Hand dryer: sprouting germs in the toilet

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MunichIn many public toilets you can dry your hands in a stream of air. It doesn't produce any paper waste - but is it also hygienic? Certainly not, American researchers have now discovered. Because the hand dryers blow bacteria through half the room.

Mark Wilcox and his colleagues from the University of Leeds School of Medicine contaminated test subjects' hands Lactobacillus - a harmless bacterium that is common in public toilets. The number of germs corresponded to that after brief hand washing. Because most people don't clean their hands thoroughly and for long enough.

Airflow versus paper towel

After applying the bacterial solution, the test subjects either dried their hands with a paper towel or they used a hand dryer. The scientists tested two different, frequently used devices: a warm air hand dryer and a jet hand dryer, in which the air flow is even stronger, but is located between two plastic walls. The scientists examined a total of 120 air samples for germs.

27 times the germ dose

The result: the hand dryers are downright germ spinners. The number of bacteria in the immediate vicinity of the drying devices was four and a half times higher with the jet hand dryer than when using paper towels, with the hot air dryer even 27 times higher. The scientists found a similar ratio at a distance of one meter from the drying device.

Unsuitable for clinics

The germs also stayed in the air significantly longer than the average hand-washing time of 15 seconds - after five minutes, 48 ​​percent of them were still blowing Lactobacilli through the air. Even after 15 minutes they could still be detected in the air around the hand dryer. Anyone who uses such a device in a public toilet must therefore expect to get the full load of bacteria from the previous user. "The hand drying devices are particularly unsuitable for clinical use, such as in hospitals," said Wilcox and colleagues in their study.

If you wash your hands properly, you will not only remove superficial dirt, but also a large part of the microorganisms, such as flu viruses and diarrhea pathogens. Studies show that washing your hands correctly can significantly reduce the risk of infection. And this is how it works: Before lathering, you should first loosen the dirt with lukewarm water. Then it's soap, soap, soap. Rub your hands thoroughly for ten seconds, including between your fingers. Then rinse your hands well and then dry them carefully. (away)

Source: Wilcox M. H. et al .: Microbiological comparison of hand-drying methods: the potential for contamination of the environment, user, and bystander. J Hoso Infect, August 27, 2014.

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