Air driers less hygienic than paper towels in

JET hand driers spread dangerous bacteria around bathrooms and are significantly less hygienic than traditional paper towels, scientists have found.

An international study carried out in hospital lavatories established that modern driers created an aerosol effect, blasting E. coli on to surfaces, as well as traces of faeces and the bacteria responsible for septicaemia.

While the drier devices can often be activated without being touched, which is supposed to improve hygiene, they are problematic because people fail to wash their hands properly, the experts said.

This leaves harmful bacteria on the surface of the skin ready to be blown around the room. By contrast, paper towels absorb the bugs better, preventing other people being exposed to them.

Published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, the study was partly carried out at Leeds General Infirmary.

Department of Health guidance recommends that air driers should only be placed in public, rather than clinical, areas of the hospital, but only because of concerns around the noise.

“The problem starts because some people do not wash their hands properly,” said Prof Mark Wilcox, who led the study at the University of Leeds.

“When people use a jet air drier, the microbes get blown off and spread around the toilet room.”

“In effect, the drier creates an aerosol that contaminates the room, including the drier itself and potentially the sinks, floor and other surfaces”