Are gas station restrooms a pleasant stop on the way?

Public toilets in places such as shopping centers, train stations, or airports are one of the most important elements of the network of public utility facilities. This also applies to bathrooms located at gas stations. Their standard is often a deciding factor in whether travelers will choose to stop at a particular station - not only to satisfy their physiological needs, but also to refuel or do some shopping, providing profit for the station. What issues should be taken care of to ensure that the toilet at a gas station is a pleasant stop on the journey?

Gas Station Toilets

Studies show that gas station toilets in Poland are becoming more and more user-friendly over the years. Owners of these facilities are increasingly concerned not only with keeping the bathrooms clean, but also with making sure that the restrooms at the gas station are designed in an ergonomic and aesthetic manner.

Maintaining a high level of hygiene in gas station toilets is one of the most important factors to consider when designing such a space. It must be regularly cleaned and maintained - preferably by a professional cleaning service. Keeping the bathroom clean on a daily basis becomes much easier if the equipment is made of high-quality materials and is ergonomically installed.

An excellent solution for toilets at gas stations are steel toilets. They allow for easy maintenance of necessary cleanliness; at the same time, they are very durable, which is crucial for public restrooms that are used by many people every day.

It is also important to ensure that the gas station toilet always has essential supplies such as toilet paper, soap, and paper towels. These should also be placed in convenient dispensers, preferably touchless ones.

Restroom for Drivers

A group of users for whom the equipment of toilets at gas stations is particularly important are professional drivers, who travel long distances every day. Often, the presence of a restroom is what determines whether a traveler will choose one gas station over another, even if their main purpose is to refuel or make purchases.

It is important that the driver's toilet is available 24 hours a day. It happens that some stations refuse access to bathrooms at night or only allow access to those who have made a purchase. However, this is not a good practice. The toilet is one of the elements that has the greatest impact on the impressions taken from a given station, often deciding whether it will be visited by the driver again.

Toilet at a gas station

According to regulations, the toilet at a gas station must meet the same requirements as other public toilets:

• the height of the room must be at least 2.5 meters,
• the walls must be covered with a material that is resistant to moisture and easy to clean,
• the cabins in the gas station toilet should have dimensions of at least 150x100 cm,
• the men's toilets must be equipped with urinals and at least one cubicle with a toilet bowl,
• Proper ventilation is necessary - extract fans or ducts and ventilation grilles can be used,
• Separate toilets should be designated for women and men,
• At least one cubicle should be adapted for the needs of people with disabilities.

Due to the fact that these types of spaces are most often located in bathrooms or their vicinity, it is also worth mentioning amenities for parents with children. Gas stations with a usable area larger than 100 m2 should have special, designated rooms for feeding and changing babies. They must be equipped with a sink and ventilation, but also accessories such as foldable wall-mounted changing tables. This allows people traveling with small children to take care of their needs comfortably on the road, which also translates into positive opinions about the gas station.

Shower at a gas station

In order for a gas station bathroom to become a friendly and attractive place for travelers, it is not worth limiting oneself to only the equipment required by law. There is no obligation to provide a shower at a gas station. However, places where they are located are rated much higher by drivers than places where there is no possibility to wash up, and as a result - visited more often. This is particularly noticeable in the case of professional truck drivers, who exchange information about facilities where it is possible to take care of hygiene during a stop. This means that a shower at a gas station can also contribute to increasing its profits.

Located at the gas station shower is a convenience not only for people whose work involves spending many days behind the wheel. Among travelers, there are also people with disabilities who should also be provided with the opportunity to take care of their hygiene. Therefore, the shower at the station should be designed in such a way as to allow safe and comfortable use for people with mobility issues. The most important aspect in this case is to provide equipment such as handrails and handles, as well as a wall-mounted folding seat.

Nice toilets at the gas station

When designing a bathroom at a gas station, functionality and hygiene should be the main considerations. However, aesthetics should not be neglected. A nice toilet at the station will leave a lasting impression on users; this means a higher likelihood of them returning to the same facility in the future, as well as recommending it to other travelers. 

Designing a bathroom to look neat and be in line with current trends is not difficult. It is worth following the principle of "less is more" - the decor should be as minimalist as possible, without unnecessary decorations. It is also good to choose accessories and equipment such as bathroom fittings that catch the eye with interesting designs. This can make using a public toilet a truly pleasant experience.

Convenient toilet at a gas station

Comfortable toilet at a station is a place that is not only ergonomically designed or finished with high-quality materials. To ensure comfort and a sense of safety for users, it is important to maintain cleanliness in the bathroom. This is not a difficult task - there are now numerous solutions available on the market that can make a public toilet at a gas station a truly hygienic place.

Noteworthy elements of equipment are self-cleaning toilet seats, waterless urinals (lack of water creates less favorable conditions for the growth of microorganisms), hand dryers, and touchless dispensers and holders.

Also important for the comfort of users is ensuring not only an adequate number of stalls and sinks. It is also necessary to provide a proportional amount of soap or disinfectant dispensers, dryers, or towel holders. This allows people who have used the toilet to not have to wait in line to wash and dry their hands. This in turn reduces the occurrence of situations where moisture is wiped directly onto the floor or hands are dried with toilet paper (which not only contributes to its excessive use, but also often results in littering the bathroom and clogging the toilet bowls).

Also read:

• How to choose the optimal changing table for a public restroom?
• Toilet for the disabled - design principles, regulations, guidelines
• Handles for the disabled
• Touchless and elbow-operated dispensers. Choosing a hand sanitizer dispenser