You Should Avoid Using The Hand Dryers In The Public Bathrooms! Here’s Why.
Image: Shutterstock
Few pleasures in this world match that of putting your hands under a hand dryer and letting the boxy machine do the rest (a shout out to all the lazy bums out there! I feel you and totally wish there was body dryer, so I would never have to carry a towel to bathroom ever again). Well, as convenient as this modern-day invention may be, hand dryers are not as innocent as they look. (There’s a black underbelly beneath that glossy, pristine plastic white outer.)
In fact, if you were one of those who would confidently argue, “You know what? They’re still better than paper towels. They are more hygienic,” let me tell you that that’s not even remotely true!
Yep, sorry to burst your bubble, but hand dryers are far from hygienic. In fact, they are the exact opposite of it. They’re like the Antichrist of hygiene when it comes to public washroom etiquette. Yeah yeah, you need proof to believe that, and here it is!
According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, hand dryers are likely to spread 1300 times as many germs as paper towels in restrooms do (1)! *loud sounds of jaws dropping are heard throughout the world*
The study revealed that germs collected more easily around the warm air dryers and jet dryers than they did on paper towels, making them the worst offenders of hygiene in public restrooms. In fact, jet dryers turned out to be, by far, the worst ones as they accumulated 4.5 times more bacteria than warm air dryers and 27 times more bacteria than paper towel dispensers.
That’s not all. The study went on to say that hand dryers are the dirtiest thing in the washroom and are actually also responsible for making the whole restroom as dirty as it can be. Air blows out of these tiny little wall-attached, plastic jets at 300 miles per hour, causing germs to spread across the length and breadth of the washroom. Pretty nasty, wouldn’t you say? And if that wasn’t bad enough, you can even contract the germs from another person if you stand too close them when they’re using the hand dryer! (Raise your hands who just puked inside.)
But, there’s no need to panic as you can easily spare yourselves the germs. You’ll find a list of healthy public washroom habits below that can keep you as clean as a whistle (and as germ-free too).
1. Use The Backside Of Your Hand
Whether you’re entering the washroom or exiting it, make sure you push the door open with the back of your hand rather than the palm. This will prevent unwanted bacteria from clinging on to your palms and fingertips, and consequently, places where your hands go such as your mouth, genitals, etc.
2. Carry Wet Wipes With You
Unless you want to sit on the toilet seat that has been used multiple times by all sorts of people and hasn’t been freshly cleaned, you better carry wet wipes with you. Before sitting down, use these to sanitize the seat, wiping it all over. If you don’t have wet wipes, use the tissue roll.
3. Use Toilet Seat Covers
See that plastic pack in the corner you never use every time you go to a public washroom? Well, that is a pack of toilet seat covers, which you really should be using if you want to avoid those germs. If they’re not around, you can always practice squatting without touching the seat.
4. Flush Safely
Never, and I mean NEVER use your bare hands to pull that trigger, err, I mean the flush. Washrooms are the habitat of all kinds of germs, and you’re at higher risk of contracting them through the flush handle than anywhere else as that’s the first thing you touch after cleaning yourself. So take a piece of tissue in your hand and use it to flush.
5. Follow Proper Hand Wash Routine
Every time you step out of the washroom, use warm water and soap to wash your hands. Post washing, use the back of your hand or paper towel to close the tap, or you’ll just be piling those germs back on your hands! Next, dry them out, not with a hand dryer, of course, but with the help of tissues. Lastly, sanitize. If the washroom doesn’t have a hand sanitizer, make sure you carry one of those tiny tubes with you.
And voila! You’re as germ-free as you can be! As long as you follow these simple and healthy public restroom habits as well as ditch that hand dryer, you will never have to face the ill effects of washroom germs ever again.
Community Experiences
Join the conversation and become a part of our vibrant community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with like-minded individuals. Let our readers get your unique perspectives and do better together! Read our Comment Policy to know about the guidelines.
