Some of the city’s public toilets are covered with excrement and vomit or backed up with wads of toilet paper, which makes an emergency bathroom situation for anyone out and about less than desirable.
Metro did an unofficial tally of six high-traffic public toilets around town to find out which ones were suitable for sitting on and which should be avoided — even when you have to go.
If you plan on making a trip to South Boston to walk along the water at Castle Island, make sure you use the bathroom before you get there.
While the stench in the men’s room was awful but understandable, the smears of fecal matter on the outsides of one of the toilets were not.
There was no soap in the dispenser for patrons to wash their hands, either.
In the women’s room, Metro found vomit in one of the toilet stalls.
Four out of six of those stalls were unusable because they were either backed up with balls of toilet paper or covered in an undetermined wetness.
In Copley Square, Metro ventured into the Boston Public Library, where the men’s room featured a patron flossing in front of the mirror next to a used razor and clumps of shaved hair.
The bathroom smelled liked wet clothes, but one user didn’t seem to mind.
“Considering the people that are using it, I would say it is pretty clean,” said Jay, 54, as he left the bathroom.
The women’s room was cleaner, compared to the Southie spot, but a user said the scene “looked like someone had a toilet paper fight.”
A spokesperson from the BPL said the bathrooms are cleaned twice a day and spot-checked for general cleanliness by the custodial staff. She seemed surprised by the mention of used razors.
Coin-op on the go
Peter O’Sullivan, director of street furniture for the city, said there are eight coin-operated bathrooms around Boston. The self-cleaning devices are maintained daily by a cleaning crew and O’Sullivan hopes to get a few more either in the Haymarket or Boston Garden areas.
Follow Steve Annear on Twitter @steveannear
