Hand Blow Dryers
By worldwise1
@worldwise1 (14885)
United States
November 9, 2009 1:38pm CST
I received the following alert in an email from a friend this morning, and I just thought I would pass it along to my fellow mylotters:
Sounds reasonable.
Everyone in the cleaning industry has always been told that hand dryers in restrooms are not sanitary, they spread germs and bacteria around. I always thought that this just came from the paper companies because they are loosing sales to the hand dryers.
A couple of years ago, I was working with a rep, and I noticed that after he washed his hands and noticed that there were no paper towels, only a hand dryer he left the restroom with wet hands. I asked him about it. He said that hand dryers blow a lot of germs and bacteria around.
He also told me to take a look under the hand dryer next time I was in a restroom. There is a filter underneath the hand dryer that is supposed to be cleaned on a weekly basis. I looked at one and it looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years. It had layers and layers of caked on gunk (disgusting). Since then I will not use hand dryers in restrooms.
Now this is where the story gets really interesting. The schools and universities that have had the H1N1 (swine flue) outbreak this year are being told by the health department that they have to take out all of their hand dryers and replace them with towel dispensers because the hand dryers are spreading disease. Please pass this along so everyone knows not to use hand dryers.
I know that it is a great concern to us all to do everything in our power to stop or prevent the spread of the swine flu. I would even take this a step further and carry some paper towels from home when I go out.
4 people like this
19 responses
@celticeagle (166909)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Nov 09
That makes SOOO much sense. I remember when our second best movie theater here in town first opened. They had hand blow dryers. I have a phobia. I have to wash my hands after I go to the bathroom and I can't stand to use the blowers. I always feel like unless I can dry my hands on a paper towel and then throw it away I am not rid of the germs and my hands and arms are not clean. Now I don't feel so silly about it because it makes sense. Thank you!
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (160658)
• United States
10 Nov 09
The friction from wiping your hands on the towels removes even more germs from the hands and so they are the best choice.
3 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
It is well known, celticeagle, that many germs are flying around in the air in bathrooms, so, as you said, it just makes sense.
1 person likes this
@happy6162 (3001)
• United States
10 Nov 09
I do use hand dryer if that is all they have in the restroom. Instead of taking out the hand dryer the people who are cleaning the restroom need to start checking the filter in the hand dryers and cleaning them and they should be changed at least once a month.
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
That all sounds good in theory, happy, but will they put it into actual practice?
@happy6162 (3001)
• United States
17 Nov 09
Some of the employee probably will but I am sure they will still have some that will not do it. It will probably be done for a few months and then back to the old ways.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
9 Nov 09
Thanks so much for this info world. At the library they have the hand dryer and now I will start using my hand santitizer instead..
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
As they say, carmelanirel, "Forewarned is forearmed."
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
18 Nov 09
Yes and I have been using my hand santitizer since..:)
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
10 Nov 09
Hey worldwise! Thank you for this very valuable information!
I didn't know this, but I will tell you that I never use hand
blow dryers anyway! I just never liked them for some reason and
now that you have told me this I'm very glad that I never used
them! I would also leave the restroom with wet hands or wipe
them on my own shirt rather than use them! And also touching
the door after washing hands is a no-no as is flushing the
toilet with hands without paper! The reason for that is because
many people flush the toilet with their foot and that brings
even more germs to the toilet flusher! The more you learn about
these things, the less you ever want to go to a public restroom!
I have a girlfriend who flushes with her foot, washes her hands,
takes the papertowel to open the door! She is a germaphobic, but
now I am doing the same thing, except I can't flush with my foot
because I will end up falling on my azz! But, these really are
things that people do and they are serious health violations that
could really make you seriously ill! And she carries around
a big bottle of antibacterial soap and that was before the H1N1
and she get's alot of colds, but never gets as sick as I do!
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
I follow the same practices as your friend, Opal, because I am terrified of germs!
As a matter of fact I try to stay in as much as possible during cold and flu season so as to avoid coming into contact with germs. Yes, I am a foot-flusher and paper towel-door-opener!
As a matter of fact I try to stay in as much as possible during cold and flu season so as to avoid coming into contact with germs. Yes, I am a foot-flusher and paper towel-door-opener!1 person likes this
@TickleMeBreathless (590)
• United States
10 Nov 09
Oh my gosh! I never would have thought of that! Good lord, it's so hard now-of-days to protect both the environment and yourself. Thank you for this information, the next time I'm in a public restroom and I see a hand-dryer, I'm going to look for myself!
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
I think that's a good idea, Tickle.
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
10 Nov 09
I never knew that, thanks for the heads up. I will send emails to everyone else that I know. That is sick.
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
With so many health threats prevalent these days, Thoroughrob, we need to do all we can to keep down germs.
@GardenGerty (160658)
• United States
10 Nov 09
I never looked at the filters, but I had read the explanation long ago about the germs blowing around. I will use the dryers if I have to. I also carry some hand sanitizer with me for when I need it. After the towels are in my purse so long they do not look that clean either. I have always carried extra paper products with me on trips, though.
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
A suggestion, GG, is to place the towels inside one of those little Ziplock baggies if you are worried about how clean they will stay in your purse.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
9 Nov 09
I don't know about that, all I know is I never used those dryers because I have very sensitive ears and the sounds of that annoying blower always hurts them. I too walk out with wet hands.
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
I started some years ago carrying folded paper towels in my purse, winterose, for just this sort of occasion.
@silverglint (2000)
• Philippines
10 Nov 09
Hi, thanks for informing us. I am not really fond of hand blow dryers, maybe its because they always stop halfway. I prefer to use paper towels. But after reading what you just shared, I will definitely stick to paper towels and steer clear of hand blow dryers from now on.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
I think you have made a wise choice, silverglint.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
Just trying to help stamp out germs, ybong!
1 person likes this
@coolsudan (313)
• India
10 Nov 09
thanx for bringing this to us ..... i didnt knew this at all . actually this is the first time i am hearing about this . and if this is so then there has to be taken gr8 measures to stop this or atleast make people make aware of this ........in malls and other places i found these dryers a lot and used to use them too.....but i will stop it from now and tell others too.....thanx to you
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
I think that people should be aware that there are downsides to most everything we choose to do, coolsudan.
1 person likes this
@Nestonlady (132)
•
10 Nov 09
Hi worldwise,
I have heard this about hand driers and I have never liked using them anyway. I much prefer paper towels and if there are none available, I will either use toilet paper or let my hands dry naturally.
2 people like this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
9 Nov 09
I have never used them and would never let my Kids use them
I was a Area Manager for a cleaning Company and the things that I read on these Dryers made my Hair stand up
I used to leave my Hands wet or I would use Toilet Paper to dry my Hands but nothing will ever get me to use those Dryers
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
I've never had much experience with them either, gabs, and for sure now I will avoid them.
@Qaeyious (2357)
• United States
9 Nov 09
http://infectiousdiseases.about.com/b/2008/10/17/automatic-hand-dryers-vs-paper-towels.htm
http://www.slate.com/id/2193740/
Both snopes.com and urbanlegends.about.com are researching the matter, but as for me, I will continue to use the electric models because I will not be using trees, dirtying up the environment with the production of paper products, having them transported to their destinations, and then filling up the landfills with the waste (including the usually plastic bags)
And the complaints that the electric ones don't work is because they are not used properly. You are supposed to shake the excess water off first. I find that rubbing my hands together slowly under the moving air is more efficient than "vigorously rubbing."
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, Qaeyious, but I like to be on the safe side. Since you are so set against the use of paper products, how do you stand on the use of plastics?
@skysuccess (8858)
• Singapore
10 Nov 09
worldwise1,
This is indeed an eyeopener and really appreciate your post here.
I just did not think much about these hand dryers and at one time I could literally see them being installed at most of the public toilets like the airports, train stations, supermarkets and fast food restaurants. Then, of late there seems to be a wane which had me puzzled for a while. Frankly, I rarely use them except in my visits to the fast food restaurants where I would just convenient myself as there were no paper towels available most of the time.
However, I do not know if the various study reports are neutral or without prejudice assured, I was just curious as bacteria itself does thrive in our environment. And it is also a fact that hot air is being dispensed which I believe would kill the bacteria.
Last but not least, I do understand that there was a claim that the study of hand dryers, was funded by the European Tissue Symposium, a trade body representing manufacturers including Kimberly-Clark, and presented at the Tissue World conference in Nice is believed to be “flawed and questionable".
I think we just have to wait and see how this argument will turn out at the end of the day and quite interestingly so, if I may say.
Have a nice day.
Ref: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6211272.ece
Have a nice day.
Ref: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6211272.ece@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
Thanks for your additional research and input into the discussion, skysuccess! While it is true that the dryers are blowing hot air, I don't believe that it would qualify as hot enough to really destroy any germs.
1 person likes this
@rg0205 (2636)
• Hong Kong
9 Nov 09
I heard about this quite a ways back so I don't use hand dryers. I also make sure that I always carry my own tissue pack in my bag everytime I head out. It's been a habit my Mother instilled in me because ever since I was a child, she'd always put a pack of tissue in my bag when I'd go to school. It stuck ever since.
With the hand dryer thing, I remember seeing it in a news program years back. It made sense so from there on, I didn't want to use them. I remember hearing that the dryer sucks up the air in the rest room, heats it and blows it into your hands. The dryers are also hardly ever cleaned.
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
That is so disgusting, rg! I hope that everyone will pass the word along.
@UCantSeeMe (116)
• United States
10 Nov 09
All this is pointless either way you look at it because in the end you still have to touch the door handle to get out of the bathroom unless its one of the non door ones. just think all the people that didnt wash their hands then touched that door. ha the way i see it is everyone over cleans and over worries about germs which makes your immune systems weak because it doesnt have germs to practice on. i purposly walk close to people that seem ill and i dont always wash my hands everytime i use the bathroom either. I have not been sick in 12 years.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
16 Nov 09
I won't argue with you, U, if you like to walk on the edge, but I fail to see the logic in deliberately placing oneself in harms way.
1 person likes this
