Today is World Toilet Day— and for those who take toilet facilities for granted, one may question the need for such an event. The fact is, more than 2.6 billion people worldwide, or 40% of the world's population, do not have access to proper hygienic sanitary facilities. Toilets matter — for health, the environment, and personal dignity. To learn more about this serious issue, go to www.worldtoilet.org.

Every small donation for world sanitary facilities can make a big difference. This holiday season, considering gifting a toilet to those in need. Even a gift of $1 is welcome. To donate, go to "Don't Blush. Sponsor a Flush".

A recently released survey of 2,175 respondents commissioned by SCA Tissue North America reinforces the impact of restrooms on customer experience and their powerful potential to provide a competitive edge. According to the poll, 88% of those who visit restaurants believe that restroom conditions reflect the overall cleanliness throughout the restaurant, including the kitchen, and 86% think restaurant hygiene is very important to their dining experience.

The top 10 restroom factors that would prevent customers from returning are:
· Overflowing toilets: 58%
· Unpleasant odors: 57%
· Slippery/dirty floors with buildup, gum or other residue: 49%
· Dirty partitions, doors, doorknobs, walls or fixtures: 38%
· Dirty and wet sinks and counter tops: 38%
· Insufficient toilet paper: 33%
· Overflowing trash cans: 31%
· Insufficient liquid soap: 28%
· Non-working toilet paper dispenser: 22%
· Management/employees unavailable for reporting problems: 19%

This charming new book from Linda Wright is now available at Amazon.com!

Hearts, flowers, and fans - butterflies, boats, and bunnies - it's all possible with toilet paper! With little effort, a roll of toilet paper can be transformed into a delightful focal point using the charming, elegant, and whimsical designs in this collection. Toilet Paper Origami is perfect for hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, cruise ships, and creative housekeepers. Toilet Paper Origami is fun for crafters of all ages. Illustrated with more than 300 photographs, step-by-step instructions teach 29 easy yet eye-catching folds and embellishments for styling the end of a toilet paper roll. Discover how simple it can be to make a memorable decoration from a bathroom essential!

Are you considering locking your restroom to make your maintenance efforts easier? Be sure to factor into your decision whether the benefits of such are worth the impact this will have on the impression you are making. Locked restrooms do make for a difficult situation. Usually the restroom is at the back of the store. Once someone in need has reached the bathroom door, it can be quite uncomfortable to walk back to the front of the store, sometimes even waiting in line to ask for a key (or being embarrassed to ask in front of others), and then making the trek to the back again. Have you considered using employees who inevitably have times that they are just standing around to do frequent light cleaning? By doing this, you can keep your restroom unlocked, have a clean presentation at all times, and avoid coming across as rude and inhospitable to your good customers.

For one customer's thoughts on locked restrooms and their impact on impressions and repeat business, read this post:

Read an excerpt from this mom's story about a family restroom that was nice enough to keep her at the mall all day:

"...we stopped by the North County mall in Escondido, home of the nicest family restrooms I've ever seen. Usually a "family restroom" is just a bigger bathroom with a changing table. But these amenities were nicer than our set-up at home. The family lounge consisted of an open area with several chairs, a few table, and a TV. (I think there might have been some toddler-appropriate diversions as well), a few private nooks with curtains (like changing rooms for nursing), a room with carved out changing areas, each one next to a wipes warmer (with wipes!) and a sink. It's so nice to be able to wash your hands after a diaper change without figuring out how to juggle the baby, wipes case, changing pad, etc. It's (also) nice to be able to wash your hands before you pick up your baby. They even had a bathroom with two toilets and sinks - one set for the parent and a smaller version for the kid. Honestly, that lounge was so nice, I would have been content to stay at the mall the entire day..."

A purse hook is a restroom essential. Every facility should provide them . . . and the more the better. Women love their purses and they don't want to set them on a restroom floor. Some will simply leave the premises—stop shopping and go elsewhere—if there is no bag hanger. Others go to the extreme of hanging their purse around their neck. Your customers deserve a better experience than that!

Read first-hand what women have to say on the subject at The Purse Forum.

The annual internet competition for America's Best Restroom is finished, and the winner is . . . the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. View the results at www.bestrestroom.com. The winning restroom features an Art Deco theme, leaded glass tiles, a terrazzo floor, and a shoeshine station. The runners-up featured extravagances such as skyline views, custom mirrors and woodwork, silver accent pieces, vintage photos, hand-painted tiles, and etched glass . . . to the extreme of one-way mirrors above a urinal, and sink mirrors embedded with LCD eyes.

When my last shipment of air freshener refills arrived, the shape of the can had changed. I couldn't get them to fit my dispenser (a Technical Concepts Microburst 3000), so I contacted my vendor. Bet Law at www.freshbet.com was quick to investigate, and this was the word: The cans did change, but they would still fit existing dispensers—with some coaxing. The spray nozzle must be pushed downward with a fingernail in order to fit through the opening window. It worked . . . and my dispenser is bursting as usual.

In the photo, the two rounded cans at the left are the new style, and the one at the right is the old.

An internet story circulates now and then about a study of women's purse bottoms and the potentially harmful bacteria they carry—much of which reportedly comes from restroom floors. According to snopes.com, this story is true, and this, dear retailer, is why women want each and every stall to have a hook! Read the full story here.