Which Bathroom Stall to Use? Public Bathroom Etiquette

Do you ever wonder which stall is going to be the cleanest in a public bathroom?

It’s the 1st one, the one nearest the door. (20/20 segment) Most people seek privacy when they go to the bathroom, so they will head to the farthest one away from the door.  The more use the stall gets, the dirtier it gets.

The “Handicapped/ Special Needs” stall is usually the furthest from the door too.  And guess what?  Many people won’t use it. Why not?  Are they afraid that a handicapped person can’t wait?  Because of all those considerate people, that stall is usually the cleanest – and it has the most room for your luggage if you’re at the airport. Yes, I use that stall if there aren’t any others available – I know, I’m a monster.  If you’re going to use the handicapped stall, by all means, if you see a handicapped person headed to the bathroom, don’t use that stall!. That just makes sense.

Purse Alert: Ladies, if you have a purse with you, don’t put it on the bathroom floor! The floor is full of ugly stuff (fecal matter, viruses, microbes) that can make you and your family sick. Your purse could be the dirtiest thing you own if you’re in the habit of putting it on the bathroom floor or any floor for that matter.  It’s not recommended that you hang it on the hook on the door either, which makes it easy pickings for thieves.  I guess you’ll have to keep it on your lap or sling it over your shoulder or balance it on your head,  life just got a little harder, I know.  Men with “murses,” well, I can’t even think about having one, so you’re on your own.

Bathroom Etiquette:  For crying out loud, flush as you go!  Once you’ve dropped the bulk of the kids off at the pool, flush the toilet.  You don’t have to get up and leave, go ahead and finish the rest of the drop-off, but get that stinker out of the bathroom ASAP.  Your fellow bathroom users will appreciate your consideration in not gagging them.  When you do get up to go, turn around and make sure that all of it has flushed.  It’s astonishing to me that anyone leaves their poop in the toilet for the next person to admire.  Is that what it is?  That’s the only way these guys are getting their self-esteem, by what they can produce?  Gross.  Finally, clean up after yourself!  No one wants to see your used toilet paper laying on the floor or stuck to the side of the toilet.  What’s wrong with those people?

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6 thoughts on “Which Bathroom Stall to Use? Public Bathroom Etiquette”

  1. Hi Dean,

    I think all public women’s stalls should have that mandatory shelf like they do in Vegas casinos – your own personal ledge above and behind you just for your purse and shopping bags. No bag theft and no germs from a grimy floor either! Problem solved.

  2. I like your thinking on this one….glad I dont have a Murse also..keep up the good work..I am more afraid of the Blowers to dry your hands ,heard they are full of stuff [virsus’s…etc] you dont want blowing around the room while using it ….I will not use them ,,,,my jeans are cleaner,if they dont have paper towells the word is they never clean those filters in the blowers…
    Tom Terhaar

    1. I use the bottom of my pant leg all the time. I don’t like touching anything when I’m on the way out of the bathroom. If I can’t get the door open with a paper towel, I’ll use my shirt tail to do it.
      WHY don’t all bathrooms have paper towels?
      I did see a cool thing in a restaurant recently though, it had a “toe hook” — basically a piece of metal on the bottom of the door where you could put the toe of your shoe in it and then pull the door open with your foot. Hard on your shoe but good on your immune system!
      And one last thought! If a restaurant or business doesn’t have a trashcan near the door to throw the dirty paper towel into, I just throw it on the floor right by the door. Sounds piggy, doesn’t it? I figure if everyone will do that, the establishment will get wise and put a trashcan by the door! No one wants to litter but I don’t want to carry around that paper towel that I used to open the door, a door that has been infected by someone who just wiped their ass and didn’t wash their hands — and there’s LOTS of those selfish people around! Enjoy your meal!

  3. Thank you Dean,
    This has been most helpful!
    I’m with you guys about the hand dryers. How hard is it to stock a bathroom with paper towel!? If there are no towels, I use my socks!
    Heidi

    1. Heidi,
      Doesn’t it take a long time to take your shoes off, then put them back on after you’ve used your socks? Just sayin….

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