(WHDH) — Air hand dryers spread bacteria to clothing and surfaces outside of the bathroom at a much higher rate than using paper towels, a new study has found.
Researchers at Cambridge University conducted the study in a hospital environment and found that jet air dryers leave behind residual moisture on hands, which leads to an increased microorganism transfer from hands to surfaces.
The use of paper towels resulted in lower rates of virus contamination on hands and clothing compared to air dryers, researchers added.
Volunteers who took part in the study used paper towels to dry their hands for an average of 12 seconds and then did the same with an air dryer for 10 seconds.
Both the air dryer and the paper towel methods significantly reduced bacteria on the hands, but researchers found that contamination on clothing was “significantly higher” following use of the air dryer.
The average surface contamination following hand contact was 10 times higher after air dryer use than after paper towel use, and the bacteria transfer from clothing was said to be only detected on surfaces sampled following air dryer use.
“The process of hand drying is essential in minimizing the risk of pathogen spread,” researchers wrote in their findings.
Researchers also noted that pathogens can persist for several hours on hands and up to several months on surfaces.
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