The upwardly mobile washroom
What effect has the smartphone had on our public washrooms? Stuart Hands from Tork manufacturer Essity looks at the many ways in which mobile devices are impacting on toilets.
The mobile phone has had a huge impact on our world over the past 10 years – and the trend looks set to continue.
The number of smartphone users worldwide is forecast to reach 2.5bn by 2019. Mobile devices have replaced our radios, TVs, newspapers, maps and iPods, and we increasingly use them to catch up on news, find directions, listen to music, play games – and of course, to communicate with other people. This we do via text, email, social media and even by making the occasional phone call.
In fact, mobile phones have permeated every area of our lives – including our trips to the washroom. Estimates indicate that between 70 and 90% of us now take our phones into the toilet with us.
A 2016 survey carried out by cloud service provider MiMedia revealed that more than half of us visit social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram while on the loo. Others watch the news or buy goods online while one in four play games or watch videos in the washroom.
So what have been the knock-on effects of these new practices? According to some reports, three-quarters of us claim we spend longer in the toilet when interacting with our phones. These prolonged periods in the washroom could potentially lead to congestion and longer queues.
The fact that we are all ‘connected’ – even when in a public facility washroom – means that we are more likely to react immediately to external influences and share our experiences online. A person visiting a stadium, shopping centre, restaurant or airport who is particularly impressed by the washroom – or unimpressed – may react swiftly by posting about it.
Others may upload images of noteworthy toilets on Instagram or even contribute to one of the many internet blogs about the world’s best, worst and weirdest washrooms. These often encourage visitors to add their own loo reviews and images.
And a recent survey commissioned by Essity revealed that 4% of people had had a poor washroom experience at a stadium or similar venue and had posted about it online.
Another impact of the smartphone revolution is that we are all potentially contaminating our phones by using them in the washroom. A study conducted by Insurance2go in August this year revealed that the screen, lock button, home button and the back of the average phone handset were contaminated by 10 times the number of colony-forming units of bacteria, mould and yeast than a toilet seat.
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Another issue is that it is all too easy to drop one’s phone down the loo when using it in the washroom. Studies indicate that around one in five of us have done this at some point and that 7m devices a year end up down the toilet.
But on the plus side, the smartphone has become an invaluable aid for people who have issues with using a public washroom – either because they have a disability, suffer from incontinence or simply have an aversion to dirty, unhygienic surroundings.
“According to reports, three- quarters of us claim we spend
longer in the toilet when interacting with our phones.”
For example, the Flush app helps smartphone users to locate a public washroom when they need one. More than a quarter of a million washrooms worldwide are listed on the app and provide details on whether the facilities are wheelchair-accessible and whether a fee will be levied.
The Toilet Finder app, meanwhile, provides information on more than 120,000 public toilets globally and can be used via an Apple Watch. And the Trouble Peeing app mimics the sound of waterfalls and taps to make life easier for people who find it hard to urinate.
There is even an app for cinema-goers who have trouble sitting through a long film without a toilet break. The Runpee app sends a signal to the viewer’s smartphone when a three to five-minute scene containing no important plot twists is about to begin. A vibrating signal on their phone alerts them when it is a good time to visit the loo.
Meanwhile, the smartphone is coming into its own as a tool for facilities managers to improve cleaning efficiency in publicly-used washrooms. For example, Tork EasyCube is a data-driven cleaning system that provides cleaning staff with information to determine whether to service washrooms based on dispenser refill levels and visitor traffic.
Studies have shown that 24% fewer cleaning rounds are required when using Tork EasyCube while the system can also cut the number of cleaning hours required in a facility by 20%. Other effects of the system include an
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