Restroom Etiquette

~A Visit Is Just A Visit~

Restroom etiquette is vital in this necessity driven area of our lives. We are all in need of a good restroom on a daily basis, whether it is at work, at a restaurant, in a park...etc. A little bit of of good manners here goes a long way.

We have all been the victim of a poorly used public restroom at one point or another. There is nothing that is more disgusting than to walk into a restroom that has been left in such a state that even the rodents would run away. It is simply unkind to do this to another person...stranger or not. 

Using the restroom is a part of life. Good restroom etiquette is supposed to be a part of life. Let's face it what goes on in a restroom is not the most pleasant part of life, however it definitely necessary. There are many good practices and habits to be in to show that we know how to take care of even this.

The following is a list of good restroom manners. Using them in all settings is a good idea.

1. Be quick. Even if there isn't a line, get in and get out. This is not the time to catch up in the daily paper, text messages or whatever you have.
2. Clean up. Leave the stall or restroom better than how you found it. It is not polite to leave toilet paper all over, like there was a toilet papering party in the stall. If you dribbled a bit on the seat, wipe it up. 
3. Flush. Every time you use a public restroom, flush the toilet. Stay to make sure that everything went down, if it didn't flush again.
4. Keep your children in line. It may be difficult to keep a curious child from peeking, however do your best to teach them it is not appropriate. It is very embarrassing to be conducting one's business only to have little peeking eyes introducing themselves.
5. Cell phone etiquette. The restroom is not a place to chat on the cell phone, whether it is for business or pleasure. Please wait until you have left the bathroom to have the important chat. Which brings me to the next point...
6. Keep conversations at a minimum. Restrooms are known for their unbelievable acoustics so conversations tend to carry a lot further than the bathroom walls. Also, wait until you and your friend are done before you continue your conversation. It is bad restroom etiquette to carry on a conversation in the stalls.
7. Smells and noises. Like I mentioned before, the restroom is the place where our not so good noises and smells are unleashed. Keep your comments to yourself. It is no polite to state the obvious when the odor is close to unbearable. It is never kind to laugh when someone has made noises that are normally not heard. If you feel like you need to cover up some noises, flush the toilet first, turn on a hand dryer or run some tap water
8. Grooming. Keep your grooming habits to a minimum in public restrooms. A little touch up or hair adjustment is okay, however a full blown makeover is not. Save it for when you are at home.
9. Wash Your Hands. It is vital that you wash your hands after you use the restroom. It helps you and everyone else stay healthy.

The restroom is a place for relief and sometimes solitude. Using our best restroom etiquette will help everyone have a better experience therein.