We have all heard rumors about hand dryers being unsanitary, but are they true? Washing your hands after using the bathroom is an important part of hygiene, and drying your hands is crucial as well. There have been many debates on whether paper towels or hand dryers are better for drying your hands, however, research has found that hand dryers may not be as effective at eliminating germs as you may assume.
Hand dryers are easy to use and have been found to be better for the environment compared to paper towels, making them a popular choice for drying hands. Despite these benefits, hand dryers are not as hygienic as you think. For example, hand dryers use the surrounding air to evaporate the water on your hands. The air in public bathrooms can contain many germs, and that air is projected onto your hands by hand dryers. Additionally, hand dryers can blow germs into the air, which can cause the germs to spread. Furthermore, a study using Petri dishes revealed that hand dryers barely blow off germs, and sometimes do not blow off any at all. In addition, hand dryers are inefficient at drying hands quickly. To further explain, the majority of individuals who use blow dryers do not fully dry their hands, and the water left on their hands can lead to the growth of bacteria.
In conclusion, hand dryers are not the most effective method of drying hands, and, in some cases, can spread germs instead of eliminating them. Paper towels are an excellent method of drying hands in public bathrooms for individuals who are concerned about hygiene, as the friction caused by rubbing paper towels on your hands has been proven to eliminate germs better than hand dryers. Overall, hand dryers may be better for the environment, although, if you are looking for a more sanitary method of hand drying, then you should use paper towels.
Related Stories:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-bacterial-horror-of-the-hot-air-hand-dryer-2018051113823
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-dirty-truth-about-hand-dryers
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