shops loo and sometimes a pubs.

There's not enough of them and the ones that there are sometimes make me wonder what some people's bathrooms are like at home - do they not bother to flush, throw water and towels all over the place and drop litter in them? However, we spend a lot of time in the Highlands where they have the Highland Comfort Scheme which is a partnership between council and local businesses like pubs, restaurants, etc that mean people can use the facilities in participating establishments without having to buy or pay anything and they are usually spotless. Great idea.

Public loos tend to be gross :-( and they are increasingly rare too. Time was when all parks had accessible ones but alas no more.

They are awful, I avoid if I can. I mainly feel sorry for DD and DH as it's so rare for changing facilities that are not in the women's toilets. Such a PITA

My dd is traumatised by filthy public toilets and refuses to use them, she can hold her bladder for pretty much an entire day!

Absolutely disgusting !
Some olderish teenage boy was in the women’s toilet disabled / changing room toilets and he had blocked it with shit
Went in and had to come back out! Couldn’t change my sons nappy in there! Had to change his poo bum in his nappy !

I wish there were more family loos, when I am out with my son who is asd, I don’t like him going in the gents alone yet at nearly 12 he is too old to accompany me in 5he girls. I have occasionally used disabled cubicles but get comments because he does not look disabled.

I find it hard to find public toilets without resorting to using one in a pub or a cafe where I either have to sneak in or buy something just to use their loo. Very annoying.

Most public loos are pretty grim. My local town used to employ a full time cleaner who took immense pride in keeping the loos spotless. Unfortunately the council said they could no longer afford this and the loos have really gone downhill since.

I bliming well hate public loos and will only use them if totally desperate. We hover over the seats as they are often covered in wee and other things, the floor is normally covered in wee, theres never any soap and nowwhere to wipe hands.

most arent clean enough to use so we stick to a handful that we know are clean

Some are better than others! Usually fairly easy to locate though struggle at times in department store.. we usually head towards the café area and hope for the best!! Restaurant loos are often better than general town centre ones.

I try to avoid public toilets as much as I can, they are always so gross. If I really need to use one I'd go to a cafe etc.. but I'd buy something small just so I don't feel like I'm doing something wrong :P