The Scoop on Jet Hand Dryers

If there is anything we became more aware of in 2020, it’s germs. Stopping the spread of germs. Why you want to practice good hygiene. How to properly clean to reduce germs. What products are the most effective in killing germs. Etc., etc.

And, as things are reopening and we reenter a semblance of normalcy, this awareness continues. As we enter back into the workplace, start dining inside restaurants, travelling and shopping again, we are more aware than ever before of the need for good hygiene to protect ourselves and those around us from sickness.

While many have been focusing on keeping stores, restaurant tables and office surfaces germ free with healthy cleaning practices, not too many have been discussing one very important area- the restroom.

It’s easy to assume that since the bathroom is already associated with germs and bacteria, that we are already implementing the best practices for cleaning. And, yes, while you may be doing a bang-up job with how you clean the bathroom itself, germs could still be spreading at an alarming rate. How?

Through hand drying machines.

All the hand washing in the world may not do you a bit of good- nope, not even if you say your ABC’s while washing your hands to make sure they are adequately clean- simply due to the use of jet air dryers.

Here’s some reasons why.

• When a jet air dryer is used to dry your hands, water droplets that could contain bacteria and germs get blown into the air, going as far as 6.5 feet and remaining in the air for up to 15 minutes!
• Jet dryers can cause recontamination of your hands, often leaving your hands worse off than before you even washed them. Studies have shown that these dryers can increase germs on your fingers by as much as 42%.
• In addition to these already disturbing discoveries, these hand-drying mechanisms tend to have dirtier surfaces (likely because they’ve been blowing germs everywhere, including back on the dryer). And, not only dirtier surfaces, but they can have up to 1000 times more bacteria on their surface compared to a paper towel dispenser! Gross!

When it comes to no-touch hand-drying, there are other options to choose from besides the jet air dryers. Studies have shown that single-use paper towels are much more hygienic than the once-trendy jet air dryers; not only because they aren’t spreading germs, but also because they help remove germs from your hands. Obviously, having towels inside a dispenser that dispenses only to the current user are even more hygienic, since the towels are protected from any germs or bacteria that could be floating in the air. There are many great options for paper towel dispensers, everything from automatic motion-sensor dispensers to single-pull dispensers. While some of these can be expensive, they don’t have to be. (Ask us about our FREE dispenser program!)

What are some ways that you could improve the cleanliness of your bathroom? It could be as simple as installing a dispenser.