Despite the fact that toilet facilities are an essential part of many businesses, many venues across all sorts of industries have confusing toilet signs. If your toilet signage is unclear or inaccessible – or worse, if it fails to comply with basic restroom sign requirements – it can create frustrations among customers.
You can avoid issues such as long lines, visitors entering the wrong facility, or patrons being put off using them altogether, by reviewing popular mistakes and taking measures to avoid them.
Here, we’ve rounded up common problems, and tips on how to create a seamless experience for all customers.
Confusing Toilet Signs Mistakes
Bad Placement
Topping the list of confusing bathroom signs issues is poor placement. Many establishments will have toilet signs that are hard to spot – whether that’s because of obstructions or inappropriate height – which leaves visitors wandering around.
Ideally, your toilet door signs should be eye level and readable from a sensible distance.
Unclear Toilet Door Symbols
Another common problem with toilet signage is using ambiguous symbols. An overly-stylised design for a toilet door sign might look impressive and match your overall interior, but it can also confuse people.
This could have unpleasant consequences for anyone misreading the symbols, but non-binary or gender-fluid customers could be particularly put off.
Lack of Consistency
Once you’ve settled on a style, stick with it. If there’s too much variety in your toilet signage across the venue, visitors might lose track of where they’re supposed to go or which facilities they’re allowed to access. This could be especially tricky if you have multiple toilets at different locations.
Inaccessible Facilities
Aside from ensuring a generally seamless visitor experience, venues need to comply with restroom sign requirements for accessibility. These guidelines cover things like having colour-contrasting signs for the visually impaired, as well as using Braille/raised lettering.
How to Avoid Confusing Bathroom Signs?
Ensure Correct Positioning
Place toilet signage in well-lit spots free from obstructions; having these close to entrances and/or door handles is ideal. You also want to aim for a readable height – within the eyesight of an average height person is a good rule of thumb.
Use Standard Symbols
For optimal customer experience, stick to standardised symbols and text when it comes to toilet door signs. You can ensure your venue is inclusive by clearly signposted gender-neutral options, too.
Keep Things Consistent
If you make any alterations to standardised bathroom signage, avoid any confusion by ensuring the iconography, font, and overall style are consistent throughout the venue.
This is particularly helpful if you have multiple facilities across the building or you operate out of several locations.
Follow Accessibility Guidelines
Stay compliant with restroom sign requirements by incorporating tactile features (Braille) and high-contrast colours into your bathroom signage, and installing it at a height that makes it accessible for all customers.
Your toilet signs should be easy to read from reasonably far away and contain both text and symbols for optimal clarity.
Meet Restroom Sign Requirements
When done right, toilet signage improves customer experience, helps avoid confusion, and enhances accessibility. You can circumvent having confusing toilet signs by following best practices about placement, design, and consistency, and making bathroom signs inclusive.
Get started with some essential toilet door signs from our range or contact us with any further questions.
