Dirty Truth About Hand Dryers

In a new study, microbiologists at the University of Westminster in London compared jet air dryers to warm air dryers and paper towels. What they found was disturbing:

The jet air dryer dispersed 20 times more virus than the warm air dryer and over 190 times more than paper towels, at six different heights.
The impact of the virus was greatest at 2 ½ feet to 4.1 feet — which is about face-level for a small child.
The jet air dryer sent out 20 times more virus than the warm air dryer and over 190 times more virus than paper towels, at nine different distances.
The way each method works helps to explain the results. Jet air dryers force air out sideways at ultrahigh speeds. Warm air dryers work by evaporation. Paper towels absorb water.

“Drying your hands with paper towels not only dries them faster, but the friction also dislodges bacteria to leave them cleaner,” notes Dr. Lash-Ritter.

Another option to avoid is the cloth towel dispenser. The patch of cloth at the end of the roll tends can get used over and over again. This transmits germs from hand to hand to hand.