Paper Towels or Hand Dryers

Paper towels or Hand Dryers | Allcare Maintenance Services

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

We’ve all heard the big hand-drying debate. Should we use paper towels or hand dryers? Which is better for the environment? What about hygiene? And which one is more efficient and economical? Facility managers across the globe have contemplated this question because cutting operating costs impacts profitability. Making the correct choice can have a meaningful impact on the environment and the spread of germs. We have many angles from which to examine this conundrum.

Drying Hands in Commercial Washrooms

In general, there are three options for drying hands in public washrooms. Warm-air dryers, Jet dryers, and paper towels. Research finds advantages and disadvantages with each. They depend on the number of paper towels used, whether they are recycled, the power usage and how regional electricity is generated.

Warm-air dryers

The Airdry Corporation of New York invented the earliest warm-air dryer in 1921. It featured an inverted blower powered by a foot pedal and was sold as a floor unit. In 1948, George Clemens improved the clunky design making it smaller and more popular.

Manufacturers of electric air dryers will tell you to throw in the towel and install electric hand dryers. They arm their sales teams with data and research supporting the cost savings of using hand dryers and getting rid of paper towels in commercial washrooms.

Paper towels create extra garbage and clog pipes when people flush them down the toilets. Trash cans can look unsightly and unsanitary when overflowing with used paper towels. In addition, dispensers must be monitored and filled. And, of course, let’s not forget about managing and storing paper goods inventory. Without a doubt, paper towels add significant labour and product costs to high-traffic commercial operations like malls and airports.

Some manufacturers claim that warm-air drying can cut costs by as much as 99.5%. However, the upfront costs of installing air dryers can be sizable, too, at $500 to $1,000 per unit.

Jet Dryers

The Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan invented the first jet dryer technology. It blows air at very high speeds to whisk moisture off hands. Jet dryers do not require heat and are considerably quieter and more energy-efficient than warm-air dryers. The technology took off in the European and North American markets in the 2000s when Dyson launched their version, the Airblade (TM), claiming 86% cost savings over warm-air dryers.

Jet dryers may have an advantage over warm-air dryers. However, the starting cost of $1,200 per unit can be a mitigating factor for many organizations.

Paper Towels

Paper towels are the traditional option for hand drying in commercial washrooms. The first commercial paper towel was invented by the Scott Paper Company in 1907. To push back at the electric dryer completion, they, too, conducted their own research based on a very important issue associated with washrooms: hygiene.

No less than twelve studies prove that paper towels may be the best option to reduce the spread of microorganisms. This conclusion is also supported by organizations like the National Institute of Health, who recommend paper towels use over hand dryers in hospitals and health care clinics.

Proper Hand Washing is Key

For individuals wondering about using paper towels or air dryers, proper hand washing followed by completely drying hands is key.

Public health units recommend washing hands for 20 seconds, cleaning the front and back of hands, and from the tips of fingers to between fingers and thumbs. This is the most successful method to prevent the spread of microorganisms. From there, thoroughly dry hands are the next important issue. Wet hands transfer germs more easily to door handles and other high-touch surfaces.

However, facts show that many of us do not wash our hands as recommended above. At worst, some of us consider a sprinkling of water on our fingers an adequate measure of cleanliness. Also, air drying takes longer. When in a hurry, we do not take the time to dry our hands thoroughly after washroom visits.

The show Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel featured an episode where 16 people were swabbed three times, once after their hands were sprayed with a safe e-coli solution, then after washing and finally after drying. The results were an eye-opener. When hands are insufficiently clean, the drying method plays a significant role in how contaminants spread. Individuals who use air dryers saw a 23% reduction in the bacterial load on their hands. But those who used paper towels saw the same reduction by 71%!

Furthermore, washrooms with air dryers had more bacteria colonies around the drying receptacle compared to those with hand towels.

Inventory & Management of Washroom Supplies

Whether you have paper towels or air dryers in the washrooms, Allcare can become your partner in keeping your employees and visitors safe. We train our cleaners on the best practices to clean and sanitize your washrooms to make them hygienic.

Also, we can reduce some of the costs that come with paper towel use in washrooms. Keeping the receptacles full, tracking inventory of soap, sanitizers and paper goods, ordering them and arranging delivery from multiple suppliers can be an honorous task. Most suppliers require a minimum amount ordered and will charge delivery fees that can add to your bottom line.

Part of our comprehensive commercial cleaning packages includes inventory management of your supplies. We source them in very large quantities and provide them to you at competitive prices; in addition, you will incur no delivery fees because our staff will restock your washrooms at every visit. This ensures that your washrooms never run out of critical supplies that offer a first-line defence against the spread of germs and viruses.

If you are looking for more information about the use of paper towels or air dryers in your commercial washroom or for cost-effective measures to keep them clean, speak to an expert at Allcare.