As more people visit retail shops and public facilities in preparation for the holidays, they are noticing the cleanliness of the buildings they visit.

A new survey by Cintas Corp. found that 74% of respondents say dirty restrooms would cause them to have a negative perception of a business. Among 2,036 U.S. adults surveyed, 68% said they would have a low opinion of a business if its restroom contained empty hand soap, toilet paper, and paper towel dispensers.

“Facility cleanliness has been in the spotlight since the onset of the pandemic and is more important than ever in protecting a business’s reputation,” said John Engel, director of Marketing for Cintas. “This survey confirms that a clean and well-stocked restroom is important to any business’s image.”

Older Americans were more likely to form poor perceptions of a business due to the condition of its restroom. The survey revealed:

• 56% of 18 to 34-year-old respondents say dirty restrooms would cause them to have a negative perception of a business compared to 92% of respondents 65 and older
• 58% of 18 to 34-year-old respondents say foul-smelling restrooms would diminish their perception of a business, compared to 86% of respondents 65 years of age and older
• 56% of 18-34-year-olds say restrooms with empty hand soap, toilet paper, and paper towel dispensers would negatively affect their perception of a business compared to 85% of those 65 years of age and older.

In addition to restroom cleanliness, other areas of facility maintenance that are found lacking can negatively impact people’s perceptions of a business:

• 68% of survey respondents say dirty floors would sour their perception of a business
• More than half of respondents say dirty building entryways (57%), obvious use of dirty mops (56%), dirty windows/exterior glass (51%) and poorly maintained parking lots (51%) would negatively influence their opinion of a business.