The idea of advertising in washrooms is well established in major public venues, motorway service stations and the larger pub chains. Experienced media companies exist to provide a professional service to both facilities owners and advertisers.

However the small guy can also successfully advertise his business to customers in the loo, making advertising in toilets an effective and low cost media outlet. From big corporate offices to small cafes the hidden potential of the space Americans call the bathroom and the British call the loo is there to be exploited.

Whether the objective is promoting an event or service, or simply conveying a favorable impression, toilets provide an appropriate moment to impress a captive audience. Even an initialled maintenance schedule displayed professionally demonstrates that the whole establishment is well run.

Using a standard office printer many businesses can produce in-house notices or advertisements. However, self-printed A4 signs displayed without a frame can look amateurish. That's why many establishments purchase poster frames specifically for fixing up in toilets.

Smart front-loading snap frames are ideal for adverts or simple notices. They are inexpensive, easy to fit and practical to use: and being made of aluminum these poster frames are attractive and durable. For most users the ease with which posters can be changed is a benefit: but, if security is an issue, there are tamper resistant snapframes available too.

Advertisements can be sponsored by suppliers or designed in-house. Keeping the message simple works best, especially when poster frames are to be placed above the men's facilities or next to the hand dryers. The dwell time there may be less than one minute, although it's typically double that behind the cubicle doors in the ladies.

For monitoring washroom servicing a pre-printed cleaning schedule can be displayed within the frame, behind the integral clear plastic cover. Cleaning staff can simply initial directly onto the plastic cover using the correct type of marker pen, which is then erasable with a damp cloth.

If a record of cleaning activity needs to be kept, a poster frame with a slot in the top is more suitable. With a top-loading frame the clear plastic cover sheet can be raised for writing directly onto the check form.