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

Oh I just wish the doors were 'Push' to get out so you didn't have to touch them after you've washed your hands 😣 They're ALWAYS 'Pull'.

I think it’s shocking that provision of public toilets has decreased to save money. Close a public toilet but have to send out cleaning crews to clean up mess instead.

I think it’s particularly bad when you spend a day at the beach, only to find the public toilets are particularly gross, if open at all.

Reducing public toilets particularly impinges on the very young, the disabled and people with bladder or bowel issues, often elderly.

I think it’s a basic sanitation issue and a mark of a civilised society.

I try to avoid using other toilets unless it’s a real emergency. There are some public ones in our local High Street that need revamping and have that awful lingering smell. I can’t see the local council prioritising them though due to budget cuts

The hardest thing is finding baby changing facilities I hate having to change him on the floor of a toilet. Some places do make the effort even in tiny spaces iv seen fold out changing tables over the toilet

I hate public loos. Often not enough room for me and DD to fit in together - and we are not exactly massive. People don’t flush, don’t wipe the seat. It’s grim. There are never enough women’s loos either and the queue is always so much longer than the men’s.

We always aim to go before we leave home/hotel etc so we avoid them.

Generally not too bad. The only problem I have is that there are never enough.

I have slight OCD and find lot of toilets really dirty
I often choose where to go drink/eat based on toilet cleanliness
For example, I love Nero but their toilets are the worst. Too hot, smelly and flashing badly so you see other people’s number two’s

Picture the scene - we were on a work exchange in North Carolina, really loving it, making lots of friends and yes being wined & dined. We were half way through our time and we had an invitation to open air theatre - a play highlighting the plight of the Native Americans. Quite a big group were going. Long story short - the interval arrived and I needed to go to the loo. About 5 women announced they needed to go as well so I just must follow them. They were the kind of females who obviously had the cash to dress and groom themselves to a high level All very sophisticated and beautiful. They indicated that I should go first - I was the guest after all! I entered the vacant cubicle and sat down - I must say it was a relief to finally empty my bladder and I knew I would be busy for a few minutes.
AND THEN IT HAPPENED
The door to my cubicle swung open and all I saw were the 5 faces of my new friends! Looks of unbelief mixed with embarrassment mixed with slight mirth. I was trapped - I could not get up as I was still busy - I was horrified! Bless her heart one of the gals, Lynda suddenly realised that I could not get up to close the door - she came to my rescue saying 'u'all ok honey'? With a weak smile on my face I nodded 'yes' and she closed the door for me.
Bless their hearts the ladies pretended it was an everyday situation when I exited and to this day I double check that the door will never ever spring open and leave me exposed on the loo!

When the DC were small we didn't have problems with them needing toilets - they both came out of nappies late (when they chose to) and I think this helped with them having much longer between needing visits to the toilet than their friends.

I, however, have IBS and hate using public toilets because they are so often absolutely awful. Recently on visits to the beach the toilet block on the busiest days was absolutely awful - mainly due to people not being willing to leave the toilet as they would wish to find it. The bins for sanitary items were overflowing (there was an additional bin in the block and two huge large bins outside which people didn't bother using). There was toilet roll (mercifully clean ) all over the floors, some toilets hadn't been flushed, etc. Having been there again today (much quieter day) it was beautifully clean so as is so often the case the problem is the people using it.

My local town has a scheme where restaurants let anyone use their toilets.

Oh public toilets! They've almost all been closed in Bristol because the council doesn't have enough money to keep them open.
It's funny because if companies such as Unilever, the owner of domestos, didn't use tax havens to avoid paying their fair tax burdens then there would be more money to pay for things like public toilets.
So thanks for your concern domestos but pay up
www.oxfam.org.uk/blogs/2017/07/time-to-get-tough-on-corporate-tax-avoidance

If there was good access to clean public loos we would definitely go on more day trips and outings with the kids. I dread going to the beach for example because of dirty loos and long queues. We end up trying to plan in with coffee shop stops to use loos.

My LO was desperate for the loo the other day when in town - I was in a panic as the public toilets cost 30p & I had no cash! Luckily, the attendant spotted my mounting distress (ha!) & waved us through saying they didn't charge for kids anyway.. which I didn't know, shows ho often I use them!
I've noticed that when in Starbucks now - they have a code for the toilet printed on your receipt - presumably so non-customers cannot use them. I get that - but I hope an exception would be made for someone with a health condition, or a young child who just cannot wait!
I agree with a previous poster - if more people left toilets how they would like to find them - public toilets would be a much more pleasant experience.

I always need the loo when out. I cannot understand how some places, especially food places, let their loos get in such a state. They need to be cleaned thoroughly throughout the day not just the beginning and end of the day. There are never enough toilets. I especially hate those stand alone automatic cubicles you get in the middle of some towns as I am claustrophobic and would worry about getting stuck in a loo like that or the door opening automatically when I’m sat down.

John Lewis toilets are always the best and I wish other retailers and cafes etc would follow their example!

More changing rooms with a toilet are needed, it’s so difficult when you’re on your own with a pram.

I avoid ‘public’ toilets if possible, they’re usually the dirtiest with broken locks etc and would prefer to pay for a drink to use those in a cafe or pub if really needed! Public toilets are likely to become fewer and in an even worse state as local authorities struggle with budget cuts - an alternative needs to be found,maybe shops, cafes and restaurants agreeing to their facilities being used for a small fee, with a sign in the window promoting the scheme.
I always carry small packs of tissues with me too so I’m not caught out in loos who’ve run out.
As a single parent with a son, it’s really difficult when they no longer want to use the ladies but you feel they’re too little to go on their own in the men’s - any solutions for this would be great!

Normally when we are out we are at a place that has a bathroom. Sometimes I dread going because the loos can be so gross. I would feel really guilty going into a cafe just to use the bathroom, but not a big store. I think most people are really understanding when they see you carrying a kid and asking for the loo.

I have a pretty good mental map of all available public loos in my town - and nearby towns - due to my tiny bladder. Mostly I find they're fine for purpose, and clean, for the actual toilet part. It's the hand washing facilities that tend to annoy me more: dirty, tiny sinks, no soap, water everywhere, and no paper towels to dry your hands on - only a manky, ineffective air dryer.

The public toilets that I do use tend to be very clean and tidy.
However I think should be more public toilets as I have seen a lot of them have closed down and the next nearest toilets are often far away.

I dislike unisex loos instead of single sex spaces, which are safer and more private.
In mixed toilets I've been followed inside and intimidated by men.

Did you know that there are proposals to legally allow any male who identifies as female (80-95 per cent who still have penises) to be able to access women and girls' toilets?

My 16 year old niece has SN and I worry about her being confronted my males in female only spaces.

under the Gender Recognition Act consultation (which ends in October) any man who simply says they're a woman could have access to spaces. If you don't support this then fill out the GRA consultation here

consult.education.gov.uk/government-equalities-office/reform-of-the-gender-recognition-act/

I hate using public loos and will only use them in good shops like John Lewis and Waitrose which seem to clean them regularly! Even then I hate touching the door to exit and try to use a tissue to do so.

I try and think ahead re toilets as our local town barely has any at all. Other places are better. I think being honest is good if your DC really needs the toilet and you are close to a cafe. I have ended up spending money in a cafe just to use the loo.

I really dislike them and try to avoid using the. Most are actually fine but it is the few dreadful ones that have put me off for life.

I have Crohn’s Disease so often need to find a loo quickly when I’m out.

I used to feel awkward and cheeky using a loo in a shop, pub or café that I wasn’t buying anything from but I don’t anymore. Needs must!

I do think more public loos should be fitted with anti bac spray dispensers so that you can clean the seat and flush button before and after using the loo.

I used to hate having to take my DCs into public loos when they were small. Every loo trip was accompanied by me screeching “Don’t touch anything! Don’t touch anything!” Not a fun experience. I’m glad they’re all old enough to use the urinals so don’t have to touch dirty cubicle doors, locks or flush buttons.

In my area (local authority in Scotland) the Council made an arrangement with lots of restaurants and pubs for people to be able to use their loos (presumably so the council could shut the public loos).

More shops should have them. I might be busy looking in say, Curry's, then have a sudden need to go and have to run to Sainsbury's!