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Church Launch Must-Haves | Restroom Facilities
July 6, 2015

Welcome to our series…Church Launch Must-Haves! We are breaking down our previous blog post “7 Things Your Church Location Must Have If You Want A Successful Launch” to bring you further insight into the possibilities of a portable church. Today, we are talking about restroom facilities.

Whenever you bring together a large number of adults and children, it’s important that you think through the location, quantity, and size of the restrooms in your facility. You want your first-time visitors to enjoy your facility, and providing comfortable and clean restrooms is a very critical part of that. Today, we offer you a few points to consider as you evaluate a potential venue’s restroom facilities, and then some ideas for how you can make the most of them!

Location

First, the restrooms in your facility should be easy to find. Even if they are located in a tough-to-find spot, your signage should be able to direct a first-time visitor without them having to ask a volunteer.

Second, where are the restrooms in relation to the Worship Center? Sure, it may be extremely convenient to have restrooms attached to the gymnasium where your service is being held. However, they might end up being noisy and disruptive…and no one wants to be the person who flushed the toilet in the middle of prayer! Ideally, the restrooms will be far enough away from the service that there won’t be any acoustic disruption, but close enough so that visitors don’t have to walk too far if they need to make a quick break during the service.

Quantity and Size

How many stalls are available near the potential adult and children’s areas? Believe it or not, there are actually international standards stating the minimum number of toilets per attendees for places of worship. The recommended ratios are 1:75 women and 1:150 men. If at all possible, it is important to have a separate, secure restroom available for children.

What are the sizes of the plumbing fixtures? Some preschools, elementary schools, and day cares only have small, child-sized fixtures. This might not be that big of an issue if the rest of the venue is exactly what you are looking for, but it is a question your team should thoughtfully consider. It may be an important consideration as you evaluate the facility for the comfort of those who are attending church for the first time.

Go The Extra Mile

We have helped quite a few portable churches be really creative in tricky restroom situations. Here are a few ideas we have that can help you make the most out of your facilities:

Bring In Portable Mirrors – Some school bathrooms do not have mirrors. In order to fix this problem, you could bring in a full-length mirror, or you could hang a standard size wall mirror on removable hooks.

Offer To Repair The Restroom – If the restroom at the venue is in need of repair (new paint, toilets, sinks, etc.), offer to do those repairs for the facility. This should only be done if it makes sense for the venue and your budget.

Get Rid Of The Smell – If your venue’s restrooms have strong odors (nightclubs, concert venues, even some schools come to mind), that should not be a showstopper. Have a team go in on Sunday mornings a couple of hours before the service to bleach the facilities and burn some incense. You can also install auto-sprayers for the day. These have proven successful in most scenarios.

Offer Bathroom Amenities – Really step up your hospitality by offering mouthwash, mints, nice disposable hand towels, and feminine products. If your venue does not have the counter space for these amenities, bring in a small table. This gesture will surprise guests and really show that you care.

Want more tips and statistics on how to choose and use your church facility to its full potential? Download our FREE eBook, Choosing The Right Facility For Your Portable Church. Learn to avoid the mistakes that others have made and make your launch an enjoyable experience for everyone involved!

Choosing The Facility For Your Portable Church