Let's Talk Bathrooms!

Hello HILC! I hope you are all having a great semester so far. I wanted to send this email to address some bathroom etiquette and hygiene issues that have been reported and observed in the community. As residents, it is imperative that you do your best to clean up after yourself and make the bathroom spaces as comfortable for others as possible. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure the restrooms continue to stay in a good working condition. Listed below are things you should be doing to keep up proper bathroom cleanliness:

(1) Keep our restrooms as clean as possible
The first and most important thing to remember is to try to always keep the bathroom clean. Dirty bathrooms are unhygienic, so cleanliness should always be a top priority. It takes effort to keep it clean and doing so is everyone’s job. As a courtesy to those you share the bathroom with, do your part and clean up after yourself after every bathroom trip.

(2) Use your suite's bathroom
Each suite in HILC has it's own suite bathroom. This bathroom is designed and stocked to accomodate up to seven residents. Using bathrooms in other suites can impact resource availability such as toilet paper and paper towels and toilet/shower wait times. For these reasons, please use the bathroom in the suite that you live in.

(3) Keep it dry
Wet bathroom floors and counters are much more likely to harbor germs and unpleasant odors. For this reason, see to it that all bathroom surfaces are always kept dry.

(4) Never forget to flush
Leaving waste and bodily fluids in the bowl without flushing is unsanitary and negatively impacts the Building Care Team and other residents. Make it a habit to always check if you flushed the toilet before you exit the bathroom.

(5) Be careful with what you flush down or throw away
Keep in mind that toilets are only meant for human waste. Any other kind of waste thrown in and flushed down can risk the pipes. Paper, plastics, used napkins, and other non-human waste should be deposited in a trash bin.

(6) Wash your hands
Make sure you always wash your hands properly after doing your business and dry them off thoroughly afterward. Remember that improper washing is just as bad — lather for at least 20 seconds with soap before rinsing.

(7) Please be patient
Please do not disturb anyone utilizing the facilities and be patient while waiting to use the toilet or shower (courtesy knocks are appropriate to determine if someone is in the space).

(8) Be mindful of the time
Whether you are taking a shower, doing your makeup, or using the toilet, keep in mind that six other people may need to use the bathroom. Pay attention to how much time you spend in the bathroom so everyone in the suite can do what they need to do.

(9) Personal belongings should not be left in the restroom
After using the facilities, make sure to take all personal belongings with you outside of the restroom. Building Care will not clean a restroom if personal belongings are left in the space unattended. This can include toiletries, clothing, towels, used needles, and other waste.

(10) Report any problems
You will inevitably run into bathroom problems at some point. When you do, and whether you caused them or not, report these problems to your RA (RA On-Call # 607-327-1735) or RHD Troy (tf265@cornell.edu).