The recently released 2026 Clean Hands Index suggests there is an opportunity for facility managers and cleaners to broaden the understanding of handwashing performance. While cleaning and facility professionals reported routinely tracking operational measures such as soap usage, paper towel usage, cleaning frequency, maintenance calls, and user complaints, those criteria only help track and measure restroom operations.

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But even though those steps are being taken, is the public successfully handwashing hygienically?

“For decades, restroom performance has been evaluated through operational measures such as cleanliness, supplies, and maintenance,” said Tim Cromley, founder of Clean Hands Certified and publisher of the Clean Hands Index. “The next evolution may be understanding not only whether restrooms are clean, but whether they consistently enable people to complete a hygienic handwash.”

Surveying over 200 industry professionals, 2,550 public participants, and using data from 11developed countries, the Index provides useful findings on handwashing practices:

• 75 per cent say that they are more likely to return to a business with
• 68 per cent of the public want a touch-free restroom experience
• 60 per cent of people wash their hands for a longer period when warm water is available
• 75 per cent of people avoid touching restroom doors when they exit
• Almost 92 per cent cite soap availability as the most important factor in handwashing compliance

The Index highlights that handwashing is a system, and that system includes soap, water, temperature, drying, exit design, maintenance, refill routines, specifications, installation, user behavior, and public perception. When one link fails, the handwashing experience fails.

These findings resulted in the development of Clean Hands Certified, an independent performance standard, evaluating the complete public handwashing experience, rather than looking at restroom fixtures individually. The program is designed to complement traditional cleaning and facility metrics, introducing performance measures focused on how successfully facilities consistently enable hygienic handwashing.

“The cleaning profession has continually advanced how facilities are maintained,” said Cromley. “This research suggests the next opportunity is helping organizations demonstrate not only that restrooms are clean, but that they consistently support one of public health’s most important everyday behaviours.”