Inclusive hygiene in public washrooms

Barriers to inclusive hygiene in public washrooms challenge people every day, some barriers are visible, others are not. Discover how removing these barriers can make your washrooms more hygienic and inclusive.
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Hygiene barriers

Click on the hot spots to discover some simple, practical steps you can take to make hand hygiene in your washroom more inclusive. 
A public or workplace washroom with Tork soap and paper towel dispensers

An adult washing a child's hands.

Age-related barriers

Our personal capabilities change with age, affecting mobility, reach and strength. In fact, around 1 in 5 adults experience difficulties using soap or hand towel dispensers due to an injury, health condition, physical capability or as a parent with a child.*
Child reaching for a paper hand towel in a washroom

Auditory sensitivity

Some people are more sensitive to loud noises than others, especially the neurodivergent or autistic, as well as young children. 1 in 7 American adults cited loud noises as a source of difficulty personally or when assisting a child using public washrooms.*  

People washing and drying their hands in a modern washroom

Hygiene concerns

Many people avoid visiting public toilets and washing their hands due to poor hygiene levels. And more than 1 in 3 Americans cite lack of cleanliness as a barrier to using workplace or public washrooms.* 

Someone using a black soap dispenser

Skin sensitivities

Some soaps contain ingredients that can cause skin irritation. In the US 31.6 m people suffer from eczema** and may find that some hand soaps irritate their skin.

Exploring inclusive hygiene in public washrooms

We convene experts from civil society, government, academia and industry to discuss inclusive hygiene in public washrooms.
Read summary

Paper towel plea – watch the film

We placed the stories of people facing hand hygiene barriers into the hands of those with the power to make a change, at the very place these barriers occur. The washroom. 

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“We applaud Tork for leading the charge on this important initiative and continuing to push for attention and improvement of the accessibility of hand washing in public and workplace washrooms.”

Ron ClemmerSecretariat Director, Global Handwashing Partnership

Footnote

*Tork launched its global effort to advance inclusive hygiene in US March 2024 using printed paper towels as a medium through its “paper towel plea”. Examples of these hand-written notes from individuals who face barriers related to age, neurodiversity, skin sensitivities and hygiene-related concerns are shown above.