Studies show that paper hand towels are a more hygienic option than warm air dryers.
Furthermore, over 60 per cent of washroom users prefer paper towels to other hand drying systems.
A recent study carried out at the University of Westminster in London revealed that paper towels were the safest method of drying the hands after washing.
New-style jet air dryers were found to increase the amount of bacteria on hands after drying, potentially spreading contamination to other washroom users too.
In the study, commissioned by the European Tissue Symposium, volunteers with artificially contaminated hands were asked to wash and dry them using either a new-style jet air dryer, a warm air dryer or paper towels.
The new-style jet air dryer was shown to disperse the contamination up to a distance of at least two metres.
“Any such contamination could be blown over the person using the adjacent unit and inhaled by any persons present in the washroom,” the study claimed.
Drying with the jet air dryer resulted in an average bacteria increase of 42 per cent on the finger pads and 15 per cent on the palms. After using the warm air dryer, bacteria levels increased by an average of 194 per cent on the finger pads and 254 per cent on the palms. However, drying the hands with a paper towel reduced the bacteria by an average of 76 per cent on the finger pads and 77 per cent on the palms.
Meanwhile, a survey carried out by Intermetra on behalf of the European Tissue Symposium revealed that 63 per cent of washroom users would use paper hand towels in preference to any other system.
Only 28 per cent preferred warm air dryers, while the rest favoured textile towels.
Around 72 per cent of respondents said hygiene was their highest priority when choosing a hand drying method, while 22 per cent were more concerned about speed of drying and six per cent said a “dry feel” was their top priority.
The Users' Preferences In Hand Drying Systems survey polled 2,000 people from France, Sweden, Germany and the UK on their hand drying practices. More than a quarter of those questioned preferred not to dry their hands at all if they were unable to find a “suitable” hygienic hand drying system.
Meanwhile, a total of 96 per cent of users perceived disposable hand towels as being the most hygienic hand drying option of all.