What does your bathroom say about your business?
It may not be the first place you think of when considering customer experience, but a clean, well-maintained bathroom can communicate something powerful: attention to detail, professionalism and care for the people who walk through your doors.
Whether you manage an office, shopping centre or healthcare facility, the bathroom is part of the experience you provide, not separate from it.
Cleanliness builds confidence and gives people a reason to return
Customers notice the details, and bathroom conditions can influence how they judge a facility, whether they recommend it and whether they choose to come back.
Research presented by Kimberly-Clark Professional® highlights that connection: 85.9% of respondents said they were likely to recommend a facility with clean bathrooms, while 71.8% said they would avoid returning to a facility with poor hygiene. ¹
The experience matters in its own right, too: 89.8% believed a well-maintained bathroom enhances their overall experience of a facility. ¹
These findings point to a useful shift in perspective: rather than viewing bathroom upkeep only as a maintenance expense, consider it part of the investment in customer trust and loyalty.
A better bathroom experience starts behind the scenes
A bathroom that feels effortless to use depends on thoughtful day-to-day management from keeping supplies available to making cleaning and restocking straightforward for staff.
That matters to employees as well as visitors: 95.9% of respondents believed a clean workplace bathroom conveys a facility’s commitment to wellbeing, while 92.2% said access to a clean, well-equipped bathroom contributes to better productivity and satisfaction. ²
These are reported perceptions, not measured productivity gains, but they show how closely people connect the bathroom environment with feeling supported at work.
Practical improvements can be surprisingly simple:
- Make supplies easier to monitor. Dispensers with clear viewing windows help staff see when refills are needed and reduce unnecessary checks.
- Match capacity to demand. High-capacity dispensers can help maintain supply while reducing restocking demands.
- Make routines consistent. Clear waste-removal and replenishment protocols, supported by ongoing training, help teams maintain standards and prevent service gaps.
- Make expectations visible. Signage can encourage responsible use, while standardised practices help maintain consistency across locations.
Together, these choices connect a better experience for bathroom users with a more manageable workload for the people maintaining it.
Look beyond the purchase price
Paper towels and dispensers may seem like small purchasing decisions, but their quality can affect waste, mess, maintenance and replacement needs.
A more useful question than “What does it cost to buy?” is “How will it perform every day?”
The research reinforces the importance of dependable performance: 83.0% of respondents agreed that reliable washroom products streamline maintenance and improve upkeep efficiency, and 84.2% agreed that well-designed dispensers that are easy to restock and maintain help ensure continuous operation. ³
Kimberly-Clark Professional’s approach brings together durable, low-maintenance dispensers, touchless sensor-based options and strong, quick-drying paper towels, with the aim of making bathroom care easier while reducing waste and replacement demands.
The broader lesson is to consider the whole system products, dispensers and maintenance routines rather than treating each purchase as an isolated cost.
Your brand is in the details
Brand experience does not stop at reception: a clean, modern, thoughtfully maintained bathroom can reinforce the same standards of care and professionalism you want customers to associate with the rest of your business.
Product quality contributes to that impression: 86.1% of respondents agreed that the availability of high-quality, reliable bathroom products reflects a high standard for the facility they are visiting. ⁴
Recognisable brands also play a role, with 73% agreeing that their presence in the washroom positively affects a facility’s image and reputation. ⁴
The opportunity is not simply to make a bathroom look better; it is to bring cleanliness, dependable supplies, thoughtful design and efficient upkeep together into an experience that feels consistently cared for.
A bathroom visit may be brief, but the impression it leaves can last, making this easily overlooked space a meaningful part of how customers remember your business.
How COS can help
Maintaining a consistently clean and well-equipped bathroom is easier with the right products and support in place. Through COS, businesses can access a comprehensive range of Kimberly-Clark Professional® washroom, hygiene and workplace solutions, including trusted brands such as Kleenex®, Scott®, Aquarius®, ICON™, and WypAll®.
From toilet tissue, hand towels and hand cleansers to dispensers and waste management solutions, these products are designed to help create facilities that are hygienic, comfortable and easy to maintain. By combining trusted products with reliable supply and workplace expertise, COS helps organisations deliver a better bathroom experience for both customers and employees.
For the full report, click here. Access is available by entering your email address when prompted.
Source: Kimberly-Clark Professional®, Insight to Action: Value for Price Australia, March 2025, p. 11¹, p. 19 ², p. 17³, p. 29⁴.
Australian survey of 160 respondents. Findings represent respondents’ stated views and do not guarantee business outcomes.
