CINCINNATI -- Cintas Corp. has released the Got to Go mobile app, which allows users to find clean restrooms in their vicinity and rate them based on cleanliness.
The app provides a map that differentiates restrooms according to color and ratings (green for top-rated clean restrooms, yellow for low-rated dirty restrooms, and blue for unrated restrooms). When clicking on a restroom icon, users will also have the ability to view the restroom’s rating and rate the restroom themselves. Users can also get directions to the restroom and filter the results by location, such as gas stations and convenience stores; coffee shops and restaurants; retail stores; or government and public buildings. Got to Go is available for free on the iPhone App Store or Google Play.
Fifty-six percent of Americans feel it is difficult to find a clean restroom while on the road, per a survey conducted online by the Harris Poll. More than 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older participated in the survey from Aug. 17-21.
“No one wants to use a public restroom that doesn’t meet their standards, and this research shows that many feel it is difficult to find a clean restroom while traveling and will refuse to use one that is dirty,” said Jillian Bauer, marketing manager for Cincinnati-based Cintas, which provides a range of products and services to keep facilities and employees clean and safe. “To create a welcoming space for guests and avoid customer complaints, businesses must regularly maintain their restrooms, ensuring surfaces are clean, messes are contained to receptacles and essentials are stocked at all times.”
Here are some findings from the poll:
- More than half—54%—of Americans have refused to use a public restroom because they considered it too dirty.
- Women are more likely than men to avoid unclean restrooms, with 60% saying they passed on using a public restroom because it was dirty, compared to 49% of men.
- 69% of Americans say cleanliness is a factor they consider when looking for a restroom while on the road.
- Women are more likely than men to factor in cleanliness—72% of women vs. 66% of men.
Restroom cleanliness is a big factor in determining the winner of the annual CSP Intouch Insight Mystery Shop study. Rutter's, York, Pa., recently received the honor for a second straight year, in part due to its clean restrooms.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.