It would be easy ignore the spills and the wet seat if...IF, you did not have to use the powder room, bathroom, wash room or whatever you chose to call that little room we all go to relieve ourselves, check our makeup, straighten our ties or even compose ourselves..
Entering a well kept and fresh smelling bathroom gives our spirits a lift. Many upscale hotels, restaurants and offices have immaculate rooms that are cleaned frequently; homeowners who take pride in their homes make sure that those rooms are inviting for their families and their guests. But, sometimes guests neglect to honour their hosts by cleaning up after themselves.
Here are 9 ways to repay the courteousness that has been afforded you:
Peaking into cupboards is not polite - it seems that curiosity gets the better of most people when they enter someone's bathroom; you should curb your curiosity as many a guest has left that room more than a little embarrassed when ‘accidents' happen - such as bottles falling out of the cabinet or a door becoming unhinged.
Turn on the fan - true, not all bathrooms have fans, but if there is one use it. By doing so you will muffle the noise that you make when you "piddle, pee or tinkle" also if would help, ever so slightly with the smell from a # 2. If you must do a poop, use some spray (hopefully it will be provided, in plain view) to refresh the room for the next guest.
Do not run the tap - be conscious of the fact that you are not only wasting water but you are being inconsiderate.....that's money running down the drain.
Clean up after yourself - you may have ‘missed' the mark and tinkled or sprinkled on the seat and on the floor, be courteous and wipe it up!
Flush and flush again - make sure that all traces of waste and that includes toilet paper are flushed away, leaving a clean bowl.
Wash your hands - no matter if you did a one, a two or powdered your nose, flush and wash your hands with soap and water; people tend to listen to the noises emanating from the washroom, but more importantly it is good hygiene.
Wipe your hands - usually hand towels are provided, if they are not use tissue or toilet paper. The majority of people prefer not using a towel that someone else has used, hopefully your host is aware of that and left a stack of paper towels out. You should also wipe around the sink, mopping up the water that may have spilled.
Ask for refills - rather than searching for extra rolls of toilet paper, tissue or soap refills, when you leave the room, quietly inform the host of what is needed before you rejoin the group.
Clogged toilets - nothing is more embarrassing than clogging a toilet, but if it happens to you be responsible and discreetly let your host know so that it can be fixed or so that other people could be diverted to another.
Double check before you exit - check that everything is in place so the next visitor will be just as comfortable as you were when you entered.
Joanna Parris, CSP is a Certified Home Staging Expert; President, Durham Chapter - RESA (Real Estate Staging Association); member of SEA (Staging Excellence Alliance) and certified Senior Move Manager (cSMM) - she can be reached at Joanna@effectivestaging.com
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