Study Says Avoid Hand Dryers In Restroom

When you use the restroom in Southcoast area restaurants or other public places you usually have the choice of drying your hands with a hot air hand dryer or paper towels. According to a new study, you should choose the paper towel option.

The American Society for Microbiology strongly suggests you skip the dryer and use the paper towels instead. The reason is that compared with the normal bathroom air, the hot air that comes from those dryers contains much more bacteria. The study showed that the hand dryers actually blow the nasty germs not onlyon your hands, but on your clothing as well. The research also found that the dryers spread the bacteria to others who happen to be in the restroom at the same time the dryers are used.

It is recommended that you wash your hands with warm water and soap, and then use the paper towels if they are available. If not, rather than using the hand blower, let your hands simply air dry.

For those business who have the hand dryers, HEPA filters can be installed on the devices and that will reduce, but not eliminate the bacteria that is circulated.