Anonymous wrote:When are public restrooms ever clean, outside of Japan, Switzerland or Germany? They are pretty much disgusting everywhere #tragedyofthecommons

That said, DC is soooooooooooo much cleaner than SF, LA, or NYC. (I've lived in all of them)

and why do you think these three countries manage to have such high quality public services?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh yeah, those dive bar bathrooms of Philly! You could eat your meals off the floor!

You are proving the point that the East coast is dirtier than the rest of the country. However, just because dive bars in Philly are nasty as well as Jersey rest stops and much of NY--doesn't mean DC has to be. It would be relatively easy to institute some 'clean' policies here, given that our city has wide boulevards, concentrated restaurants etc, and known hot spots of tourism (the mall) or homeless (our libraries, coffee shops and grocery store bathrooms as well as bus stops). We collect taxes for pubic works and pay for inspectors.
That thread on Union Station would be depressing if it weren't so funny. I think our Mayor and Councilmembers should be asked to each spend half an hour in a stall, including maneuvering suitcases and guiding a small child's bathroom visit, and then come out and eat a sandwich (see if they're appetized).

LOL. Have you been to SF?

Yes, I was there recently. Granted, I was just in the very main "touristy parts" and believe there are gross parts-- but comparatively (to our tourist parts) found them extremely clean. There was nothing skeevy about airport restrooms, downtown shop restrooms, restaurant bathrooms, the museum bathroom I visited, the wharf, the market. In fact, I was surprised because I had heard in advance about how filthy SF is, and everything I encountered was cleaner than DC. I had a very pleasant, sanitary tourist experience. Says a lot about DC either laziness or arrogance, not less our own willingness to wallow in filth. We use these nasty facilities too.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/union-station-washington?q=bathroom

Anonymous wrote:Oh yeah, those dive bar bathrooms of Philly! You could eat your meals off the floor!

I'm actually dead serious - the dive bar bathrooms in philly are on average cleaner than almost all DC bars and restaurants. Even very nice restaurants in DC can have nasty bathrooms. The only truly nice restaurant ones are in hotels (eg Blue Duck).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh yeah, those dive bar bathrooms of Philly! You could eat your meals off the floor!

You are proving the point that the East coast is dirtier than the rest of the country. However, just because dive bars in Philly are nasty as well as Jersey rest stops and much of NY--doesn't mean DC has to be. It would be relatively easy to institute some 'clean' policies here, given that our city has wide boulevards, concentrated restaurants etc, and known hot spots of tourism (the mall) or homeless (our libraries, coffee shops and grocery store bathrooms as well as bus stops). We collect taxes for pubic works and pay for inspectors.
That thread on Union Station would be depressing if it weren't so funny. I think our Mayor and Councilmembers should be asked to each spend half an hour in a stall, including maneuvering suitcases and guiding a small child's bathroom visit, and then come out and eat a sandwich (see if they're appetized).

LOL. Have you been to SF?

Anonymous wrote:Oh yeah, those dive bar bathrooms of Philly! You could eat your meals off the floor!

You are proving the point that the East coast is dirtier than the rest of the country. However, just because dive bars in Philly are nasty as well as Jersey rest stops and much of NY--doesn't mean DC has to be. It would be relatively easy to institute some 'clean' policies here, given that our city has wide boulevards, concentrated restaurants etc, and known hot spots of tourism (the mall) or homeless (our libraries, coffee shops and grocery store bathrooms as well as bus stops). We collect taxes for pubic works and pay for inspectors.
That thread on Union Station would be depressing if it weren't so funny. I think our Mayor and Councilmembers should be asked to each spend half an hour in a stall, including maneuvering suitcases and guiding a small child's bathroom visit, and then come out and eat a sandwich (see if they're appetized).

Oh yeah, those dive bar bathrooms of Philly! You could eat your meals off the floor!

I always wonder this too, especially about restaurants. Even relatively nice places in DC have bathrooms so disgusting that you wonder about the food safety. In contrast, in Philly even the dive bar bathrooms are clean and relatively well cared for.

Good question. I was disgusted by the bathrooms at the Museum of Natural History and may not take my child there again until he's old enough to go longer between bathroom stops. Bathrooms at the DC airports also seem nasty in comparison to some other airports I've passed through. Perhaps it's a volume issue??

DC has filthy bathrooms. DC has filthy metro cars. DC has filthy sidewalks. Our City Council has zero interest in these issues because there is no larger national social issue to wrap itself around.

As mentioned by another poster, DC has yet to figure out how to shovel its own sidewalks during the snow, so why it would have a team that removes chewing gum from sidewalks is laughable.

The only way to see progress on any of these issues would be to figure out how to tie this routine "how to run a city" problem with a larger national social issue that our City Council could clap itself on the back for leading the way.

because they are filled with disgusting bums and druggies.

Anonymous wrote:DC restrooms aren't clean because kind and concerned citizens like you, OP, don't clean them. It's obvious you're passionate about this issue and that's what we need throughout our fair city - more passionate sanitation and janitorial workers.

Are you presently employed OP?
Ever considered a career change?

We have had janitorial workers in my family PP and I agree they are wonderful people who can do great work when provided the proper safety gear and implements. However, it takes city wide systems--not one or two especially passionate janitorial worker--to tackle this, though your belief in the power of the individual to effect change without support from the city and businesses is sweet. Are you a DC progressive greenie PP who won't hold elected officials accountable, and would prefer to live in filth or "hold it" (forcing us to as well)?

YELP Union Station and search the word bathroom. There are over 36 comments slamming them, including ones that say things like ' I prefer to wait and use the train' and 'the bathrooms are so nasty I walk in holding my breath.'

Sad.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/union-station-washington?q=bathroom

Anonymous wrote:I used to be a courier and when I delivered items in DC, which was a lot, it was maddening that there are no public bathrooms available without a key or a purchase. Drove me nuts! When I was stuck in typical DC traffic I almost peed myself several times!

I was raised in the suburbs and live in the suburbs and this is a concept so foreign as to be mind boggling. Cross the Potomac River and you can go almost anywhere and pee in their public restroom for FREE and without asking for a key! And believe it or not, they are often clean too!

It is maddening. We expect the commerce and visitors that are driving our bubble as if tis an entitlement at this point, but don't want to do the things that make them feel welcome and comfortable.

Anonymous wrote:People who squat create splatter. Be the solution, not the problem, op. Sit when you pee.

Om a urine encrusted toilet with previous splatter? No thanks. That's why self wrapping plastic toilets or providing a cover makes sense. CA. bathrooms all had covers and they were all clean.

I used to be a courier and when I delivered items in DC, which was a lot, it was maddening that there are no public bathrooms available without a key or a purchase. Drove me nuts! When I was stuck in typical DC traffic I almost peed myself several times!

I was raised in the suburbs and live in the suburbs and this is a concept so foreign as to be mind boggling. Cross the Potomac River and you can go almost anywhere and pee in their public restroom for FREE and without asking for a key! And believe it or not, they are often clean too!

I am guessing if men had to interact more with public toilets (had to sit to pee, or take kids to the bathroom for the majority of visits) that public restrooms would be a lot less gross.

Also, ladies who hover (and splash) you are doing the rest of us no favors.