Air Dryers Vs. Paper Towels
Convenience rooms or toilets are primarily used for every human’s egestion activities. Today, as long as they are kept appropriately clean, they are some of the favorite places in a building. One area of priority in a toilet is the process of hand drying after toilet use.
Hand drying is generally done by the use of a paper towel or air dryers. However, there is a persistent debate on which hand drying method is best. This has given rise to queries such as, “are hand dryers cleaner than paper towels?” and vice versa.
Here, we examine the debate and what makes the difference between these two methods of hand drying.
Why Hand Hygiene Is Important
A lot of diseases and germs are transmittable by hand contact. After the preventative measure of hand washing, hand drying is next in order.
Hand drying is important because any left-over bacteria on the hands after washing can be removed. These are other considerations that make hand drying an important act:
- Hand Washing May Be Done Wrongly: It is common knowledge that washing the hands with soap is the most effective hand hygiene habit. However, there is no quality control system to confirm proper handwashing in a toilet. Hand drying is then the last resort to save most people.
- Germs Can Easily Be Passed Through Wet Skin: Germs tend to remain on improperly washed hands. The hand in a wet state can quickly transfer just about any form of germ to other surfaces. Germ survival is less likely on dry skin.
The use of air dryers and paper towels are the main methods of hand drying. As mentioned, there has been a constant comparison on which of the two is the best.
Let’s examine them.
Hygiene
Paper towels are the clear winner in this comparison. Paper towels are one-use. All you need to do is wipe your hands with it and then dump them in the bin. This accounts for effective hand drying and less contamination within the space of the toilet.
Jet air dryers blow fast air to the point that it might cause germs to fly through the toilet space. This puts other and future toilet users at risk of contamination. Warm hand dryers, with the warm environment they create, are believed to aid bacteria growth.
Also, it might require more discipline to use a hand dryer. Toilet users sometimes have to wait for up to a minute for the air dryer to dry their hands thoroughly. If many people are waiting in line to use the air dryer, some might forgo it completely. This increases the likelihood of having incompletely dried hands when leaving the toilet, increasing their risk of contracting and spreading germs.
The Cost Difference
Both air dryers and paper towels serve the fundamental purpose of maintaining healthy habits. From a medical point of view, cost shouldn’t be a factor of consideration. Still, cost drives most business decisions. So, it must be considered.
A paper towel dispenser has a very insignificant initial cost, but its running cost racks up your expenses pretty quickly. On the other hand, air dryers are known for their higher initial cost of purchase and significantly lower running costs.
The running cost of paper towel dispenser comes from the cost of buying paper towels while that of an air dryer comes from energy costs. You can lower both operating costs by buying less expensive paper towels and buying more energy-efficient air dryers.
In this comparison, the air dryer wins. This is because paper towels still cost so much more over the years, and their use is hardly controllable.
Environmental Friendliness
The carbon footprint of both hand drying methods must also be weighed to know which one performs better.
Paper towels can be examined based on the material they are made of and how they are disposed of after use. Paper towels are made of a new paper from trees or recycled waste papers. Trees are used to produce paper towels, which has a considerable effect on the environment. Although paper towels can be made with recycled paper, they end up in landfills or are composted because they cannot be recycled.
Notably, paper towels do not use electricity. However, they have a long chain of production and disposal that negatively impacts the environment.
Air dryers, on the other hand, have a high environmental impact when in use. About 20 to 80 grams of CO2 equivalents are produced whenever they are used. However, there are more energy-efficient options, like jet air dryers. Most of them come with tags that detail their energy efficiency.
Air dryers win in this comparison rank.
Modern and Low Maintenance Option
Air dryers are a more advanced option compared to paper towels. They typically look trendy, parched against the wall as though they are interior decoration items. This is one of the reasons many organizations invest in them. Also, air dryers are a low maintenance option. They do not require a trash can or ever get exhausted.
Paper towel trash cans need to be cleaned out and the dispenser refilled often. Using paper towels might amount to an increase in toilet staff responsibilities.
Air dryers, on the other hand, afford easier toilet cleaning and less concern on how users will get their hands cleaned.
Final Thoughts
The debate between air dryers and paper towels is most unlikely to end soon. This is partly because it is a debate being used to fuel the marketing of either product. The priority in hand drying is to ensure that maximum hand hygiene is achieved.
Paper towels are the winners when it comes to hand hygiene. However, air dryers trump paper towels in terms of cost, environmental friendliness, and a more modern outlook.
Many businesses may opt for an air dryer without much consideration. However, it is a worthy consideration that companies who want to maintain a very hygienic environment go for paper towels. The prioritization of hygiene over costs can be an excellent way to boost company image.
