Bathroom Etiquette

Reprinted from The Clipper, an official publication of the Associated Students of Everett Community College, Everett, Washington

Jody with a Why?
Bathroom Etiquette
Jody Hawkins

If at first you don't succeed, keep flushing! This is a catchy reminder that should be taped to the back of every bathroom stall on campus, along with a few other rules regarding appropriate bathroom etiquette.

According to Carla Forney, EvCC's Custodial and Grounds supervisor, different issues plague the men's and women's bathrooms.

Men have a tendency to miss the target altogether and wipe stuff on the walls, ugh! Women tend to leave the toilets un-flushed or clogged with feminine product, double ugh!

Mastering the rules of bathroom etiquette will not only improve the lives of fellow students and staff but will also increase the chance you won't be ostracized by co-workers in the future.

Ok, Ladies first. I think there is some misinformation floating around out there, so let's set the record straight. It is never ok to flush a tampon down the toilet!

According to Forney, the college has had to call in professionals to unclog toilets and pipes for just this reason.

"Wrap it and bin it," is the official terminology for this issue: the tampon should be wrapped in toilet paper and put in to the little metal bin on the side of the stall. Also, remember, a real live person is responsible for emptying those bins so be considerate when filling them.

Ok guys, your turn. The staff that is responsible for cleaning the stalls would just as soon not have to mop up after you, so take aim- maybe you could think of it as a competition to see how many times in a row can you hit your target, which is the bowl, right? As for stuff on the walls, wipe it on a tissue instead, then flush, 'nuff said.

Once you have "done your business," as my grandma used to say, turn around and make sure you are leaving the toilet and surrounding area in good condition. I know this is kind of a squeamish issue, because nobody wants to actually touch a toilet seat, so if you have to, take a small wad of tissue and wipe down the seat, then FLUSH! It's the right thing to do.

Last but not least, if you feel the need to "CallRalphOnTheBigWhitePhone," take heed. "There have been 12 reports since September," of patrons missing the toilet or trashcan when they got sick according to Forney. Gross, yes, but we have all been there and this stuff needs to be talked about because when you miss and don't clean it up, it becomes everyone's problem. It's not just a ghastly mess anymore but an veritable melting pot of germs, so if you made a bigger mess than you can clean up on your own, have someone make a call to the custodial staff by dialing 9500 from any of the phones on campus


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