For years the debate over hand dryers vs paper towels has been a hot potato, especially here at Milhench Supply, where we are serious about hygiene and restroom products.
So which is the better option? Are hand dryers really all that gross? Do they actually fling germs into the air at such an alarming speed you will skip using a public restroom and wait out your ride until you are safe in your own home?
Yes, hot air hand dryers are pretty gross and yes, electric hand dryers are blasting germs around public restrooms faster than a toupee goes missing in a hurricane.
Do we have any facts to substantiate this claim? Actually, yes, the University of Connecticut conducted original research which was published in April of 2018, on air-dryers which were placed throughout UConns health and science buildings. The hot-air dryers suck in bacteria and other spores loitering in the bathroom and when the next person uses the dryer, that same bacteria is pushed back out again onto “clean” hands. Thus a pretty much endless recycle of the germs. As people open the bathroom door germs escape into the hallways and spread throughout the building. You can read more about the study here.
The most important component in hygiene is washing your hands with soap and drying properly with a paper towel. Take a moment to watch this TED talk by Joe Smith on how to properly dry your hands and use LESS paper towel than you think you need. The friction in using paper towels when drying your hands is an important factor in getting rid of bacteria. It takes a full 45 seconds for you to reduce moisture by 97% when you use an air dryer. With a paper towel, it takes just 10 seconds to get the same effect.
If you are looking for quality hand soap or paper towels for the bathrooms in your commercial locations, please visit our website product pages.
We welcome calls to discuss your janitorial supply needs or one of our sales team would be happy to walk through your building to review the janitorial supplies you currently use, how we can help you reduce products, costs or your effect on the environment.
This is great information and will save our company money and help the environment if we get our staff to “shake” and “fold”.
Thanks for your comment, Eric! So glad the Ted Talk on drying your hands will come in handy! (No pun intended….).
I agree with Eric, we can only use a new product if we can get people to use them. I have found that people are very stubborn when it comes to change.