Why bathrooms are so hard to find in the U.S.

Ever been caught outside without a place to pee? You’re not alone - the U.S. has a severe shortage of public bathrooms. It’s tied with Botswana, Georgia and a couple other countries for having just eight public bathrooms per 100,000 people! This means many Americans turn to private businesses like Starbucks when they’ve “gotta go.” But WHY does America have such a severe shortage of public toilets? Yara went on a bathroom-hunting journey throughout New York, one of the most bathroom-deficient cities, to find out.
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HOST/SENIOR PRODUCER: Yara Elmjouie
PRODUCER: Rich Cooper
EDITORS: Rich Cooper, Yara Elmjouie
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Shadi Rahimi
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Courtney “Baynes” Baynes
ADDITIONAL CAMERA: Yara Elmjouie, Rich Cooper
FINISHING EDITOR: David Dougherty
SENIOR MOTION GRAPHICS DESIGNER: Rachid Mkansi
HEAD OF PRODUCTION: Nanako Pierce
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Jesse Fernandez
FACT-CHECKER: Ramón Rodriguez
COPY EDITOR: Ramón Rodriguez
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: Fatema Nakhuda, Hany Ramsay
SPECIAL THANKS: Steven Soifer, PhD, Julie Chou, Kevin A. Gurley, Peter Baldwin, PhD, Chelsea Wald

[@ajplus]

Hey guys! Thanks for watching! How hard is it to find a public bathroom where you live? Tell us about it.

[@brushemteeth9159]

Ever been to Germany? Much harder.

[@alanhat5252]

In my town in the UK they bulldozed the sole public toilet 40 or 50 years ago, they replaced it within a decade with one in a shopping mall which is still there though it's only accessible during shopping hours. It had 4 stalls & a long trough urinal & the attendant kept it very clean but I haven't been in there since they've done building work, I doubt it still has an attendant because the local government has changed from left-wing to right-wing & central government has massively reduced funding to local government (several Councils have gone bankrupt). (population ~160,000)

[@iseytheteethsnake6290]

Not really a problem in south tejas but definitely in Mexico

[@MrJackassz]

Many parts of usa they will treat you great if you have darker skin and horrible if its lighter/whiter. We fight racism today with racism.

[@beetafly2]

Public bathrooms are sooo easy to find especially in Cali. I've never had a problem with public restrooms. Grocery stores such as Ralph's, Vons, and Safeway have public restrooms. Starbucks or just any coffee shops in general but the franchise ones usually have more than one stall which is great for #2. Also Target has really nice bathrooms since now that they have little Target stores on random street corners. Burger King and McDonalds usually have no coin bathrooms because they're big franchises. Another public restrooms are public libraries. Also malls and especially Macy's have bathroom. But Nordstrom's bathrooms are the fanciest! 😘

[@bBeuh2992]

It’s a problem on both ends. It’s so inhumane to deny someone a bathroom, bathrooms shouldn’t be a “right”, everyone should be able to have access to it. But on the other hand, you need to also be respectful and keep up with the cleanliness as the person using it. The people who have to clean that especially in a place of business, it’s disgusting and can be a huge burden to them.

[@rapitup45]

On both ends😆😂

[@RosinDaddy5280]

I don't mind someone using my business bathroom but be clean and respectful and no doing drugs I am not against drugs but my business is not a place to do it

[@sonnyradcliffe8365]

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[@bella-hi2ii]

@@rapitup45 😭

[@jlivb]

Ok y have a bathroom then

[@satishapnabazar1418]

Simple reason, people who use toilets just feel super entitled and dont clean up after themselves and at some point of time businesses need to stop it. If people were polite and appreciate the convenience and cleanup after themselves, there will be a lot of free toilets. Straight and simple. Entitlement kills a lot of perks.

[@ms_cartographer]

Exactly. Minimum wage workers are tired of scrubbing shit off of walls because some entitled prick decided to make a disgusting art displsy on the walls and toilet.

[@shauncameron8390]

This is what happens when people are given rights but no responsibilities.

[@timt6860]

It's a two way street as I've cleaned bathrooms at grocery stores, restaurants and at a wal-mart. People who use bathrooms need to be more respectful and not so dirty after using them as that's a reason why there are so many restrictions on people using them. If you urinate all over the seat or the floor, take some toilet paper and wipe it down. Treat a public bathroom like it's your own.

[@paulstaker8861]

No pay, no care. That's the American way.

[@vanessab.c.7806]

"Like it's your own". That's the problem. That's exactly how they act at home.

[@tidbit1877]

The Irony is that, as a Canadian, and as someone who traveled through the States from Washington to Michigan, the USA has EXCELLENT Roadside bathrooms, clearly marked on the freeways with signs that even indicate if they have wheelchair accessible rest-rooms as well. They are clean, they are well lit, they are individual rooms that lock so you have absolute security and privacy, they usually just smell of cleaners and air-fresheners(unless you get unlucky). They are at regular intervals, cost nothing to use, have clean drinking water available and are all round the best things EVER! I wish Canada had some of these types of rest-rooms! The US definitely needs to replicate these inside their major cities, keep them clean and keep them free!

[@Caterfree10]

See, as someone who used to go on road trips, this is what gets me about the lack of public bathrooms in cities. You would think all those roadside bathrooms would be harder to keep up with since they’re away from city centers, but they’re pretty consistently clean. Why can’t street departments replicate that for public city bathrooms? And if they whine about the labor needed, they can create jobs and hire more people for it.

[@dougdimmadomeownerofthedim2918]

Sounds like a cool story...

[@BrokeredHeart]

Ontario has those En Route stations along the 401 which are user friendly, but of course, only to those who are driving a car. Same with roadside stops that cater to bus travelers or rail - you would have had to pay for a ticket to access their facilities. Places like libraries, shopping malls, and public parks are usually only open during business hours, which means anyone caught out at night is SOL. Even fast food joints that offer 24/7 services will often close their dining areas after a certain time, barring anyone from coming inside unless to order from the drive-thru window. It's something that I seldom think about because I've never been homeless or slept out on the street overnight, but this lack of public washrooms is a public health concern.

[@squirl2011]

Yeah Rest stops are state funded and have full time staff. They are nice.

[@saltymangoparty]

Maybe because those are run by states rather than cities. City governments need to implement for their citizens

[@susanswanson4079]

The reason why there are no public bathrooms is because people trash them. I'm not referring to just homeless or the mentally ill. It's the well dressed as well. People think nothing more than making a mess because they are never held responsible for their mess. Cities are tired of constantly cleaning and repairing other people's inconciderateness so public toilets are less prominent in the Cities.

[@astrogypsy]

As an American, at this point I'm surprised we're still using plumbing at all. Feral America.

[@adjoaayye]

I will advocate for human rights all day. HOWEVER. When it comes to public bathrooms in the United States, there is no chill. Forget homeless people - everyday people severely abuse public bathrooms. When we talk about access, these advocates need to deeply consider who is tasked with cleaning these spaces. They might need to take a week and work as bathroom custodians for the point to get across that public bathrooms are more often than not, left in shambles. Solutions is to provide HOUSING for homeless people, first and foremost. Next solution - for public bathroom access, you tear it up, you clean it - so either you pay a pretty penny for it to dissuade abuse of it, and/or have a bathroom security guard who can check it after each use. And pay that guard richly. These are just a couple starter ideas. I'm trying to protect the workers that have to clean these messes that disgusting people leave behind.

[@9852323]

They need a bathroom security guard’s. These people are nasty and out of control.

[@irlikingpie]

In many states, the whole "Restrooms For Customers Only" thing is illegal. It amounts to having a pay toilet, which there are laws against almost everywhere. Even (surprise) in New York. "The New York legislation bans pay toilets throughout the state, including air terminals, bus depots, rail stations and along highways." So the next time you go in Starbucks and they tell you to pay, tell them to call a cop, then go use the bathroom.

[@Western_Decline]

Or we can get rid of Liberal Democracy, and replace it with a Socialist/Communist government. Our government is trash.

[@irlikingpie]

@@Western_Decline Are you lost?

[@avonfettydale9166]

Lmao no way this gonna work

[@hubertcumberdale2651]

Pay toilets are seriously one of the most friggin' annoying things about traveling in Latin America. Mexico makes entering the bathroom at a bus station like your entering a turnstile to prison. lol

[@Madamchief]

They usually require a code to open the door?

[@mhairsto24]

I am already working on this where I am in Baltimore, Maryland. America is behind the times in literally 50 different things, embarrassing.

[@TheBLGL]

The Netherlands has pay toilets everywhere, so I’d say they’re the ones who are behind the times. Oh, and you have to pay even if you’re a customer. It’s not a fun place to have a UTI, to say the least.

[@Lipanj92]

@@TheBLGL Why not? Somebody has to clean it after you used it.

[@tinagutan3423]

If everybody used public restrooms just like they use the bathroom at home, there wouldn't be a problem with dirty bathrooms. Why are people acting like animals just because it's a public restroom? Keep it clean, don't wait for somebody to clean disasters. Don't tell them they are paid to do just that. They are humans too. They are there to refill soaps, put toilet paper, and sanitize, not clean up after adult babies having violent diarrhea.

[@paulstaker8861]

you just answered your own question: adult babies

[@ms_cartographer]

Make the adult babies clean it up.

[@Metonymy1979]

I once went into a bathroom, and I am not even exaggerating here, the whole thing was covered in explosive diarrhea. I have never seen anything like it. I couldn't believe someone actually did that. I never understood why. I will never question why they don't let people use the bathroom. Even right now, it makes me gag thinking about it

[@annrose8469]

I would guess that if someone was that sick, they may be too weak to clean it up. I also think parents should superviswe their kids to make sure they leave things clean.

[@annaalva2320]

Nope, you are never too sick to sit ON the toilet with diarrhea and you are NOT too sick to clean after yourself! I have had projectile vomiting with food poisoning and STILL cleaned up after. That was totally deliberate!

[@Metonymy1979]

@@annaalva2320 I was recently told it was molly induced explosive diarrhea. Apparently, that's a thing

[@annrose8469]

@@annaalva2320 That can depend on several factors, like age, mobility, mental health, etc. We do not all have the same experiences with illness.

[@user-cp9id1mj8b]

It could be a heroin addict going through withdrawal. Which usually brings pretty explosive diarrhea since they may have not taken a shit for weeks. Someone going through something like that is probably unable to clean it afterwards.

[@chinnochio4179]

My previous job stopped allowing the public to use the bathroom after our second OD in the same year

[@bucktooth002]

Heroin addicts love using fast food restrooms.

[@TheHardys01]

@@bucktooth002 Almost like the actual problem here isn't homelessness...

[@donnam5060]

The problem is that people dont take care of what's available. they don't treat it decently, like remember that someone has gotta clean that.

[@carnitagroves7758]

THIS IS INSAAAANE!!! I lived in Denver, Colorado for decades and witnessed the same lunacy. I actually wrote a poem about it. This video is HIGHLY needed and SUPER LONG overdue!

[@YaraElmjouie]

Thanks for watching, Carnita!

[@alexcarter8807]

Post the poem or it didn't happen.

[@kurtk4223]

in NYC it used to be a city code requiring restaurants and places that serve food cannot refuse bathroom service to the general public. a little known or enforced code at the time-1990's.

[@spikefivefivefive]

In my state, Ohio, if they serve food, then by law a restroom has to be available. But the restaurant has every right to restrict the use of the bathroom for customers only by law. It's very rare though to see a sign that reads "Bathroom for customers only" here.

[@derekmoody5926]

I use to work as a janitor and I would give people access, but unfortunately those "bad ones" that purposely mess it up or break it cause the issue where only "paying customers" can use it. Those that want a public one will get it but not a fair pay for someone to clean it constantly or make sure people are using it for the right reasons.

[@AdamCharlton]

They should come back with cheap public bathrooms for a quarter, I don't care if urinal is included. Unintended consequences got us off worse. Plus wouldn't want to see pee everywhere

[@AdamCharlton]

@@aaronelijahcolyer they won't do it.. It was tried.. For a quarter is better than nothing (no bathroom at all) wouldn't you agree?

[@AdamCharlton]

@@aaronelijahcolyer ok well then there's no bathrooms

[@AdamCharlton]

@@aaronelijahcolyer urinals were free until feminist protests but it ended up being worse. Things are worse off now than they were.

[@nomaderic]

I stay in my car and do deliveries all over the country. It's real, so many places either have the restroom completely closed or don't let people use it. Now at this point I don't ask I just go, if they say something I just keep walking. If I go in a building and I see a restroom I'm walking into it. NEVER EVER ASK to go to the bathroom, that's a natural human right and there is no asking. Do you ask to breathe, no, don't ask to go to a restroom just go.

[@spikefivefivefive]

Do people have a "natural human right" to come on your private property to use your toilet at your expense?

[@geneautry2091]

I agree with retailers that their bathrooms be for customers only. I've seen most public bathrooms filthy as hell but never at a private or restaurant.

[@daritraisham8462]

We have a big problem with the restroom at the retail store I work at. People clog the toilets, wipe crap on walls daily.

[@Richbund]

The absolute best public bathrooms I've ever been in, were in Europe, particularly; Amsterdam, Paris, Viena... When my wife and I (my first time to Europe) visited her mom and dad who live outside Amsterdam, I was completely blown away how clean the bathroom was when I really needed to go badly when in the city. You get a completely private stall that is spotlessly clean as it is cleaned after every use by an attendant. It is customary to tip the attendant for providing such a great personal experience to which I gratefully tipped the attendant. Don't know why we couldn't do the same here in the U.S. which would create jobs and a cleaner, healthier way of life for the American public...

[@danzena4059]

THE TRUTH: Too many people don't know how or care to clean after themselves. AND too many homeless drug addicts and mentally ill homeless occupy these bathrooms and leave it looking like an absolute hell whole. If I owned a business in big cities in America, I would NOT let just anyone use it either. Until we get our act together, I understand why we don't. Take Japan for example. One of my FAVORITE things about Japan, Korea and China actually, is that its very easy to find public bathrooms in the big cities. And especially in Japan and Korea (China is coming along in the cleanliness last I was there, they're improving) they are more often than not, CLEAN. And even the "dirty" restrooms aren't so bad compared to us. I can walk into any fast foods or Konbini, mall and use the bathroom no problem. And the public restrooms aren't an issue to use.

[@girl89kn]

Public libraries come to mind for access to public bathrooms. That's of course if you're near a public library and subject to their hours of operation too.

[@thenewgeneration2378]

Idk we as a people need to be held accountable to not leave the bathrooms disgusting. Personally I just wait til I get home but luckily public restrooms are actually pretty nice in Texas

[@wayneanderson8034]

The public restrooms at Palm Beach Gardens Mall are out of this world clean. The reason is, they pay people to keep them clean all day. Most American public restrooms are only cleaned once a day. Most are a disaster. Is it too much to ask to pass the cost of cleaning restrooms on to the consumer? Yes, in America, people don't want to pay the cost of janitorial cleaning, so we have trashed restrooms.

[@tccragun]

Not enough profit (in providing toilets) for capitalists …. Not enough political pressure for decent public toilet services. Hold it ! It is inhumane !

[@shauncameron8390]

At someone else's expense for socialists.

[@RcottR]

Thats why love my country of Australia. Bathrooms everywhere. Every small town has a public bathroom in the centre of town and unlike Europe you dont need to pay! Access to bathrooms is a right!

[@joyaustin6581]

Shopping centers have bathrooms, most gas stations do, hotel lobbies, every supermarket I’ve been in and most public buildings. I have never paid to use a bathroom.

[@asahisagoiboi3517]

Atlantic Ave Station bathroom is the nastiest shit I ever seen. I used to clean bathrooms in homeless shelters and in the military this shit is worse.

[@Mr2Reviews]

In my first year in Korea, I thought finding public restrooms was difficult but after living here for almost 10 years, it's actually very easy, accessible and far cleaner than American bathrooms. Some quirks though, very often, public bathrooms don't have paper towels or soap (I assume the less advantaged people take them). And on rare occasion, you may come upon a squat toilet but those are phasing out.

[@winterburden]

Americans are rugged and resourceful individualists. We don't need bathrooms, we'll just go in the middle of the street if we have to.

[@alexcarter8807]

That's a lie - we'll also go in the middle of the street if we don't have to!

[@winterburden]

@@millennialsecularandauthri3338 so what you're saying is that you don't know anything about history and also you're just a ridiculous racist troll

[@Clos93]

Like San Francisco? 😂😂😂

[@jamiecoxe7327]

I agree that everyone deserves to have a public restroom available to them when they need one. I also think that everyone should be respectful to others. If a homeless person doesn't have the decency to throw away garbage and clean up the mess they make and follow litter laws, why should we think they would be respectful of public restrooms. Everyone should clean up after themselves. It's our responsibility to make things better than they were when they arrived. We make the world great or worse, it's up to us to make a difference.

[@ms_cartographer]

It's not just the homeless that destroy bathrooms.

[@jamiecoxe7327]

@@ms_cartographer I agree, but have seen it happen. So of them use these bathrooms to bathe and leave paper towels and don't clean up after themselves.

[@ms_cartographer]

@@jamiecoxe7327 maybe, the city could employ the homeless to clean them. If they destroy them, they should clean them.

[@jamiecoxe7327]

@@ms_cartographer Love that idea

[@ms_cartographer]

@@jamiecoxe7327 employ the Karens who let their kids shit all over the place and smear it on walls to clean them too

[@hbarudi]

1. Bathrooms need cleaning on a regular basis. Provide cleaning equipment to the public to use. Brooms, mops, disinfectant sprays and things to wipe surfaces with. 2. Now that it is up to the users to clean, it will be easier to provide access to the bathrooms.

[@odieb7157]

While watching this I realized that everyone kept saying that the bathrooms that were available were disgusting and should be kept clean. But not one of them ever addressed the issue of why they aren't clean and why many establishments have stopped offering this service that was once free. So I'm gonna say it, ITS PEOPLE THAT ARE DISGUSTING PIGS. It's these pigs that have forced stores to reduce and even deny bathrooms to their customers. And it's not just the homeless who make a mess of these bathrooms, most of the time it's regular people. I remember working retail once that offered free access to bathrooms and one of my friends had the job of cleaning out the toilets. He told me that once he entered one of the stalls only to find that someone had purposely taken their shit and smeared it all over the toilet, the walls, the floor and the door. This was not a lowly establishment in any way and the people that shopped there were upper middle class. So no possibility of homeless people ever getting close to the joint, but there it was, a Dexter level horror room of shit. Bathrooms are not dirty because they don't get cleaned, they are disgusting because people make them that way and don't respect public and private property. I bet if America ever made the job of cleaning bathrooms part of a program to give an opportunity to undocumented people a chance to get their documents, those bathrooms would stay shiny all day long.

[@HBCUFantasySports]

Definitely a human rights issue. If I don’t have access to a restroom at a business I won’t shop there

[@colibri1]

I used to work in a public/city-government building in the US. As such, it had public bathrooms, but we were specifically instructed not to allow homeless people in to use them. In other words, those most in need of bathrooms were denied their use, even though this was a public facility paid for by the public and supposedly for everybody, and in a city with a reputation as "liberal' to boot (unfortunately, the wealthy people who dominate the city despise anyone poor, particularly people without any place to live). I defied this because it was so cruel, but that is a common problem in this country that's had mass homelessness since Reagan restructured US society for the worse in the 1980s.

[@hunnybadger442]

​@@aaronelijahcolyer I am just sooo... infuriated by this country's treatment of it's unhoused citizens...

[@stephiiiless]

Keeping it clean and drug use my work only has an employee bathroom now as we used to let people use the bathroom at our store but after too many trashed it, left their drug paraphernalia in there aka uncapped needles (NO THANKS) and then people over dosing in the bathroom. We just aren't equip to deal with that and it's a safety issue for us workers. So we just don't allow it anymore. Sucks but people ruin things for everyone else simply because they don't know how to clean up after themselves.

[@Krystal_Kitty7]

I worked at 7-11 always let anyone use the restroom didn't have to force you to buy anything, then when I worked at Old Navy same thing didn't care if you were here to shop or just passing by! If you need to pee or poop that's none of my business just do what you do but don't leave a mess !

[@pezpengy9308]

because people abused it. public bathrooms were plentiful when i was a child (40 or so years ago) but now in the same places that once had bathrooms they are now closed to the public. sad but... responsibility.

[@sentinel151]

Because no wants to provide access to or be responsible for a public toilet. Americans are terrible citizens, use and abuse the few available toilets. We aren’t house trained enough to have plentiful public toilets that would stay clean and not destroyed.

[@ShangDi_became_Jesus]

I didn’t know we have a lack of bathrooms issue here in the states. It’s not very hard to find bathrooms when you’re out and about though. I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem trying to find a bathroom. I lived here in the states my entire life too.

[@animestudent3885]

Cause you live in a better city I guess

[@sandymakesplans]

it depends on where you are

[@TheHardys01]

Amazing how you were able to live in all 50 states, all at once.. Please share your secrets...

[@hansalas]

Europe is no better.. i had to hold my pee and the public bathrooms were quite nasty. Coming from South East Asia (Singapore), where public toilets are everywhere, this was a nasty shock to me.

[@chickenheart7615]

Because some countries in Asia keep common senses with their education system. Look at US school's restroom, destroyed toilet bowls are common.

[@dolphinblue3138]

This "Restrooms Are For Customers Only" thing needs to be a thing in the past because alot of us have serious IBS issues and we don't want to purchase an item to access the bathroom when it's a serious emergency......Come On!!!!!!!! They need to let this thing go, we don't want to make an accident on their floor don't we or in our pants.

[@SolinoOruki]

It's like there's not a single issue that Reagan presidency didn't make worse. It's kinda impressive how he managed to fuq up every single aspect of the American society and still remain popular through his presidency.

[@alexcarter8807]

You pretty much have to buy something. But, sometimes you can start to buy something and they'll just say "You don't have to" and they'll let you use it. But your experience may vary if you're nonwhite, homeless-looking, disabled, etc. I don't even want to think about what a nightmare it might be if you're disabled.

[@simplethings3730]

TLDR: education. Apparently the United States is lagging every other civilized country in the world in any capacity for public services. People lose their mind if tax money is spent to feed the poor but they want public services that THEY use to be tax free. Americans need to learn in school where their tax money goes and why those taxes are necessary. Then maybe those people saying that taxes are wasted would not be able to gain so large an audience. If anyone, government or private, tried to charge a fee to use a bathroom then some people would vandalize them out of spite for the fact that they had to pay something that they feel entitled to even though they would vote against a tax referendum for that purpose. Self reliance does not mean you get to piss on other peoples needs or the floor of their public restrooms.

[@ReadLoveListen]

Japan had some amazing public bathrooms and especially better ones with baby changing stations.

[@hubertcumberdale2651]

Japan also has no diversity which apparently should be a "weakness". Imagine the irony.

[@psulionz87]

The US? this vid is more about NYC And yes, most public (and even private) bathrooms are poor in major metros However, it's a massive issue across the globe

[@hubertcumberdale2651]

Exactly, I hate people who conflate a specific example like New York or LA and think its a microcosm for all of the USA.

[@AveMaria82100]

Here in Southern Indiana, it's easy to find a restroom to use. I'm not sure if a McDonald's restroom is considered a public restroom or not but I've never been to one where they make you buy something before you can use their restroom. I've never been to any place that makes you buy something before you can use their restroom.

[@darthsilversith667]

Because entitled jerks (homeless or otherwise) have to ruin it for the rest of us. They also use public bathrooms to get high and businesses should have a say about who uses them.

[@KasirRham]

Not just too few public bathrooms, there's too little public.... everything. On top of that the few that do exist may be misused, painted with shit... etc. It's kind of strange how poorly maintained the bathrooms are in the good Ole USA.

[@seanrosetta3079]

In South Korea, buildings above a certain size must have public bathrooms. Additionally, they must maintain signage guiding people from the sidewalk to the bathroom. As an American, I loved it.

[@DorianParpari]

if in NYC, go to McDonalds or hotels. I will never use a public restroom past Penn Station. I saw something straight out of a horror scene in a random bathroom along a subway route I took. Someone took poo and pasted/painted it thickly covering all walls of a bathroom stall. And a homeless person was tapping their feet in the stall next to it.

[@TheRolexseller]

Lol is this a joke cause this is only a NYC problem. The rest of the country isn’t like this at all. In fact it’s one of the huge differences I’ve found between here and Europe. Now THAT is an impossible task-try finding a free public bathroom in Paris that isn’t a urinal for men only, or basically a port a potty on the street.

[@argha59]

This is such a great story. Thankfully, the few bathrooms we have in Iowa City are quite clean. I can't say the same for Chicago where I go every now and then.

[@xobby4549]

Where i live there are (almost always FOC and clean) public toilets at malls, subway stations, bus interchange stations, petrol stations, food centres, stand-alone restaurants and fast food restaurants, wet markets, community centres and public parks and beaches. I live in Singapore.

[@ETS186]

That's public policy. The founding father wanted to impress international tourists because he believed that guests to his country will judge the nation based on its public toilets. Basically if the literal shit isn't cleaned, how are you gonna clean the figurative shit?

[@mihaelbitola3812]

And the Americans are laughing that the countrys in EU are charging 1$ to use the public toilets. Those money are for the workers who are cleaning the bathroom. And they are always clean.

[@NZKiwi87]

I live in a small country in the South Pacific, in a small town. We have free, clean, safe and well lit bathrooms available in the centre of town 24 hours a day. Thank goodness, apparently.

[@Electrowave]

We used to have plenty of free public toilets here in SW Wales but they are gradually being closed or replaced with toilets that need to be paid for. Thankfully the shops and restaurants are pretty good for allowing the use of their toilets so not many people peeing up trees yet.

[@visionofwellboyofficial]

We need to talk about this problem in Mongolia, because people around here say toilet is a “bad word”. Oyungerel Tsedevdamba, a human rights activist based in Mongolia, launched the “Change The Toilets” campaign. She is a very amazing woman. Without her, we would have been struggling with outhouses. I know there used to be very few public bathrooms (even if it was available, they required you to pay) and private businesses didn’t have the incentive to open it for the people in need. But when Korean convenience store GS25 entered the capital city of UB, things began to change. You’ll find public restrooms that are free, clean and well maintained in almost every place

[@Watch-0w1]

The reason why restaurants don't let anyone use the bathroom is because they have to use the bathroom as well. A random person can just go in and destroy the bathroom. Making the staff are able to use the back or clean up after someone else

[@jaredw6111]

"Why is it SO HARD to find a public bathroom in the NY?" Other than the biggest cities (and even they won't be as bad as NY) I don't think the rest of the country has this problem.

[@M00PSY]

As someone who’s from a much smaller state (Oahu, Hawaii🏝 🌺 🤙🏾 ), which has even smaller cities 🌃 & towns 🏘 than the US mainland, I can tell you that this truly is a problem everywhere! Even in the major touristy areas like Waikiki 🏖 🏙 (places like McDonald’s 🍟 & even Starbucks ☕️ don’t have ANY restrooms! 🚫 Not even for customers! 🙅‍♀️) public bathrooms 🚽 can be hard to come by! 😧 It’s an even bigger issue in the downtown 🌇 Honolulu/Chinatown 🥡🧧 area! Most business 🏬 can be real stingy about who they let use their restroom 🚻 facilities (if they even have one 🤷‍♀️ ) & ones located in hotels 🏨 can be a bit hard too find! 🤔 ⚠️ Just a heads up! ⚠️ If you’re planning on taking a vacation 🧳 to 🛬 Oahu sometime soon & plan on going to one of our beautiful beaches 👙🩳 &/or parks 🛝, the Honolulu Department of Parks & Recreation is asking EVERYONE to bring their own toilet paper 🧻 due to supply chain issues! 😳 BTW the bathrooms 🚽 at our beaches 🌊 🤿 🏄 & parks 🛝 aren’t exactly the cleanest 🧹or most sanitary! 💩 And a lot of the time they don’t have soap 🧼 or paper towels!

[@yolanadee]

I don't use public toilet! But if I really really need to use one in my city in Indonesia, then I'll just stop by at hotels, big malls, banks or government/office buildings. They are always clean. And in any other Asian countries I've visited (Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia), public toilets are pretty easy to find, and mostly are clean and decent. 👍

[@CC-si3cr]

AJ did not need to dedicate a 13 minute video on lack of available restrooms. DRUGS! That's it. Addicts are doing drugs in public restrooms. No matter where I go restroom use is only for paying customers. They won't even allow bus drivers @ the end of their route to use the facilities! 😲

[@eddihaskell]

I'm American, but the most disgusting public bathroom I have ever seen was in London at some place called the Willesden Junction train section. It was exposed to the outside via chain link fence. I had to take the overhead rail from where I lived to Ikea in North London once and made the mistake of eating Swedish Meatballs there. This is before I read that Ikea was busted in the UK for serving horsemeat to people. I got so sick, and had to get off at that station. I ran. The only toilet paper available was a three year old newspaper on the ground. It was absolutely disgusting, but I have no choice.

[@machinismus]

omg I love that kid "what are you up to?". so stinkin cute. he made a good point indeed.

[@LuisPJ]

I think this underline a more issue about maintenance because it that expensive. there need to be public perception in the same way when people like about public airways and that it expensive because it serves for the public

[@Lottoboi100]

I don't know this was such a problem thanks for the information

[@BrianBBBB]

Because people don't want to clean the shit homeless people and drug users leave behind

[@shauncameron8390]

Pretty much.

[@MrMac5150]

People are disgusting and people are to lazy to clean up the shit.

[@AlexHesoyam69]

In Galicia (Spain) we have not that many public bathrooms. If you need to go, you just simply go to a business and ask if you can use the bathroom. Most of times you just can go, and if not, just walk 5 meters and ask in the next local. xD

[@shao2307]

In Singapore, there are public toilets you can pay for. It's 20 cents for entry. And 30 cents for toilet paper. So it's a good balance between gvt and self funding.

[@dabeastthebeast2593]

I went to Germany few years back and I remember walking in this plaza where it had a restroom like a store in it. But in order to go there you would need to pay money. Why can't we have such a thing in this country and innovate for better security and use that funds for taxes and stuff.

[@dennisdawson9896]

We don’t have them here in WV. There are city parks that have bathrooms but are usually closed if there are no events happening at that time. I understand why there are not public toilets. People are nasty! I work for a car company that pays their employees very well for WV and these people smear stuff on the walls. They break the dividers or doors. I could get expensive just repairing all the damage.

[@MC-zr6gc]

I'm from the US and tend to hear the "customers only" stuff in Europe.... when you can actually find a toilet

[@wbuttry1]

If people were not so destrutive or nasty there might be more open up.

[@moonlight4665]

I'm just going to comment that there's one institution that's frequently over-looked in discussions like these; that (claims to) be available for the poor and unhoused - the Church.

[@wakakabravo7998]

in my country malaysia, public bathroom can be found almost everywhere and it mostly free. some even look like hotel bathroom. Since it is free, it wasn't always clean but then i prefer to take a dump in dirty toilet rather then in open grass.

[@michaellasfetto5810]

I live in outer East Portland (the "decayed" suburbanized part of town that was not annexed to the city until the early 90s--not what people think of when they think of Portland). We have a park a couple blocks from my house (because I happen to live across the street from an elementary school), and we have a Portland Loo in the park. When I walk by it at night, it can seem a little weird that the park is closed when I hear someone in there, but since I've made a concerted effort to walk and take public transit more, I can definitely appreciate that it's there, because there have been a couple of times when I've walked through the park and needed to go to the bathroom and wasn't sure if I'd make it the extra couple of blocks before I got home. When I'm walking around my neighborhood or I know that I'm going to be riding my bike, I definitely make sure to do my business before I go about my business and plan stops and prepare to buy something at a coffee shop or something in case I need to use the restroom.

[@he_lives_in_apineapple_und9743]

When the Portland Loos were added in the Pearl district, the Pearl District Neighborhood Association protested it. More of the public used it than homeless people. I appreciated it when I needed to use the bathroom on the way home and couldn't wait before I got home.

[@robertdennis3892]

The major problem is people who trash public restrooms, leaving them unacceptable for the next person. Post, at random restrooms, police that can identify and video people as they enter and leave a restroom. If the restroom is trashed after a person leaves, arrest and prosecute that person severely. The entry and exit video can be used as evidence for the court. The word will get out that some restrooms are staked out, and that trashing them could have severe consequences.

[@alexdasliebe5391]

Remember at uni, my buddy Erin was a cook in a restaurant. She’d stop by my place to relax and unwind before going home. “SOMEONE EXPLODED!!!” and she related terrifying fecal details. Still remember 20 years later.

[@Metonymy1979]

I experienced the same thing

[@slaiyfershin]

I have toilet anxiety when I was in the States. It's not fun when you have to keep worrying about your bladder on your holiday.

[@Anne-tv6on]

Thank you for addressing AN important issue:)(:

[@brazaniankamrazian104]

got the noti while on the toilet 👏🏾

[@giovannichao4154]

Living in Japan. No issues with public bathrooms here especially since most if not all convenient stores have public bathrooms and jp is probably the convenient store capitol of the world

[@becks.w]

As someone with IBS and Crohns disease that needs to exist in the world, the lack of restrooms is a huge problem for me. Unpopular opinion: If you can't scrub shit off a toilet bowl, you probably shouldn't be a janitor.

[@Fife178]

Public restrooms being plentiful and open to use without paying are some of the things I appreciate most from the US. I've lived and traveled to many countries across Europe and public restrooms are hardly ever "free" like in the US, they might be somewhat clean, but if you find yourself in a situation where you don't have money on you, you're out of luck. Some people might think I'm overexaggerating, but as someone who struggles with ibd/tenesmus and had most of their colon removed due to bowel cancer, easy access to public restrooms are extremely important.

[@dumdaughter7366]

I have never had a issue finding a bathroom. I live in the US, and if you just walk into a restaurant they mostly won’t deny you.

[@amerhuzairy100]

Seriously, America needs restrooms with bidet.

[@AGodofTime]

At the target near my house the bathroom is so clean right now

[@vimalkumarvachhani6211]

I am in Chicago since 5 yrs. working in construction industry but not found any public bathroom, even working in field all over Chicago. In very busy schedule need to search for it wasting lot of time in restaurants and else. Some owners look at us like we are crminal or baggers. This is looks like marketing strategy to sell products for using bathroom. Some time we have to urinate in car in bottle. Worst thing I seen in Chicago.

[@ryanduty4237]

I happen to live in Reno NV and there is a lot of casino's around that provide public bathrooms. Cities in California on the other hand are horrendous.

[@chinmaysardesai623]

Hard hitting journalism!

[@joyaustin6581]

I live in the US (Texas) and it’s rare that I can’t find a bathroom. I might have to walk a little more to get to one but nothing too bad.

[@dsanders401]

Ive never had an issue finding a public bathroom in my life but i live in the midwest. Even in parks or festivals there's port o potties

[@roseywinter]

Public bathrooms are so incredibly easy to find in my area, I had no idea it was an issue. Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Ross, Homegoods, Century/Cinemark movie theatres (just let them know you're going to the bathroom only), pretty much every fast food restaurant I've been to, Starbucks (sometimes have to ask for a code, but I've never had an issue), Safeway, Raleys/Belair, Nugget Market, 99 Cent Store, the local co-op, and any gym you have a membership to... some examples of places. I know this varies depending on state, county, city, community, etc. But just a small list of places I've never had issues with using their restrooms. It really makes me sad that there are places that won't allow people to use their restrooms. For context, I'm in Sacramento, California.

[@runrafarunthebestintheworld]

The City of San Diego is now proposing to pay for using Public Bathrooms. What a joke. They want to repeal a Sacramento law that prevents the state to pay people to use the bathroom. It's sad.

[@kaffir76]

Welcome back! I love u ❤️❤️

[@zaydhassan6345]

Truth be told it’s honestly the people who are civilized enough to keep stuff clean and doesn’t even go for toilets.

[@truebloodish]

I have yet to find a public bathroom in Chicago

[@user-wg6er5ob5w]

@AJ+Those "Celmac 'Crescent'";"'Open-Front'/'Gap-Front'" Game Commode Toilet Seats @9:30-4/9:34 Are Nice &/And Sanitary.