Here’s a nugget of knowledge you’ll never want to forget: the electric hand dryer was
invented in 1948 by an inventor from Chicago called George Clemens.
Well, some sources tell us that, but others say the Airdry Corporation of New York patented
the process in 1922.
In terms of how they look, hand dryers haven’t really changed all that much over the years.
The problem back in the day but not so much now was that these machines were really noisy.
Then in the 1990s we saw the introduction of the superb Mitsubishi Jet Towel, which
was said to be a game changer.
It was possibly overtaken in 2006 by Dyson’s Airblade or perhaps by the super-fast dryer,
the Xlerator.
Now you know the history of hand dryers, and you can thank us in the comments.
Welcome to this episode of the Infographics Show, Why Hand Dryers Are Making You Sick.
First of all, you might think it strange that we are going to tell you why hand dryers might
make you sick because in some ways they were created to be very hygienic.
After all, who wants to share a hand towel that’s been used by 274 people?
The reason we wash our hands, of course, is to wash off germs, and if you’ve seen our
show on germs, you’ll know that bathrooms, especially around wash basins and toilet seats,
are where germs like to hang out.
Drying your hands on a used towel after washing them is about as productive as using a deodorant
that smells of sweet, salty, stinking sweat.
Hand dryers also cut down on waste compared to disposable paper towels.
Surely, the electric hand dryer was a win for the consumer, for the owner, and for the
environment.
Okay, if you are germophobic, we suggest you get ready to be scared.
If you’re not, you’re at least about to see public restrooms in a light you may have
not seen them in before.
Thanks to researchers at the University of Connecticut whose work became famous, or should
we say infamous, in 2018, we know something about hand dryers that we didn’t know before.
As we said, if you saw our video on germs, you’ll know that bathrooms are germ havens.
If you could somehow see germs, a bathroom would look like a phantasmagoria of pathogens
all vying to survive while hanging out on surfaces and being blown into the air.
You’ll know that germs love to wait on sponges and towels, but you’ll also know that when
we flush our poop down the toilet germs can be carried in what are called “aerosol plumes”
as high at 15 feet (4.5 meters).
Flushing is like detonating a poop-germ atomic bomb.
And that bomb when it explodes lets out things like salmonella, shigella, E. Coli, and Hepatitis
A, which dutifully fill your nostrils and enter your mouth.
That’s why some people, and we are not kidding, say you should put the seat down when you
flush.
This poop-germ salvo of pernicious pathogens in your own bathroom is one thing, but a public
bathroom is another.
In an airport or train station, these bombs are going off round the clock, and each one
has its very own ingredients.
These places are home to germ warfare, and you are the enemy.
Now that you know that, let’s get back to hand dryers.
You see, these scientists who studied hand dryers told us something very important.
When you turn on that dryer, you virtually blow germs all over the place, onto people
near you, and onto yourself.
Back to the nuclear bomb analogy, hand dryers are like strong nuclear winds after the initial
explosion.
How do they know this?
Well, they went into schools in the USA and started analyzing germ movement around hand
dryers.
They put plates around the dryers and plates in other parts of the bathroom.
The plates not near the dryer had only about one germ colony on them when they were examined.
However, the plates near the dryers had 18 to 60 bacterial colonies per plate after the
dryer had been used for around 30 seconds.
What these scientists found out was that “many kinds of bacteria, including potential pathogens
and spores, can be deposited on hands exposed to bathroom hand dryers.”
Sources tell us that at the University of Connecticut they now use paper towels instead
of electric dryers.
You might be thinking, well, I wash my hands before I dry them, so how does bacteria end
up getting near the dryer?
Well, even after you have washed, you still take germs to the dryer.
The studies show that around the dryers you’ll find many germs, while dryers also sucked
in germs as well as blew out those bacterial cyclones.
“One reason hand dryers disperse so many bacteria is the large amount of air that passes
through hand dryers, 19,000 linear feet (5791.2 m) per minute at the nozzle,” said the researchers.
“The convection generated by high airflow below the hand dryer nozzles could also draw
in room air.”
In addition, a report published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology told us that jet dryers
are the worst offenders when it comes to spreading germs as they obviously blow the hardest.
However, all types of dryers are suckers and blowers of germs.
But here’s some good news.
Most of us have immune systems that are strong enough to prevent us from getting sick when
we come into contact with these germs.
We are surrounded by germs, and we fight them all the time.
The scientists tell us it’s perhaps better not have hand dryers blowing germs everywhere
in places such as hospitals where you might find people with weak immune systems.
But some sources also say that if you are feeling under the weather or may have been
up all night partying or studying, maybe you should lay off the hand drying that day.
Schools and universities might be thinking they can do nothing right because over the
last couple of decades they have mostly gotten rid of paper towels because dryers were supposed
to be environmentally friendly.
While high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can reduce this perfect storm of bacteria,
they won’t make things that much better.
And other studies have been done.
The Journal of Hospital Infection published its own research.
It found that folks using those jet dryers had 4.5 times more bacteria on their hands
than the people who had used a warm-air dryer.
They also had 27 times more bacteria than folks who had used paper towels.
A study published in the Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences had similar findings,
saying that hand dryers deposit lots of germs on hands and blow germs through buildings.
Dr. Thomas Murry was interviewed by Healthline about this, and the doctor said there is no
need to worry as most people’s immune systems will fight germs whenever they visit areas
where many people congregate.
He added, though, that there seems to be little point washing your hands and then just going
right to the dryer and covering them with germs, the ones you thought you just washed
off.
Dr. Gerba, who we talked about in our germ show, recommends we wash our hands well with
soap and then head right to the disposable towels.
Other experts said let’s face it: When you’re in a public bathroom, you are not gonna get
away from germs.
You are in the trenches every time you enter one of these germ-opolises, and you’ll likely
survive.
Saying that, we doubt you’ll ever look at a hand dryer the same again.
Will you
carry on using these dryers?
Why or why not?
Tell us in the comments.
Also, be sure to check out our other show Diseases That Will Kill You The Quickest.
Thanks for watching, and as always, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe.
See you next time!