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A biologist has warned that using hand dryers in public bathrooms might not be as safe as we think. After using a public restroom, it’s crucial to wash your hands with soap meticulously to eliminate lingering bacteria. This practice helps in minimizing the spread of bacteria and viruses, ensuring proper hygiene.
But using a hand dryer immediately afterward might negate the benefits of washing. Laura González, who frequently shares advice on social media, explained to her TikTok audience that these dryers might actually worsen the situation.
In a video on TikTok, originally shared in Spanish, she posed the question: “Have you ever dried your hands with a hand dryer in a public restroom? You might reconsider this after hearing my explanation.”
She elaborated, “Many people don’t close the toilet lid before flushing in public restrooms. Unseen by the eye, tiny droplets filled with bacteria and microorganisms can linger in the air. What do you think happens when the hand dryer is used?”
“Take all that s****y air and put it on your freshly washed hands. In short, instead of washing your hands, you are making them even worse.
She continued, “This bacteria from other people might end up on your hands. Numerous studies have demonstrated that hand dryers, especially those with strong jets, can disseminate microbes beyond a meter, contaminating nearby surfaces.”
Additionally, researchers from the University of Connecticut and Quinnipiac University in the USA discovered that running a hand dryer in a bathroom could lead to the proliferation of up to 254 bacterial colonies on a petri dish exposed to the air in such conditions.
In contrast, the petri dishes exposed to bathroom air without a hand dryer produced either just one bacterial colony or none whatsoever.
Researchers theorised that hand dryers drew in bacteria from the bathroom atmosphere and deposited it onto users’ hands.
They also determined in their study that most bacteria from hand dryers originated from the toilet’s air.
Better alternatives to hand dryers
If the thought of using a hand dryer in public conveniences revolts you, numerous alternatives exist to maintain clean, bacteria and virus-free hands.
Laura continued: “Obviously, you won’t die, but in places of heavy traffic, it’s a little gross, don’t you think? For all these reasons, the most hygienic option is to dry your hands with paper towels for three reasons: it quickly removes moisture, reduces the transfer of microorganisms, and, what’s more, you can use that same paper towel to, once you’ve washed your hands, turn off the tap, open the door, and turn off the light.
“This way, you avoid touching surfaces that were previously contaminated. You might say: ‘Laura, you’re overreacting!’ Well, I like to have clean hands.
“And one thing that very few people do is wash their hands before peeing. I mean, do you have dirty hands? Then wash them before touching your private parts. I’m not telling you to just wash them first, also after.
“And if there is no paper, air dry your hands, do this and avoid hand dryers. So now you know, don’t use hand dryers if you don’t want to get your hands dirty after washing them.”
Research from Mayo Clinic which analysed various hand drying techniques similarly discovered that drying hands with paper towels after washing was the most effective method to successfully eliminate bacteria. The study also revealed that utilising a paper towel for drying reduced the likelihood of contamination occurring in a bathroom.
