Public toilets charge 20 cents despite being filthy and smelly, users say ‘it’s not right’

SINGAPORE: Recently, members of the public complained that the toilets in Pearl’s Centre in Chinatown are unbearably dirty and smelly, with sinks covered in moss and toilet paper scattered all over the floor and clogging the toilets, yet they charge a 20-cent fee for usage. With this concern, the public is now worried about hygiene. 

According to Shin Min Daily News, a concerned citizen said that he would pay 20 cents to use the toilet on the first floor of the tower, but unfortunately, the sink, stalls, and the floor were filthy. For him to use the toilet, he needed to cover his mouth and nose, and just decided to finish as soon as possible. 

“There are very few toilets that require payment these days. If you pay money and it’s still so dirty, I don’t think that’s right,” the citizen admitted. 

When reporters visited the area, they discovered that there were people stationed outside the toilets who charged people. Upon further observations, it was realised that there were seven washbasins in the men’s restroom with moss visible on the countertops and walls. Moreover, several urinals were clogged with toilet paper, and toilet papers were also on the floors inside the stalls. To top it all, there was a strong smell of urine in the air. 

Another member of the public, an employee who works in a nearby massage parlour, admitted that the women’s restrooms are in similar situations, and she even had an encounter where the floor was flooded, and she had to pull up her trousers. 

She remarked, “As far as I know, many shops have complained about the dirty and messy environment of their toilets many times.” 

One more member of the public stated that the toilets are usually clean early in the morning, but after the stores open, it is inevitable for the place to get dirty. 

To address this issue, the management of Pearl Tower has released a detailed cleaning schedule, emphasising that they have strengthened toilet maintenance measures. According to the schedule, the first-floor toilets are cleaned every hour from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, and twice an hour during peak hours.  There will also be a deep cleaning carried out every day from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. 

There are also random checks from supervisors three times a day to adjust the frequency of the air purifier fragrance spraying, as well as add new signs to remind the public to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. 

In similar news about hygiene concerns, a famous seafood restaurant was found cutting crabs on a rag, which was used to wipe the dining table afterwards. With this, customers later questioned the restaurant’s food safety and hygiene practices. 

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