Are Hand Dryers Hygienic Enough for a Post-Covid World?

The Coronavirus pandemic has put washroom hygiene front and centre as a priority for every sector. From your independent cafe to your multi-site corporations, keeping staff and visitors safe is of paramount importance. Beyond safety, hygienic washrooms are also about building trust and confidence in your visitors. According to a recent global hygiene study conducted by leading hand dryer manufacturer Dyson, 42% of people feel a lot more concerned about visiting public washrooms than they did a year ago. In the UK that number rises to 47%, revealing just how much work is needed to build public confidence. 

Washing hands effectively

Guidelines from both the government and the World Health Organisation highlight the importance of proper handwashing and drying. Around 20 seconds is needed to wash hands effectively, but just as important is drying them. According to the same study, over 49% of respondents said they were concerned over using hand dryers, but put this down to having to physically touch them to operate them. It’s naturally very telling that after washing and sanitising your hands, users are reluctant to physically touch any other surface until they have left the room.

Hands need to be dried properly too

Some users may choose to skip the hand drying process altogether, assuming their washed hands are best left wet, damp, or wiped casually on their trousers or sweatshirt. However, this poses some pretty serious problems in itself. Dr Salome Giao, Senior Microbiologist and Scientist at Dyson explains: “We know damp hands can transfer up to 1000 times more bacteria than dry hands while wiping hands on clothes can jeopardise the hand washing process, as they can add bacteria to the washed hands if they are not clean.”

Non-touch operation is key

Sensor activation means users never need to touch fixtures and fittings when it comes to hand washing. Traditional turn taps are operated both before and after hand washing, making them a prime area for bacteria transfer. Sensor taps ensure that when a user has thoroughly clean hands, they do not need to touch another surface. Partnered with sensor hand dryers like the Dyson Airblade, your users are completely touch-free from hand washing to drying. 

Concerns have also risen over the air quality of hand dryers, again, the Dyson Airblade among other models have HEPA filters fitted as standard. For the most part, sensor-activated hand dryers are both hygienic and cost-effective as they don’t need to be refilled like paper towel dispensers and generate no waste - meaning no bin left with dirty paper towels in it. Low energy hand dryers also consume very little energy, making them a strong economic choice too. 

As we emerge from the pandemic and slowly learn to live with bacterial threats, the hygiene of commercial washrooms remains fundamental to building that trust and confidence in both consumers and our employees. 

If you would like further advice on sensor-activated hand dryers and bacterial control measures in commercial wash spaces, please get in touch with one of the team on 01202 650900.