Hand dryers spray human waste particles all over you, study finds
independent.co.uk
independent.co.uk
"Hot-air hand dryers are less sanitary than paper towels in public restrooms.
CONFIRMED
In a preliminary test, Adam and Jamie found that washing their hands properly with soap did not leave behind enough bacteria for them to count, so in the remaining tests, participants only used water to wash their hands.
Sixteen volunteers were enlisted to have their hands sprayed with a harmless strain of E. coli bacteria. The volunteers’ hands were then swabbed for a sample, then washed using water but no soap, then swabbed again, then dried using paper towels, then swabbed a third time. Next, the entire process was repeated with the same volunteers, but using hand dryers instead of paper towels. On average, the paper towels removed 71% of the bacteria on the volunteers’ hands, while the hand dryers only removed 23%, confirming that the myth is true for individuals.
Adam and Jamie also wanted to find out how clean the drying area of the restroom stayed with each drying method. Before the previous experiment began, the mock restrooms were thoroughly cleaned. After the experiment, swabs from the paper towel area yielded 3 bacteria colonies while swabs from the hand dryer area yielded 41 colonies, confirming that the myth is also true in regards to the cleanliness of the restroom."
If using soap and same and having a clean bathroom, paper vs dryer doesn’t matter.
Is this correct?
1. soap really, really works. it works so well it doesn't seem to matter whether you dry your hands with paper towels or hot air later.
2. hand dryers don't put more shit (literally) on your hands, it just takes less off. so it's still good! maybe it's better than leaving your hands wet. what they should have tested is whether air drying beats wiping your hands on the back of your jeans, which i am guessing is actually quite nasty.
Which is already completely unrealistic. Next time you see a Dyson "Air Blade" in a restroom, bend down and look into the machine from the side. What you see will almost certainly prevent you from ever using one of those ever again.
I've resisted saying anything for a long time because it never seems to go well for people complain, but... Come on, so much of what gets posted here is morning talk-show junk. What's the deal? Have I misinterpreted the rule?
After a long drive, you could freshen up by washing your face, then pat dry. Now you have to carry your own towels, or walk out wet. You could use paper to hold open the door handle that others doubtlessly touched with their unwashed hands, so you wouldn't defeat your own washing in turn. You could even brush your teeth -- perhaps this sounds ill-advised, but most homes have toothbrushes sitting closer to toilets than you'd find in a public bathroom.
Then nicer washrooms began replacing their paper with modern air dryers: not even the old-style World Dryers that actually generate heat, but ones based on extremely fast air at room- or lukewarm temps. These are hardly more effective than vigorously shaking your hands and spewing your own water everywhere, and typically work best when used in concert with the former.
Complimentary towels were convenient, but now -- except for truck stops, or long-forgotten gas stations where time stands still -- they're extremely rare. For me, disposable ones are now part of my travel kit.
and I feel especially bad for kids who’s ears could be less than a foot from the dryer due to their height.
I very rarely see a public toilet with a lid. A seat yes, but not a lid.
That's a study I'd like to see.
* They are incredibly loud
* I inevitably end up spraying water all over my pants
* I have large hands and it takes forever to dry them