What makes a good Toilet Signage?

What is toilet signage?

In Singapore, the Government makes sure to well maintain and grow the nation’s development, which includes taking care of everyone’s welfare and convenience. The signage in Singapore is the face of any business, and not forgetting the public toilets as well as we all need the differentiation of ‘Male’ and ‘Female’ signs for us as a direction. The toilet signs are probably one of the signages which we mostly look out for when we go to a new place like in a mall or office, as the washroom is essential for everyone’s use.

In recent years, modern shopping malls, in particular, have started using toilet signs that are made from many materials like Acrylic Signage, Neon Sign, LED Signage, and Metal signage. Further creative designs and marketing ways include making these toilet signage more humorous or fanciful– such as having interesting characters or icons to represent the male and female and to distinguish the male toilet sign in blue color and the female toilet sign in pink color as these colors are a form of stigma to represent and associate to the different sexes.

When a guest visits your home, you would willingly clean your toilet in preparation for his or her visit as it will leave an impression of your personal hygiene. As a host, it is also human nature to want your guests to feel welcome and comfortable.

Restroom signs play an enormous role in a customer’s experience in your building.

Here are some reasons why restroom signs are essential for your retail business:

1. You put customers first

Toilet signs is a way to show that you put your customers first, especially explicit wayfinding signs that help customers find toilets easily on large properties. Some businesses may want to discourage frequent toilet usage because of the hassle and cost of sanitors keeping the toilets clean. However, if your building or business provides such comfort and convenience for customers, it could also mean they will most likely come back a second time, or frequently more. Some factors to consider besides just the toilet signage in Singapore are cleanliness, safety, lighting, and cubicle designs of the public washrooms. The overall impression to customers is that if you’re willing to go the extra mile for them, they do see and feel it.

2. You follow the standard rules & regulations

There are standard rules that have to be abided by, and which includes Singapore with Disabilities Act that mandates you have clear washroom signs and toilet facilities for the less privileged for their convenience. Directional signs leading to these toilets must also meet the requirements specified in the Building & Construction Authority’s (BCA) Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment.

3. You care about those with disabilities

Besides its mandatory purpose, it will also show you care about customers and visitors who have disabilities, such as people who are visually handicapped, wheelchair bound etc. and who may need these clear signs to find their way around your property.

This serves as a way of you contributing to the community.

Sticker displays in the toilets

Having stickers and posters in the public toilets is a form of message placement. To maximize the effectiveness of the message, the right manner of displaying them should be carefully planned. The main purpose of educating the public through toilet displays is usually to gain awareness and address specific behavioural concerns such as littering, proper flushing and the flinging of water everywhere.

Sticker displays in toilets should be:
(a) made of vinyl material rather than paper,
(b) made with adhesive so it will not be easily peeled off without leaving unsightly marks, and
(c) be laminated so it will not get damped and torn off.

Quality Toilet Signage

Quality signage in Singapore is one that features a clear message by its well-maintained sign. A sign of poor quality that has many scratches or damages usually cannot fully show the message that is on it. The colors and boldness of the letters of the signage will also reflect feelings and will affect how visible and noticeable it is from a distance.

Improve your first impression

Generally, you would not show up to a prior date with messy hair, stinky breath, or a stained shirt, so why would you be trying to form a primary impression on an opportunity with a sign that is badly done? This goes the same for signage– the more well maintained the signage Singapore is, the better the impression of it will be.

Different Signage for different individuals

Regardless if it is a mall, restaurant or airport, properly distinguishing the signage Singapore for the babies, disabled, females and males is very important as every different individual will be directed to go to their washroom as suggested.

The most creative washroom signs ever

Besides the standardized Men and Ladies to represent the washrooms, there are also many other terms such as bathroom, lavatory, water closet (WC), or privy. Most of the bathrooms are marked with the straightforward triangles that we all know of and can recognize almost instantly. Decorative creative bathroom signs are getting more and more popular. For instance, take a glance at this list of funny bathroom signs that we have compiled. Surely they might have used standardized “Men” and “Women” restroom signage in Singapore, but the masterminds behind these imaginative creations have decided that toilets deserve better than that.

Image credit: boredpanda.com