Does anyone else get bugged by the idea of using electric hand driers in public loos?!

[Notquitegrownup]

I just hate the idea that so many people expect to switch on electric blowers to dry their hands. I usually use a clean handky in my pocket (you always used to have to take in clean handies in the olden days, in case there weren't any towels) (or swipe my hands on my T shirt/jeans )

I find myself glowering at other hand-blower users, and my kids now whisper things like "Look at that lady, drying her hands with a machine! And besides, it takes so long and never seems to work properly anyway!

Anyone else share my obsession?! It's just such a waste of energy!

The amount of women I have seen in restaurants not washing their hands is disgusting too noonki!

Sorry Ellideb, that was to Fimbo, re not washing hands. Cross post!

lol Redhead, at asking them if they are NQGU!

Ds (3.5)is scared of hand driers so when we are together I usually use the loo roll to dry hands - is this any greener though? I think not! Hand driers are seen as less hassle I guess as you don't have to 'dry' your hands on a damp towel or use tons of tissue/towels to dry your hands.
Not something which I really think about tbh!

Elliedb I imagine loo roll is more hygienic than a drier (especially if it's one of those that's hidden away in a roller).

Since I did my infection control course I rarely use driers - we were shown slides of bacteria swabbed from people's hands before and after they had used driers, and compared with swabs from people who had used paper towels, or not washed their hands at all.

On average, the people who had used the driers had the most bacteria on their hands [yuk emoticon].

Depending where I am, I won't even use the washing facilities but will use hand gel instead.

hospital i was at today has hand dryers in the main loos at the entrabnce. rest are all paper towels.

but i tend to use alcohol gel at every available oppertunity in hospitals. still bugs me that they dont have dispensers right on the exits though.

Sidge that hand driers have more bacteria than not washing your hands at all!

And there was me, just trying to save the planet! Now I'll definitely never use one again!

I agree with you Sidge its just that some people recoil from the thought of using loo roll and I don't see why if it is covered.

I have read a study that showed you had more bacteria on your hands 1 minute after washing them then when you did before wasing them. It was to do with agitating your skin, bacteria would come up from the deeper layers. Ewww. It looks like we can't win. Alcohol gel is only effective after you have washed your hands too. By putting it on dirty hands its not really doing as much good as people like to believe.

Ooh, they've got the Dyson Air Blade ones at Longleat.
They're really quick, but it's not pleasant to watch the crepey not quite so youthful skin on my hands undulate in the airstream. It's like something off Dr Who

So, do the Dyson airblade things also have bacteria? They are in a local large hospital.
They are so noisy I had to pluck up my courage to use it!!

We've got the Dyson one in a lovely pub/restaurant near where I live. It's a treat to use the bathroom there!

Does anyne remember those blue cloth 'pullers'?

I'd heard that dryers weren't very hygenic as the older ones just blow the germs around esp where they are near a toilet...

Not sure about the dyson ones - we've got one at our local shopping centre and they do dry your hands quickly and seem to work on the same basis as the dryers at a car wash where they blow the water off your hands.

I do SC! If I used them, I would use the very very edge, as they could get really grubby in the middle!

(That reminds me of when I started University in the early 80s - we had hard toilet paper, stamped with the words "Government Issue" printed on each square. Ooh, life in the olden days!)

Hello

Won't do a sales pitch. But Dyson machines are very energy efficient and also have a big HEPA filter to get rid of nasties in the air before drying your hands. Hence being in hospitals.

I'll let you carry on your interesting debate now...

Colditz, I hated those roller towels, glad they aren't around as much. Worst of the lot for holding germs

Paper towels, loo roll, jeans in that order of preference for me.

Hate electric hand dryers.

i dont use hand dryers either

(except for dyson ones)