Surprising Facts About Hand Dryers You Didn’t Know

One of the most common personal hygiene mistakes people make is forgetting to dry their hands after washing. Germs and bacteria are more likely to stick to wet hands than dry ones even after you wash them with soap and water. Hand dryers are an underappreciated resource in public washrooms since they offer the finishing touch to the handwashing process. There is a lot we don’t know about this everyday device in our lives. Here are a few fun facts about hand dryers that you may not have known about!

Energy-Efficient Hand Dryers Are Surprisingly Effective

If you run a facility with several washrooms then you need proper resources in all of them: toilets, stalls, sinks, and hand drying means. That can lead to a hefty energy and utility bill at the end of the month. Combined with the growing demand for “going green”, more people are leaning towards energy-efficient hand dryers. High-speed hand dryers have not only shortened the drying time to under 10 seconds, but they also take up less energy compared to conventional hand dryers. But wait, high-speed hand dryers make all that noise and require effort to blow water off the hands instead of drying them. How are they more energy-efficient though? It takes far more energy to power a warm-hair hand dryer than the strong blast of air for a high-speed hand dryer. That’s why high-speed hand dryers are considered more eco friendly and energy-saving compared to warm-air, conventional hand dryers. Make the right choice when shopping for hand dryers for business facilities. 

The Hand Dryers Or Paper Towels Debate Still Exists

The long-standing debate about whether hand dryers or paper towels are the more hygienic and overall effective hand drying choice still exists to this day. Up until now, there are split opinions about the safety and effectiveness of both. One side insists that hand dryers spread more germs than they get rid of while the other argues people don’t dry their hands with paper towels well and only result in washroom clutter. Researchers have been testing out both hypotheses and aiming to prove one theory as the ultimate truth for years. Currently, most research is at a standstill and find that both are equally effective at hand drying and propose an equal amount of advantages and disadvantages. It’s difficult to pin one against the other that’s why most facilities keep both options in their washrooms. 

Electric Hand Dryers Are Louder Than You Think

If you’ve dried your hands with a hand dryer in a public washroom and realized the sound drowns out every other sound in the washroom? Well, it isn’t a coincidence, hand dryers are actually much louder than we may be aware of. This is especially the case for high-speed hand dryers. Their system allows them to dry hands in less than 10-15 seconds by literally pushing the water off the hands, but that entire process is a bit loud. The noise of high-speed hand dryers is found to be equivalent to that of a lawnmower which is about 90 decibels. For comparison, exposure to sounds higher than 70 decibels can be harmful to your hearing. Conventional hand dryers that run with warm air are considerably less loud. 

UVC Hand Dryers Innovate The Hand Drying Industry

Aiming to innovate hand dryers to perfection, hand dryer manufacturers are implementing UV light in their models. UVC hand dryers are showing significant efficiency in bacteria elimination compared to regular high-speed and warm-air hand dryers. This is especially a high priority choice for hospitals, clinics, and medical institutions where maximal sanitation is preferable. If UVC hand dryers replace all other models, it will most likely put the end to the long-standing debate between hand dryers and paper towels. UV light will have nearly a 100% guarantee of killing germs and disinfecting hands compared to current models. Keep your eyes out for them since they’re the future of handwashing technology. 

Hand Dryers Need to be Installed at Certain Heights

We put our hands under the steady flow of air of the hand dryer and then go about our business. But we never pay much attention to how it’s always in the perfect reach of our hands. There are national standards for how high hand dryers are supposed to be attached to the walls, depending on the type of washroom (men’s, women’s, or special needs toilet) and the type of hand dryers. Hand dryers in Australia may be installed at a relatively different height than those in the US, for example. Although the universal standard isn’t too different, it may be a matter of centimeters or milimeters depending on local requirements, For example, if you have a hands-in hand dryer, then it needs to be installed lower to allow your hands to easily slide inside as opposed to a hand dryer that requires you to put your hands under it. Refer to your hand dryer’s installment instructions and national requirements to know the correct height for installation. 

How many of these facts about hand dryers did you know?