Is the Furthest Toilet Cubicle Really the Cleanest?

Public toilets are a last resort for many of us as it's safe to say, we prefer doing our business in the privacy of our own homes. The queues, the absent loo roll, the dirty toilet cubicles...the germs!

Public toilets are pretty unpleasant in general and we do our best to get in and out as quickly as possible.

But it turns out that we also aim for the cleanest toilet cubicle we can and one way we try to ensure this is by using the toilet furthest from the door.

However, is the end toilet cubicle really the cleanest?

Let's find out!

Experts Have Done the Research into Cubicle Cleanliness

...so you don't have to! Yes, it's true, there really are people out there who research which bathroom stall is the cleanest.

Thankfully, the researchers didn't stand in a public bathroom with a clipboard and pen measuring how many people used the facilities.

Instead, the results were measured using multiple tactics such as measuring the amount of toilet paper used in each bathroom stall and how regularly loo roll was replaced.

Basically, a lot of detailed scientific effort stuff went into the research to find out which bathroom stall really is the cleanest and the results turned out to be pretty eye-opening!

Generally, members of the public look for the largest, most private and cleanest bathroom stall they can find. But which toilet cubicle really is the cleanest?

Women are Pickier than Men

When it comes to public restroom use and hygiene, women are pickier than men. Most women will choose the bathroom stall furthest from the door, while men tend to choose the urinal nearest to them for the convenience.

Women have developed a habit of gravitating towards the stall furthest from the door as it gives the impression of offering the most privacy, cleanliness, and space. However, the end toilet cubicle may not be all that it has lived up to be.

Which Toilet Cubicles to Avoid

So, which toilet cubicle is the one you should definitely avoid? If you want to have the most hygienic public bathroom experience you can, avoid using the middle stall! Researchers have discovered that, in general, the middle stalls are used the most due to what psychologist's call "Centrality Preference". Basically, we feel safest in the middle, so we tend to gravitate towards the middle bathroom stall as a result.

Which Bathroom Stall is the Cleanest?

Now that you know which bathroom stall to avoid, let's find out which bathroom stall is the cleanest. In general, most of us opt for the bathroom stall furthest from the door thinking it is the cleanest. However, this is not the case!

The cleanest bathroom stall, in general, in public bathrooms is the first toilet cubicle you pass. The first bathroom stall is often considered to be the least private and is therefore often the cleanest.

How Do You Know How Clean Toilets Are?

When using public bathrooms, it is unlikely you will know how clean the bathroom area is. However, you can often find cleaning schedules posted on the wall with the times and initials of the most recent cleaners. And if they've done their job properly, the bathroom should be sparkling!

If a public bathroom cleaning schedule is up to date, it's probably safe to assume that the toilet facilities are well-maintained and hygienic to use.

Let's Be Honest, We All Prefer Our Own Bathrooms

Be honest with me now, it's safe to say that when it comes down to it, we all prefer using our own bathrooms. However, sometimes this just isn't an option as we don't spend every single day of our lives at home (I hope).

The majority of people would say they prefer using their own bathrooms for privacy, comfort and knowledge of cleanliness.

Which Toilet Stalls Do You Use?

When it comes to public bathrooms, we all have our own stall preferences, whether we realise it or not. However, I hope this article has given you some valuable advice about public bathroom cleanliness and which stall to choose!

The next time you use public bathroom facilities, remember the following 3 points:

• The end stall is a no-go
• The middle stalls should be avoided (they are NOT clean)
• Always aim to use the toilet cubicle closest to the door.

Remember those 3 points and you will have a hygienic bathroom experience that keeps you clean, germ-free and using public bathrooms with the least problems possible.

Tell Us Your Toilet Cubicle Preferences!

Before we discovered the cleanliness research results, we always used the furthers stall from the door. There you have it, the secret it out there!

Which bathroom stall do you gravitate towards the most? Let us know in the comments below!