By Elaina Myers, Assistant Editor

Global Handwashing Day, observed every October 15 since 2008, is a timely reminder that promoting hand hygiene requires more than encouraging people to wash their hands. In commercial and institutional facilities, it also depends on well-maintained restrooms with functioning fixtures and clean surroundings.  

Bradley Company's 2026 Healthy Handwashing Survey found that nearly 80 percent of American's say touchless fixtures are important in public restrooms and improve the overall experience. The survey also found that empty soap dispensers, dirty or nonworking sinks and toilet flushers are among the leading reasons people skip washing their hands in public restrooms, increasing the risk of spreading diseases or illnesses throughout a facility.  

The three top public restroom requests, according to the survey, are: 

1. Make them cleaner and better stocked 
2. Always provide paper towels 
3. Make everything touchless.  

Restroom maintenance can also influence customer loyalty.  Seventy-one percent of Americans are more likely to return to and spend more at businesses with clean, well-maintained restrooms, according to the survey. Conversely, 73 percent say an unclean or unpleasant restroom makes them think twice about returning.  

HFT Recommends: The CDC's Guide to Hand Hygiene in Healthcare

According to Bradley Company, to support hand hygiene and improve restroom experiences, facility managers can take several practical steps: 

• Align supply checks with traffic. Inspect soap and paper towel levels before and after peak periods, adjusting replenishment schedules when supplies run out between rounds.  
• Test fixtures regularly. Check faucets, soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers and hand dryers during routine inspections, addressing malfunctions promptly.  
• Prioritize cleanliness. Include sinks, counters and surrounding floors in cleaning checks, and resolve leaks or slow drains.  
• Improve maintenance efficiency. Consider fixtures with visible supply indicators, accessible service components and, when available, connected monitoring that helps staff identify service needs.  
• Make reporting easy. Give occupants a simple way to report empty dispensers or other issues they discover when using the restroom.  

Use today as an excuse to invest in and scale up your restroom to support healthier habits in your facility while protecting the restroom experience.  

Elaina Myers is the assistant editor of the facilities market. She has covered various topics from pest management to resilience to sustainability and covers all holidays and special days in the facilities field. She also manages the FacilitiesNet social media accounts.