Restaurants anxious to get their doors open and operating – safely – may be interested in an article published in the Washington Post in May 2020.  

That article, "The need to go is a big barrier to going out. Why public bathrooms are a stumbling block for reopening," suggests that one of the main reasons people are concerned about going out to restaurants, even in a post-COVID world, is because of their restrooms.

According to the author, Marc Fisher:

The idea of a return to life in public is unnerving for many people. But it turns out that one of the biggest obstacles to dining in a restaurant is the prospect of using a public restroom—a tight, intimate, and potentially germ-infested space.

If this is the case, what can restaurant owners do to turn things around so that patrons are comfortable using their restrooms?  Here are some things we at Waterless Co., Inc, recommend:

Install Toilet Lids

Toilet lids were removed in public restrooms decades ago. It helped reduce the cost of the toilet and provided one less thing that needed to be cleaned. However, toilet lids serve an essential purpose. They block aerosolized contaminants from being released into the air when the toilet is flushed. This is called "plume" and is even more critical now because traces of COVID have been found in human waste. 

While there are plans to develop toilets that will not flush until the lid is in the down position, if possible, the fastest and easiest way to handle this situation is to install lids on toilets. That should block the plume from being released.

Install Waterless Urinals 

Urinals also have plume issues. Plus, urinals typically have no enclosures or are in a stall such as a toilet. This means that if contaminants become airborne, they can easily be inhaled by anyone standing nearby and land just about anywhere in the restroom.  Most observers now feel we have two options to prevent urinal plume:

1. Enclose urinals into separate stalls, like toilets, or install floor-to-ceiling partitions.

2. Change to waterless urinals. Because there is no flushing, plume is not an issue with waterless urinals.

Waterless urinals also help promote sustainability and tend to be less costly to purchase and install than traditional water-using urinals. 

Paper

Studies have found that some people are washing their hands as much as 16 times per day. This pattern developed during the pandemic and appears to be continuing.  After washing their hands, most patrons prefer to use paper towels to dry them. While purchasing large amounts of paper towels can be costly, installing electric hand dryers - at this time - may not be a wise idea in restaurants.

Touchless…. Everything

There should be no need to touch any fixtures or dispensers in restaurant restrooms. Further, if possible, restrooms should be designed with doorless entries. It is just one less thing patrons must touch.

Antimicrobial coatings

Restaurant owners should also consider applying antimicrobial coatings to their restrooms. These are not new but are getting a much closer look due to the pandemic. Antimicrobial coatings can be applied to counters, walls, partitions, doors and door handle, and other high-touch areas, even HVAC vents. Some paint manufacturers are now adding them to wall paint and primer products. They inhibit the growth of pathogens on walls and are one more way restaurant owners can make their restrooms healthier and safer for patrons going forward.

* "The need to go is a big barrier to going out: why public bathrooms are a stumbling block for reopening," by Marc Fisher, Washington Post, May 18, 2020.