If you work in an office building, chances are you have to share a bathroom with a lot of strangers and acquaintances. Workplace bathroom etiquette is much more stringent than the rules at home. Here are a few tips for ensuring everyone in the office gets along when it comes to using the bathroom.
Don't take forever. Some workplaces have bathrooms with stalls, while others have a single room with toilet and sink. In this case, be courteous and don't spend a lot of time in the bathroom.
Always knock first. Sometimes the latches on stall doors don't close like they should, or someone could have forgotten to lock the door-it happens.
Be sure you flush completely. Sometimes the suction in your workplace bathroom isn't ideal-and you need to make sure everything goes down.
Avoid long conversation. Gossiping in a public bathroom is never a good idea-you never know who could be in the next stall. It's also bad form to talk about work in the bathroom. Keep off the cell phone as well-everyone in the bathroom will hear your conversation if you don't.
Be hygienic. Don't leave puddles of water on the sink or tissues on the floor, and be absolutely sure the toilet seat is moisture-free before leaving the stall.
Don't spray air freshener. Some people have a habit of spraying perfume or air freshener throughout the bathroom when they're done. Some people are allergic to artificial fragrance, and office restrooms often have poor ventilation.