A new study has found jet air dryers, such as the Dyson blade, spread 1,300 times more viral plaques than paper towels, sending some as much as 10 feet.
They dry your hands really fast, but those jet hand dryers found in an increasing number of public restrooms are also blowing clumps of viruses all over the place. A new study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology looked at how sanitary paper towels, warm air dryers and jet dryers were, and found that the jet air dryers, such as the Dyson blade, spread 1,300 times more viral plaques than paper towels, sending some as much as 10 feet.
For the study, participants were asked to dip their gloved hands into a solution that contained a harmless virus known as MS2. They then tried one of the three methods of drying their hands, followed by a collection of samples from the air and surfaces at varying distances from where the drying was done. The jet dryer spread the viruses far greater distances than the other methods, as measured by petri dishes set at varying locations in the bathroom.
In addition to being scattered throughout the restroom, the petri dishes were set at varying heights. The researchers found that 70 percent of the viruses launched by the jet dryer were at the height of a small child’s face.
The study also looked at how long the viruses lingered in the air after the participants hands were dried using the various methods. There were 50 times more viral particles remaining in the air 15 minutes after a jet dryer blast than after a warm air dryer, and 100 times more than after drying with a paper towel.
The results are important when evaluating the method for hand-drying, particularly for a location where hygiene is critical, such as food preparation areas or healthcare settings.
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