How does drying hands influence hand hygiene?

Yes, you may know that hand hygiene is essential. But did you know that washing hands without properly drying them afterward will have little effect? Even worse, a wet environment is a place where germs love to thrive. Especially when we are busy or in a hurry, we neglect this action because we don’t have time or are just too lazy to do it. 

Hands can absorb bacteria and germs in a matter of time. The first step to stop the germ spread is washing hands; the next step is drying them. Let’s check in more detail why hand drying is such an essential step in hand hygiene.

Hand Drying Effectiveness

Hand hygiene is very important in healthcare settings and cleaning and drying your hands go hand in hand. Why it matters is as follows:

1. Stopping the Germs from Spreading

An important first step in avoiding healthcare-associated diseases is drying your hands. Germs and bacteria may be easily transferred by wet hands, which can result in diseases. Wet hands are more likely to transfer germs to other surfaces, particularly high-touch locations like light switches, elevator buttons, door knobs, faucets, and flush buttons. By removing moisture from the skin, proper hand drying greatly minimizes the amount of bacteria that might spread, acting as a method of cross-contamination prevention.

2. Increase Hygiene Efficiency

Use proper hand hygiene practices to wave goodbye to bacterial transmission. So, as a first step, you wash your hands with soap to remove all the dirt and viruses your hands hold. After that, if you neglect to dry your hands, you also say hi to more germs. Drying your hands helps to get rid of the remaining germs that stick around after washing your hands. 

3. Reducing Germ-Friendly Places

As you’ve seen above, proper hand drying leads to bacterial removal and infection prevention, which helps reduce germ-friendly environments. This is particularly important in healthcare systems, where doctors do their best to heal patients and don’t want to run into more trouble because of poor hand hygiene.

4. Compliance with Hygiene Standards

Hygiene in hospitals, food preparation areas, and laboratories is essential, as they follow strict standards and regulations to avoid posing a threat to human health. These standards usually emphasize how important it is to dry your hands and how effective hand washing is at reducing the chance of infection.

5. Comfort and Skin Health

And finally, drying your hands is essential to prevent the dryness and irritation of damp hands. So, you can keep the natural moisture balance of your skin and keep it clean when drying your hands.

Comparing Hand Drying Methods

Paper Towels vs. Air Dryers

The two main types of hand-drying methods are paper towels and hand dryers, as you may know. Paper towels require less time but are not good for the environment. However, even though they can take longer, hand dryers don't add to trash or deforestation. High-speed hand dryers are a great option these days because they can dry hands in as little as 10 seconds. Let's be aware of when to use hand dryers and paper towels.

Hand Dryers

• High-Traffic Areas: Hand dryers are best used in high-traffic areas such as airports and malls, where it's crucial to minimize waste and replenish supplies.
• Eco-Friendly Settings: Ideally found in areas where sustainability is given priority, as this minimizes paper waste.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Fit for long-term savings, particularly in settings where cutting recurring expenses is crucial.
• High-Hygiene Facilities: Good for food prep facilities with touchless models to reduce contamination or hospitals.

Paper Towels

• Healthcare Settings: Optimal for improved infection control and germ elimination in hospitals.
• Sensitive Environments: Essential in labs and food processing facilities where hygienic conditions are paramount.
• Cross-Contamination Concerns: Because they are single-use and disposable, they work best in environments where limiting the transmission of germs is essential.

The Importance of Hand Dryers

There is a growing need for hand dryers! It is expected to increase to an astounding $1.14 billion by 2029 from $980 million in 2024. That's a continuous rise!

What, then, is the cause of this growth?

• Turning Green: Hand dryers reduce waste and their environmental impact by using fewer resources.
• Hygiene First: People desire to stay away from germs, especially in public settings like restaurants and hospitals. The reason why touchless hand dryers are so popular is because they reduce interaction with potentially unclean surfaces.
• Government Support: Businesses that utilize energy-efficient technology, such as hand dryers, can take advantage of subsidies offered by several governments.
• Tech-Related Takeover: A new generation of businesses is creating inventive hand dryers. The industry is being forced to produce even better goods by this competition. Hand dryers serve purposes beyond simple hand drying, combining technology, health, and sustainability. 

To conclude, hand drying has a direct influence on hand hygiene. The next time you consider hand washing, remember to take this crucial action. Additionally, remember to get paper towels and hand dryers for your company to stop bacterial growth and cross-contamination.