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http://aem.asm.org/content/84/8/e00044-18.abstract
Hot-air hand dryers in multiple men's and women's bathrooms in three basic science research areas in an academic health center were screened for their deposition on plates of (i) total bacteria, some of which were identified, and (ii) a kanamycin-resistant Bacillus subtilis strain, PS533, spores of which are produced in large amounts in one basic science research laboratory.
Plates exposed to hand dryer air for 30 s averaged 18 to 60 colonies/plate; but interior hand dryer nozzle surfaces had minimal bacterial levels, plates exposed to bathroom air for 2 min with hand dryers off averaged ≤1 colony, and plates exposed to bathroom air moved by a small fan for 20 min had averages of 15 and 12 colonies/plate in two buildings tested.
Retrofitting hand dryers with HEPA filters reduced bacterial deposition by hand dryers ∼4-fold, and potential human pathogens were recovered from plates exposed to hand dryer air whether or not a HEPA filter was present and from bathroom air moved by a small fan. Spore-forming colonies, identified as B. subtilis PS533, averaged ∼2.5 to 5% of bacteria deposited by hand dryers throughout the basic research areas examined regardless of distance from the spore-forming laboratory, and these were almost certainly deposited as spores. Comparable results were obtained when bathroom air was sampled for spores.
These results indicate that many kinds of bacteria, including potential pathogens and spores, can be deposited on hands exposed to bathroom hand dryers and that spores could be dispersed throughout buildings and deposited on hands by hand dryers.
(Score: 2) by Whoever on Wednesday April 18 2018, @05:43AM (1 child)
You should take off your rose-tinted glasses. Hand dryers are an example of something that never worked. Don't you remember using a hand dryer, then giving up and rubbing your hands on your clothes?
Modern hand dryers do actually get your hand dry. Unfortunately, they are more likely to make you ill.
(Score: 2) by SomeGuy on Wednesday April 18 2018, @06:51AM
Actually they are water spot and hand crud stained glasses. Ew. :P
I do recall some hand driers that did a good enough job drying. They used a lower fan speed and lots of heat. Although the ones I am thinking of did use push-buttons, making them far from ideal. That was a long time ago back when people weren't afraid to throw the proper amount of electricity at a problem.
That is the big problem with modern stuff, trying to reduce power usage, and thereby reducing the effectiveness. That and the geenies who's heads will explode at the sight of a piece of paper.
The only real advantage a hand dryer has is when it is used in someplace where paper towels can't be restocked easily, or in places that may have random huge usage surges. Anywhere else should use paper towels.