the ever important courtesy flush

There comes a point in everyone's life where the rules of restroom etiquette must be reviewed. Either because the person has gotten out of the habit of practicing them, or was never taught them. I consider myself more of the teacher trying to educate. Attempting to share my knowledge with others.

I have made some very important observations in the restroom here at my office. It is shared by several companies on the same floor, and those who sneak up from other floors to do their dirty business. The past few weeks, I have personally felt attacked by women's lack of etiquette in the restroom. I'd like to go over a few rules:

1. Squatting is a privilege not a right.
If you are unable to relieve yourself by squatting and keep the seat clean, or you do not have the muscular control to relieve yourself without shaking - you must resort to sitting - using the available seat covers of course. This is not only for maintaining a strict code of hygeine for those who may use the stall after you, but also for the sanity of all who use the restroom.

2. Modern day plumbing. The toilet is a disposal unit. However, to properly dispose of waste in a toilet, you must flush it. Meet modern day plumbing. The first toilets were noted as early as 2500 BC, so let's not pretend that we don't understand how they work. Friends make Friends flush.

3. The courtesy flush. I have found that many women do not understand this concept, and I would say this is the most important one to practice. The consequences of not doing this linger, possibly longer than an hour. A basic system that I like to share with others is a typical flush - drop - flush rule. You can repeat this pattern as often as needed. You'll find that you'll feel free to take care of any business that you may have with this system, but that those around you will appreciate you as well. Let them not know by the odor, but by the number of flushes.

4. Hand washing. For this particular part I would like to insert a direct quote from wikipedia.org regarding the act of hand washing:
"To maintain good hygiene, hands should always be washed after using the toilet, changing a diaper or tending to someone who is sick; before eating; before handling or cooking food and after handling raw meat, fish or poultry. Conventionally, the use of soap and running water and the washing of all surfaces thoroughly, including under fingernails is seen as necessary. One should rub wet, soapy hands together outside the stream of running water for at least 5 seconds, before rinsing thoroughly and then drying with a clean or disposable towel. After drying a dry paper towel should be used to turn off water and open exit door. Moisturizing lotion is often recommended to keep the hands from drying out, should ones hands require washing more than a few times per day."

I've decided that I'm going to post these rules inside each stall in our bathroom and see what the response is like.