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

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The council closing public toilets has been a very frustrating issue here. The shopping centre has quite a few toilets including large family ones, but the council seems to have taken this to mean they can close all the ones so anywhere in the city can be a big struggle and likely involve buying something in a business just for the loos. One of the local museums in the north of the city put in great large accessible single unit toilets - my ideal so we spent more time there - but now that's closed for refurbishment again for a few years. I feel like I'm constantly having to update my mental accessible toilet map for myself and my kids.

Personally, I would love more large accessible single unit toilets spread throughout the city rather than all clumped up in the shopping centre and in my dream world would have well-paid attendants in them or close at hand for when there is an issue it's often not clear how to inform anyone or get help when stuff happens and hopefully having attendants would mean less stuff happens to begin with.

In general I think the lack of public bathrooms in London is a bit poor. They have pop up urinals in sort of pods of four in many parts of the west end. I'm to would be nice if they just had a permanent large bathroom for anyone to use - with walls! - so you could take a child in.

If they're worried about prostitutes etc they could set them to open after three mins or something. No comments on what's enough time lol.

Pub staff have been lovely when we've needed to pop in though we always offer to buy drinks. But usually if you just say "here's some money" they say no, go ahead, just use the bathroom. That's what I find in central London anyway.

Tube stations need more bathrooms I think. Completely understand if they want to lock them at key drunk times but for families you can easily be ages on the Tube or there's a delay etc and someone needs a bathroom.

1)"bush wee wees" are sometimes the cleanest option.
2)"Standing up wee wees" is hard when the loos are high up.
3) the winner of the lowest hygiene standards is awarded to a large coffee chain (name no names)
4) I don't mind being cheeky and asking to use pub/ cafe loos if little one needs to go.
5) sometimes I dread taking my kids to public loos for fear of nasties but I come out feeling literally exhilarated if it was a clean experience,!!

It's getting harder. Our council have devolved responsibility to parish councils and community groups. The money just isn't available to keep them to a decent standard- businesses are paying towards them too but it's not enough. Public hate paying 20p and prop doors open. It's killing tourism and there is no way I would want to use the toilets. It's grim.

I try to avoid public toilets unless they are located in decent cafes, restaurants and stores. I make sure I carry antibacterial wipes and spray and I (and my children) hover over the loo seat!

Many years ago my wife and I took our young family to Southport for the day and to this very day the Male toilets that I went in were the worst that I have ever seen. There was so much urine on the floor that I had to roll up my trousers. The stench was horrendous with yards and yards of toilet paper soaked all over the floor.

Our toilets at work are unbelievably gross!! I’m constantly shocked by how the other women leave the toilets in that state. Poo everywhere!!?? Why!!??

My big issue with toilets I public spaces is finding somewhere to go to the toilet yourself when out with two children.

Many baby change rooms are being out in without an adult toilet to reduce queuing, but this means that when you have a baby in a roam and a toddler, you are left with three choices.

1. (The preferred alternative) Use a disabled toilet assuming they don’t have a radar key lock. and risk upsetting people.

If there is no option 2. Leave two small children outside a cubicle on their own and be as quick as your body will allow.

1. Sit there Witt the door open in full view and use the toilet hoping no one else comes in to the toilet block.

I hate using public toilets, so often they are dirty. I really hate my children having to use them but when they need to go I have to suck it in and make sure they give their hands a good wash afterwards.

After using public toilets we even though we wash our hands I always use antibacterial gel and wipes, its hard to believe but you still see some people walk straight out of the toilets without washing their hands and then touching doors etc

try not to use them if possible, some people have very poor hygiene and leave them a mess

The public loos in our town are closed unless there is a special event on so I have to use ones in shops. They are normally not bad.

We used to have Public loos in our community town, my grandparents knew the guy who looked after them they were clean and well looked after as far as public loos go!
Fast forward a couple of years, and all the government cuts; they were the first things to go! However call me a cynic, but the majority of this generation today, would have respect for amenities such as public loos, and they would no doubt be destroyed and covered with graffiti. However that is just my opinion based on what I witness every day in my community.

I never try to use them they are hardly ever clean.

My experience of public loos is that it all comes down to the investment made in maintaining them. Ones at airports and service stations tend to be clean as they're supervised and cleaned regularly.

If I'm in a restaurant and the toilets are bad, it actually puts me off the meal and also returning.

I'd happily pay 10 or 20p to use facilities and get a service. With local authorities cuts, public loos are a thing of the past.

Not being able to find a clean, public loo can limit or spoil a day out. If we plan a day or afternoon on a beach, my first thought I'd always, "where are the toilets & will they be clean?" We will go back to the same beach if we know that the toilet facilities are good. I have a daughter who's disabled and have often found the disabled loos just as grim as the ordinary loos and not particularly " disabled friendly". I've come across quite a few coin operated automatic loos which don't make life any easier for me as I'm a bit claustrophobic and have a fear of being shut in. The worst was in a tiny village near Conwy in Wales which had the most advanced automatic toilets I've ever come across. They were so alien that they completely baffled me and the two other people I was with. We ended up finding a bush to see behind! When our shopping, I use toilets in stores and if out in the countryside, I carry a Shewee! 😉

Generally awful I'm sorry to say, particularly the gents so I often wait to use the disabled loos when taking my daughter or ask restaurants etc. if I can take my daughter into the female loos.

I HATE having to use any public loos, although I appreciate the NEED! I have seen a decline in the number of public loos available and more and more are being locked (for example petrol stations) and you have to actually ask for the key.....Many chain stores such as boots and mother care used to have lovely facilities in ALL their stores but these have also declined in numbers. I tend to opt for supermarkets toilets when I can/need as they are monitored more closely.

I hate unisex toilets and am fed up with having to wipe up piss and put down seats after men have been in them.

Now my son is getting older I am starting to worry that he will have to use the Male toilets and deal with these things though he does like the independence of being a big boy and using the Male toilets by himself.

i've seen some places in a utter state. Had to hold on and find somewhere else to relieve myself.

Variable. I think travelling in France makes you appreciate the toilets back home!

It is a massive issue for me as I need to go all the time. I'm afraid to say that I plan life around it and find it really difficult. There aren't enough loos and system of co-operation between businesses and councils would be far better so that you can feel free to pop in somewhere without fear of being told "no"! I no longer enjoy days out shopping as there are no convenient toilets in town. I prefer days out walking in the hills where there is nobody around and plenty of bushes! A far nicer experience than public loos!

I would pay for something in a cafe just to use the toilet in there, rather than use public toilets. I always remeber them to be dirty smelly and cold, they could be totally diferent nowadays but Id happily go for a drink somewhere with clean toilets.

I carry a potty constantly in my car, as a childminder in the school holidays I can have 5 children with me, this is a nightmare logistically for toileting.

I ensure we go before we leave the house and also when I find toilets we pop in and 'try'.

I thought that anywhere serving food or drink to sit down in needed to have a public toilet, but so many don't (or certainly don't make it very clear if they do have one available).