American Dallin Lewis posted a video of an experiment on growing microbes from hand dryers in Petri dishes, demonstrating that the devices may not be safe. This has been reported daily mail.
The author of the video conducted an experiment in a public toilet, a gas station, a movie theater and a store. He held the Petri dish in the path of the airflow coming out of the dryer for a few seconds. After three days of incubation, each Petri dish was covered with white, yellow and black dots – bacteria and fungi. The dryer in the public toilet was the dirtiest.
Earlier, David Webber, a microbiologist with 50 years of experience, said that not drying your hands after going to the toilet can be even worse than not washing them at all. But the Petri dish, which swung in the air in the bathroom to mimic how someone shakes their hands after washing before hatching, remained completely transparent – suggesting that shaking hands would be much more hygienic than drying with a dryer.
Previous research has shown that hand dryers can accumulate germs by sucking in air. But experts say it’s important to dry your hands after washing, as the moist environment is ideal for bacteria to thrive. Previous studies have shown that 85% of germs come from wet hands to surfaces.
The Daily Mail lists the worst ways to dry your hands by wiping them on your hair, clothes or toilet paper. Some experts recommend shaking your hands before use to reduce bacterial contamination in dryers. However, research is needed to test the effectiveness of this measure. In the meantime, using paper towels or even air drying remains one of the best options.