The Great Debate: Hand Dryers or Paper Towels?

Washing your hands is a simple task, yet it is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of disease and infection. Germs can easily spread in restaurants and food establishments because large numbers of people are gathered in a small capacity. Unlikely perpetrators, like dish towels, may spread bacteria when servers wipe down table tops or chairs. With the flu season quickly approaching, Public Kitchen Supply has compared hand dryers to paper towels, in hopes of exposing which method will keep you happy and healthy.
According to the Washington Post, paper towels are not only more hygienic but people prefer them. Paper towels dry hands quicker while physically removing bacteria. Low pressure hand dryers have a tendency to harbor microscopic bacteria and can blast it into the atmosphere, quickly spreading disease. Touchless battery powered towel dispensers are great because you will not contaminate your hands by turning a nob and guaranteed a fresh paper towel every time. The Touchless Roll Towel Dispenser by San Jamar is a fantastic example of a high quality towel dispenser. It works very well with standard 10” rolls, like the Acme® Hardwound Paper Towel Roll. People who pick paper towels over hand dryers usually do so because of hygiene and customer preference, but there is a solid argument for purchasing hand dryers.
Hand dryers tend to be inexpensive when compared to paper towels. They require very little maintenance, whereas paper towels must be constantly changed and waste paper. From an environmental perspective, hand dryers surpass paper towels exponentially. Environmentalist estimate hand dryers use 5% less energy than paper towels in the first year, and 20% less after five years. The World Dryer SMARTdri Hand Dryer, features automatic operation, has three different speed and sound settings, the longest lifetime available, with top of the line hygienic antimicrobial technology, making it highly efficient and an excellent way to dry hands.
When choosing between hand dyers and paper towels the better choice comes down to opinion. Paper towels are better for overall hygiene and have a higher customer preference. Hand dryers are great because they save money, require less maintenance and are kinder to the environment. But the infamous hand dryer versus paper towel debate is useless if customers and staff do not wash their hands. Remind employees that washing hands is a must in the food industry, you can do this easily with signs like the Update International - Employees Must Wash Hands Sign.
Keeping hands clean is one of the most important moves we can take to prevent the spread of germs and promote food safety. Public Kitchen Supply wants to help you keep your staff, restaurant, customers and body protected. Wash your hands after using the restroom, taking out trash, before cooking and after touching raw meat. Run hot water over your hands and wrists. Lather your hands and wrist with soap, remember to get between your fingers and under your nails, continue this process for 10 to 15 seconds. Lastly rinse and dry your hands using a paper towel or hand dryer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11 Jan. 2013. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. Petri, Alexandra. "The Paper Towel-hand Dryer Wars Are over." The Washignton Post. N.p., 14 Nov. 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2013. Smithers, Rebecca. "Paper Towels Least Green Way of Drying Hands, Study Finds." The Guardian. N.p., 11 Nov. 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2013.