The Beijing News reports officials striving to clean up China's notoriously filthy toilets will apply the rule will apply to lavatories in parks, railway stations, airports, hospitals, malls and supermarkets in the capital.
The new standards also detail how smelly a lavatory should be.
More conventional demands from the municipal committee in charge of the image of the city include an order that there is no accumulation of urine or water in the capital's public toilets and that bins aren't overflowing.
It is not clear if failing washrooms will be punished and if so how.
Many people who live in the city's old neighbourhood still do not have their own toilet and have no choice but to use public conveniences.
Beijing has launched several campaigns in the past to improve its numerous public toilets, especially before the 2008 Olympics.
Source: ABC Radio Australia. Posted 24th May 2012.
