Handwashing is an action that’s done millions of times every day in homes, workplaces, schools, stores and a multitude of other locations across the country. To delve deeper into this daily habit, the 2026 Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley Company posed a series of questions to U.S. adults and uncovered some interesting findings.

In the “What would you do?” category, 

• 59% will shake their hands dry if hand dryers or paper towels aren’t available in a public restroom but 12% will blow on them and 11% will resort to running their hands through their hair.  
• 57% will avoid drinking liquids before leaving home in order to skip using a public restroom. 
• 45% will complain to management if they encounter an unclean or unpleasant restroom at a business.
• 20% will skip washing their hands after using a public restroom if they think no one is around.  

The insights are from the annual survey conducted by Bradley, a company that manufactures commercial washroom equipment. Since 2009, the company has queried adults about their handwashing habits, use of public restrooms and concerns about seasonal viruses.

“On the one hand, public restrooms are widely available throughout the United States,” said Jon Dommisse, vice president of business development and strategy for Bradley Company. “On the other hand, the cleanliness and quality of public restrooms varies widely so people sometimes take evasive measures, like limiting how much they drink to avoid using them.”

Room for Improvement

When asked what improvements they’d most like to see in public restrooms, the top three responses are understandable – cleaner facilities, better stocking of toilet paper, paper towels and hand soap and touchless fixtures, including toilets, faucets and soap and towel dispensers.

Another wish list item is more stall privacy. In fact, nearly 70% of respondents feel restroom stalls should provide more coverage. Specifically, 52% would like the gaps around stall doors eliminated and 43% would appreciate an “available” or “occupied” indicator on each door. 

In terms of “aspirational” items respondents would like, thick foaming soap, warm sink water and high-quality toilet paper top the list. 

Restroom Etiquette 

Since a restroom is a public place, most users follow basic etiquette. 76% always wash their hands after using a public restroom. The top reasons people skip washing their hands? There wasn’t any soap or paper towels, there were too many people, or the sinks were unclean or broken. 22% said they “did not feel the need” to wash their hands.

Unfortunately, there are cases when restroom users don’t follow societal rules. The top annoyances include unflushed toilets and used paper towels and trash lying around. 

Whether it’s considered good etiquette or not, adults employ all sorts of measures to avoid touching restroom surfaces. 65% use a paper towel or their clothing as a barrier to eliminate contact with fixtures. 42% operate the toilet flusher with their foot and 35% hover above the toilet seat. 

Restroom Traffic

Quality restrooms are something U.S. adults appreciate. Nearly 70% say they’ll make a point to stop – and 60% will spend more money – at a business that they know has clean, well-maintained restrooms. In fact, some even take their restroom vigilance a step further. 40% will check out a store or restaurant’s restroom before deciding whether to stay or not. 

Finally, quality matters. 86% say they expect a business with high-quality products or services to have well-appointed restroom facilities.

“The condition of a restroom can significantly influence how consumers feel about a business,” Dommisse said. “Our survey found that the majority of people think an unclean or unpleasant restroom indicates poor management. On the flip side, locations with clean and pleasant restrooms can expect more return business and a better public perception.”  

The annual Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley queried 1,020 American adults Jan. 5 -16, 2026. Participants were from around the country and were fairly evenly split between women (55%) and men (44%); 1% selected other.

For more information, visit www.bradleycorp.com/handwashing.