Best Toilet awards!
Do you use a public bathroom away from home? The one at work? The airport? The fastfood chain? The local mosque? The mall? or are you one of the thousands that just decides to keep it in till your home? A dirty subject but someone has to point out the health and service dangers lurking in the background.
As I approach the toilet in Manchester train station I notice a small que with a coin machine that opens the door “ 3 pounds per visit” WOW! I thought, nice!! before I understood anything about the pay per toilet thing, I was discouraging it due to human rights issues and the mere fact its only human, and you shouldn’t need to pay to go!
But as I picked up milage on both travel and age, I came to realize the brilliance of such practice, simply awesome I say. When I got the change in place and got my entrance to the toilet,I noticed two cleaning ladies and everyone entering respecting the cleanliness of the premises.
Synchronized people, entering, finishing, cleaning in a clean environment and happy for the service provided. No one throwing tissues on the floor, actually finding tissues, available toilet paper by the dozen( the good stuff, not the one that evaporates), soap is plenty, dryers are powerful and by the dozen, no smells, just clean antibacterial detergents and warm atmosphere.
Everywhere you go in Europe there are people taking care of the toilets! It simply makes me feel sad! In one study I read they placed a small picture of a fly( sadly aiming practice for men-sorry girls, men tend to do that) in the urinal bowl so people would stop splashing all over the place. The trial in Amsterdam shciphol airport reported more than 60% less splash rate than before the darn fly! If people go to this extent in serving the bathroom customers, shouldn’t we start to at least come to where they were in the 70’s? and not compare our self to the stone age era?
As you arrive at any of the 3 airports in Saudi Arabia, and you just have to go! you make your way to the very few little rooms that have a semi worn down picture of a woman or man to relive yourself. As you enter thinking it is a rest room as they say politely, you tend to try and hold your breath for as long as it takes, watch out to not touch any visible or invisible germ colony. You also attempt to open the door of the toilet without any hands or feet, I have been known to have opened doors with my butt! Suddenly the 7 hour airplane toilet seems wonderful luxury(even after meal time/ wake up time on the flight).
The look, feel, smell, lack of everything is just amazing. The workers look at you waiting for you to look everywhere for tissues, even in garbage to wipe your hands, then they ask you in a head shaking manner “ do you want?” as they hold out the forbidden fruit of the moment : TISSUES! And you have to tip them for the stinky atmosphere, the smells, the new add on bacteria and germs who you will introduce to your family and friends” let me introduce to my new lethal friends, I picked them up at the local airport toilet, be nice, smile & say hi…come on give them a nice, big hug!”
This is the second ugly face they see of our country when foreigners arrive for the first time, after the airport service, look & feel and treatment, our fascinating, sate of the art, germ in your face, unforgettable aroma, airport toilets! Never have I been amazed at any of the local toilets, except for the very few five star locations, few!
The standard for toilets, is to let the GM of the airport use this one, the one that passengers use and airport staff suffer from, and not his own private washroom. The managing director of the food chain should have his toilet in one of the locations, Banks CEO’s should use customer ones too, and so on.
I know its a dirty little secret only users know of, but we have all faced this and had no time, no idea what to do, no intention to raise such a filthy subject to a company, what will they think of me? THEY HAVE TO WAKE UP AND RESPECT PEOPLE!
Q: Would the manager of whatever firm invite people in his home or his family to this stinky place? and wait to see the look on their face when they come out? I thought so!
Just like Rain happens, natural needs are met, we exhale & Inhale, going to the toilet is one of them! and it should be high on any organization or country agenda, it is service you know, wether we admit it or not!
People will pay to get a better and cleaner environment. If everyone only paid 1 riyal( 30 cents) for each toilet visit, then companies can get better chemicals, better workers, more workers, a daily supply of toilet good paper, maintenance and dryers would all work, people will repspect each visit.
While European countries face their problems head on and give awards to the best toilet in a country, we aim to see who has the filthiest toilet to go unreported and survive without water and toilet paper and other BARE necessities. It is a very strong statement in terms of service and quality, and the issue, or should I say Tissue, will be raised and used ;-)
Looks like I need to drink less fluids and eat nothing before coming home on my next flight, at least till I get past any airport facility.
Our mission is to represent the interest and aspirations of ‘away from home’ toilet providers, suppliers and users of all types and to act as the catalyst for change in the pursuit of standards of excellence in all areas of public toilet provision and management.
British Toilet Association
p.s. the picture above was awarded to the tourist toilet available at the Tower of London where the Jewels are displayed :-)
mamdooh.alradadi
me@mamdoohalradadi.com
She Chats, He Chats… Corporate Rats
Imagine that ?!! You tell them, Mamdooh ! ” Bala fe shaklahum ”
Once again, you have delivered a very relevant and important message about a neglected, “hush-hush”, rather embarrassing, subject, indeed, with your great sense of humor and wit ! Enjoyed the read. Thank u :)
Luved the toilet award idea lol.
A5 I just remembered our stupid office berucrcay, that’s the reason why public toilets are gross. See where I work we have a special toilet for the high graders, and another one for the rest of the folks. What is good for their butt to set on is definitely good for the rest too. We have a special cafeteria for the high graders, it is the discrimination. Is it part of their contract that they get a toilet with good soap, perfume and tissues while the rest get a smelly scary area. How would u expect from the employees to give u their best, when the environment they are forced to stay in for at least half a day is sooo gross.