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Toilet Etiquette (Toilet Manners)
Toilet etiquette is all about hygiene and cleanliness. Toilets can be germ ridden places and if enough care is not taken to adopt hygienic practices we can contribute to the spread of many types of disease. We are put off by messy, smelly restrooms, toilets or urinals and public ones are the main offenders. So, if you mess it; clean it. Nobody likes to clean up someone else’s mess and so it makes sense for everyone to clean up after themselves throughout the day to maintain a high standard of hygiene and cleanliness. Some office toilets too need to have a code of practice put in place for the health and welfare of the workers because the cleaners usually clean up only once - at the end of the day. Some people who are the first to turn up their noses in dirty, smelly toilets are themselves to blame for breaches of good toilet etiquette. Is this because of their ignorance, indifference or upbringing? For your information, we have listed the following common sense and logical rules of restroom, urinal, or toilet etiquette to bring us back on track: Top rule therefore – clean up your own mess Unfortunately not everyone practices good hygiene, so – Next rule is, be hygienic – ALWAYS Then - respect the rights of others to privacy and cleanliness Toilet Etiquette - Office/Workplace and Public toilets Most of the rules of toilet etiquette that follow aim to achieve the above: Do not take reading material into the office toilet Don’t peek under the doors. Knock if the stall (cubicle) appears to be occupied Lock the cubicle (stall) door when you enter. You may embarrass someone Guys; choose a spot at the urinal farthest from anyone already there or at one end if you are the first While at the urinal, never turn to look directly or sideways at anyone standing there. Especially, do not look in his direction any lower than his face Stand close enough to the pan or urinal so you don’t dribble on the floor Concentrate when you pee so you don’t wet the seat, walls or floor Sit on the pan if you are unsteady on your feet. Girls; sitting is compulsory (smile). Squat only on squatting toilets, pedestal toilets are for sitting on only Avoid messing the toilet seat. If you do, clean up after yourself – properly Remember to flush the toilet after use The toilet brush is for cleaning the inside of the toilet bowl after you have used the toilet Check whether you need to use it Don’t leave it for someone else to clean up after you Flush it again Ladies' handbags pick up lots of germs if taken into the toilet and placed on the toilet floor or handled by germ laden hands Please, never place them on dining tables or kitchen bench tops if they have been taken to the toilet Girls’ sanitary napkins should not be flushed down the toilet but be wrapped and disposed of in the sanitary pad disposal unit Don’t graffiti the toilet; it devalues your name and talent? Leave the stall door ajar when you leave – to indicate that it is unoccupied 
Wash your hands thoroughly after your business – whatever it is Authorities would you please post prominent signs saying - “ALWAYS wash your hands before leaving the toilet” Don’t litter the place Don’t dawdle in the toilet especially in the toilet stalls On your way out, for personal hygiene, use a paper towel to grip the door handle if possible - (because we will never train everyone to wash their hands) or elbow through when somebody opens it from outside Public toilets without external doors are to be preferred for this reason; though there are not enough of them around Authorities please note and take appropriate action
Toilet Etiquette - in the Home
Consider the rest of the family and your guests
Always keep a spare roll of toilet paper in the toilet Knock first if the toilet or bathroom appears to be occupied Do not take reading material into the toilet Don’t hog the toilet/bathroom, especially if there is only one Lock the toilet/bathroom door when you enter. You may embarrass someone Use the exhaust fan so you don’t asphyxiate yourself or the next occupant Guys, stand close enough to the pan or urinal so you don’t dribble on the floor
Concentrate when you pee so you don’t wet the seat, walls or floor Sit on the pan if you are unsteady on your feet Girls; sitting is compulsory (smile) Squat only on squatting toilets, pedestal toilets are for sitting on only Avoid messing the toilet seat. If you do, clean up after yourself – properly Remember to flush the toilet after use The toilet brush is for cleaning the inside of the toilet bowl after you have used the toilet Check whether you need to use it Don’t leave it for someone else to clean up after you Flush it again Girls’ sanitary napkins should not be flushed down the toilet but be wrapped and disposed of in a suitable receptacle Good toilet etiquette for guys AND girls is to leave the toilet seat AND the seat cover down when you leave the toilet It’s neat for one thing, and prevents accidents for another Why is this an issue? Wash your hands thoroughly after your business – whatever it is Leave toilet/bathroom door ajar when you leave – to indicate that it is unoccupied Don’t pee in the shower Host; please provide your guests with any toiletries they might need such as soap, towel, toothpaste, toothbrush, facewash and so on Toilet Etiquette – General Toilet business is for doing. Not for talking about Keep toilet sounds for the toilet It’s not for demonstrating sound intensity in public or for talking about TV and movie producers please take note. Keep it out of your script Toilet Etiquette – in the Bush (or Forest)
Proper bush toilet etiquette requires observance of some basic rules to protect our fragile environment and ourselves:
Use an approved chemical toilet pan and empty it properly at sites intended for this purpose
If the above is not available and you must attend to the call of nature select a site well away from lakes, waterholes, streams etc
Watch out for snakes, spiders and creepy crawlies. They have rights too
Take a small spade to dig a hole deep enough to completely cover waste matter including toilet paper Urine on solids helps it to break down sooner
Do not allow used toilet paper to blow around in the bush
Guys when you pee in the bush, do it down wind
Babies disposable nappies must not be buried or left in the bush but taken away to be disposed of properly
If you believe these tips on toilet etiquette could help to improve your workplace toilet situation, please send the manager an e-mail link to this page or print it out and paste it up in the cubicles/stalls
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