Interestingly enough the topic of bathroom courtesies for everyday life is a topic that comes up constantly.  It has to lead me to think others of you may be pondering these same issues . . .

Always leave both the toilet seat and cover down when you finish using the commode. This applies to both men and women, whether at home and in public facilities.  Here’s something to think about when you don’t put the toilet seat down… Also at: https://youtu.be/A2mXYFdziGU

Never use the last sheet of bathroom tissue without informing the host. Better yet, a host should leave extra rolls in plain sight for guests to access and replace when needed.

Remember to be respectful of a person’s home.  Do not rummage around in cabinets for items you may want, such as aspirin. Instead, always ask the host to assist you.

Always flush. This should be common sense.  Flushing is as much a priority as washing your hands. The wide use of toilet and urinal sensors has made the issue of flushing a moot point in most public bathrooms.  If, however, the bathroom you’re using does not have a sensor,  it’s up to you to flush immediately after you finish. The old rule of “if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down.” does not apply to public facilities. Urinals need to be flushed too—it will help keep foul odors at a minimum.

Flushing is just one part of keeping any bathroom tidy. Don’t forget to also pick up any toilet paper if it has fallen to the floor, remove any newspapers or reading materials that you’ve brought in, and clean up the toilet seat or rim if you’ve splattered.  It’s important to treat a public or friend’s bathroom with even more care and respect than you treat your bathroom at home.

Don’t conduct business in an office or public bathroom. A public bathroom is not a cubicle with a toilet. Therefore,  don’t use this very specific space to conduct business, make phone calls, or send e-mails.

Wash your hands! This should be self-explanatory.  Germs are spread through contact. Washing your hands not only helps disinfect the germs that were on you before you went into the bathroom but makes sure you walk out with fewer germs on your hands than when you walked in.

Sink usage. If you are going to use the sink do not make a mess.  Do not be splash water all over.  And, if you: shave,  comb, brush, or cut your hair around the sink take the time to clean up after yourself.

Stall and urinal choices. You should always choose the toilet stall or urinal which gives both you and other people in the bathroom the most “buffer room”—the one on the end.  If there is only one stall or urinal left—wait—No one wants to feel crowded.

Use the trash receptacles. Put your used paper towels and any other trash in a receptacle,  never just toss it on the floor or in the general direction of the receptacle as you’re leaving.

BONUS TIP: When placing a new roll of bathroom tissue in its holder, the tissues are to be unrolled from over the top, so the end hangs in front of the roll, not behind.  Of course, if you have a cat or a child that unrolls the toilet paper onto the floor or into the toilet bowl, that’s different—you may let the end hang behind the roll.

QUESTION: WHAT OTHER ITEMS DO YOU HAVE TO ADD TO THIS LIST?  Do let us hear from you in the area below.  You may also reach us at www.AdvancedEtiquette.com.  If you enjoyed this article and want more, subscribe to our “Etiquette Tip of the Month” newsletter—at no charge—filled with great monthly tips on all sorts of topics from international business and social etiquette and protocol to everyday life subjects.  It will be great to have you as a member of our happy family of subscribers at www.AdvancedEtiquette.com/subscribe.

Happy Practicing!

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  1. Bathroom courtesies is really a sensitive issue that must be given an extra attention. A proper etiquette signifies in the final sense, a respect for the people you might encounter or for the next user of the toilet cubicle.

  2. One of my pet peeves is someone using a public restroom for a phone booth. I don’t want to hear their conversation and I do not wish my business to be broadcasted!!

  3. I find the toilet seat thing childish. If you want it up, put it up. If you want it down, put it down. As for at home then close the lid when finished. It’s the same thing with the driver’s seat of the family car. Fix it for yourself and don’t be so lazy. You on’t have a crystal ball, you don’t know who will use it next. Don’t sweat the small stuff. There is more to worry about that is more important.

    1. Dear Ed: While I agree there are many more things in life we should spend time on, yet the point to this is when you have formed simple good habits, it’s a no brainer to do them for the greater good of the situation and everyone around. It has nothing to do with being lazy. If it is your home, by all means leave the seat up or down is your own choice and when guests experience this in your home, they are free to form their own opinions about it. However, when out and about, if you want to show good manners in this area, the lid should be down… regardless of how the previous person left it. I hate how ugly the toilet looks when a lid or even seat is up.

  4. Interesting enough, bathroom is the place for the “very private things”, but we have heard that most people (in the working place) speak much openly in the bathroom, and most remors come from bathroom as well. A lot of people look that they are busiest in the world, they do talk business, make phone calls, and even do business negotiation in the bathroom. No many people have ever thought about that these behaviors are not good etiquette. Especially, some movies showed that people did made good deal in th bathroom (don’t know how much realistic would be anyway).
    I had worked as janitor, I know a lot, lot of people don’t put lid down after use toilet. The matter is that when the bathroon is aged, the toilet lid gets yellowed. It looked not hygiene and very hestated to use. That’s other reason that should put the lid down.
    I agree that if at home, you do what’s you like, what’s so ever. However, if you are not use to good behavior in bathroom using, you are not going do any better in public (working place) bathroom.

  5. Splatters and misses – My most dreaded chore as a child with three brothers was cleaning the bathroom. As an adult when my youngest brother came to visit, he said he was a squatter because he did not like to clean up the splatters. All men should squat in public and especially in other peoples homes. The obviates the need to clean the seat and floor before leaving the bathroom.

  6. Really good article, that I will pass on.
    You are absolutely correct about leaving the seat down, too, but some information has been omitted.
    Besides looking vulgar, the toilet seat should be lowered BEFORE flushing as the fine mist of dirty water can travel over 13 feet.

    When I have guests over and they do not lower the seat, I immediately have to wash surfaces down and replace towels, etc. as my bathroom is tiny. It took several times to explain this to one old friend, including sending her a similar video like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2mXYFdziGU before she finally "got" it. But her retort was " what about public toilets"?
    My polite request, made in my own home, should not have been met with an argumentative challenge. I shouldn't have to explain that the public breaks seats by slamming or standing on them – costing thousands in damage.
    But what really raised my eyebrow was not only that this mature woman had no connection to this kind of basic, common-sense hygiene, but that means that there's never been any training on the maternity ward where she works, either.
    It's a real eye-opener.

    To this day if I enter someone's bathroom and the seat is up, and if I can't wait, I dread wiping my hands on their handtowels after washing them. So gross!

    Simple manners can go a long way – especially after a polite request is made.
    Maybe it's more about sanitation than what you deem to be picky.
    Respect for another person's home is etiquette at its finest.

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