The Washroom Stall You Should Always Avoid
When people go to public toilets, all they ask for is that they be clean and that they have enough toilet paper.
But, what if I told you there is an easy way to determine which public washroom is the cleanest because not all stalls are the same?
According to a number of studies, there are stalls that you should avoid at all costs if you do not want a bad surprise.
In one study, researchers examined public toilet visitor habits to determine the most used stalls. They presented the participants with three empty booths and were finally able to conclude that most people "reliably chose the one in the middle".
They also observed that men walked directly to the center stall or urinal 40% of the time, while women followed the same goal 29% of the time.
A similar study on bathroom habits was conducted in 1995 by psychologist Nicholas Christenfeld. For 10 weeks, he noted how often the janitors changed toilet paper rolls in four booths in washrooms in their building.
The results, published in the journal Psychological Science, showed that the middle booths accounted for 60% of finished rolls, while only 40% came from those at the ends.
What these results indicate is that the busiest stall is also the dirtiest because it is used more often than others.
As for the cleanest stall? The first study revealed that the first stall is the least used. It is therefore likely that it is cleaner than the others.
So, in case of choice opt for the first one, or else opt for the last and you will have more chances to have paper and a clean stall.
Also, if you are a germaphobe, you may want to know what the study has to say about the most hygienic option for drying your hands.
To avoid getting germs on your hands, use wipes instead of hand dryers.
The researchers found that the number of bacteria around machines was 27 times higher than that of paper towel dispensers. It is believed that the air coming out of the driers causes the spread of bacteria.
Which stall do you tend to use most often? Do not leave the choice of a stall to chance!
Originally posted on Gratuit.ca
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