There are plenty of opinions and preferences on whether or not hot air hand dryers are sanitary or hygienic.
Most recently, the scientific research and claims are making people raise this question even more so. Are hot air hand dryers hygienic? Do they spread more germs and should hand dryers be avoided at all costs? Or are you leaning more towards the attitude of Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory – ‘Frankly, it’d be more hygienic if they just had a plague infested gibbon sneeze my hands dry’?
The technology of hand dryers allows us to dry our hands in an efficient and effective manner. There are dryers that are designed specifically to be more environmentally friendly and hygienic, and others that are just out there for high speed turnaround. We’ve already discussed whether or not hand dryers improve washroom efficiency, in which we voted for a big fat yes, because hand drying technology is only improving and developing for the better. Hand dryers definitely have their green reasons as to why they should be used. The battle between paper towels vs hand dryers is slowly dying out, but if we’re going to compare the levels of bacteria and germs from hand dryers, we might as well examine them on paper towel dispensers too!
The spreading of bacteria and germs in public washrooms and toilets is dependent on the hand dryer itself and the specification it carries. It’s safe to say that all washrooms and bathrooms are full of bacteria, so everything we touch in there has bacteria on it. This is unavoidable, which is why there are steps you take to cleanse yourself, such as soap dispensers for example.
For paper towels, we already know these are not recyclable, and many businesses have made the transition from towels to high speed hand dryers to be more greener to the environment, but there are still those few that stick to paper towels. If you think about it, when you use paper towels in a washroom, you’re having to use your hands and potentially dig around to get what you want, and ultimately this spreads the bacteria you have, as well as makes you the carrier for it. Comparing this to hand dryers, the automatic sensor on them means you don’t have to touch anything to dry your hands. So based on that fact alone, which do you think is more hygienic?
To answer this question, it is a yes and no. If you’re using a 1990 hand dryer that sounds like a car engine, then you are probably going to be catching germs from that. On the other hand, if you’re using a new hand drying model that uses a HEPA filter, you’re completely safe from flying germs and bacteria.
If you are unfamiliar with HEPA filters, they are ultimately a filter that filters our germs and bacteria’s that are found in hand dryers. By introducing HEPA filters into all of our new models, it removes bacteria from the air before it hits the users hand. This is exceptionally clever and gives you the most hygienic dry possible.
Once more, because the bacteria-ridden air is being pulled through the dryer over a HEPA filter and blown back out clean, it’s also helping to recirculate and clean the air in the bathroom. This filter essentially removes up to 99.9% of bacteria from the air which would surely make you feel more comfortable when using a hand dryer that includes it. The hand dryer market has seen significant growth, and it has no intention of slowing down!
They win the fight hands down when it comes to the environment and for hygiene. If you’re looking to install hygienic and greener hand dryers, please get in touch with us and we can advise you on the best design available for your needs and requirements.