There was a peer-reviewed report published in the journal for Applied and Environmental Microbiology that studied the amount of bacteria that was blown from hand dryers in 36 public restrooms at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. The sample from the study concluded that as many as 60 colonies of bacteria were blown from a hand dryer in just 30-seconds. A number of those bacteria were linked to fecal and human bacteria, even bacteria known to cause serious infections.

Why YSK: So that you are informed for your own health, hygiene, and wellness and to prevent further spread of more harmful bacteria.

Citation & Sources: “Deposition of Bacteria and Bacterial Spores by Bathroom Hot-Air Hand Dryers” (April 2018), Applied and Environmental Microbiology

https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/AEM.00044-18

  • EnderWi99in@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Paid for by the paper towel industry which was in response to the hand dryer industry putting out it’s own paid study about how paper towels just spread fecal matter around your hands. It’s all shit no matter how you spread it.

  • BlueLineBae@midwest.social
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    1 year ago

    I can’t remember where I saw this so take it with a grain of salt… But I remember that the set of studies to come out on the sanitary condition of air dryers was funded by the paper towel industry. Not that the studies aren’t correct or anything, but I do think that it’s something to consider.

  • CobblerScholar@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    You should also know that when they test for fecal matter they aren’t looking for actual pieces of poo they are looking for bacteria that are present in poo. You will find those bacteria just about everywhere

  • CmdrShepard@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    I’m pretty sure that regardless of where you are or what you’re doing, fecal matter is getting blown on your hands. Mythbusters tested this out once by putting tooth brushes all over their shop and then culturing the bacteria from them. IIRC the ones that were in the bathroom had the least amount of fecal matter.

    • PorkTaco@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      The thing I remember is that even the control toothbrush that got opened and immediately locked away had fecal bacteria on it.

  • TigrisMorte@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    If the blower is blowing fecal matter then it would also be settling all over the paper towels. Issue is placement not anything to do with the blowers.

    • over_clox@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Almost every public restroom I’ve ever been in has the paper towels and toilet paper locked in a closed dispenser unit.

      • Nindelofocho@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        oh those are definitely not sealed or protected from the air in the bathroom anymoreso than a hand dryer is. Not to mention many paper product replacements are stored elsewhere in or at least near the same bathroom

    • eric@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Luckily paper towels are stacked though, so I’ll just avoid wiping my hands with the folds.

    • Ubettawerk@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      1 year ago

      Bathrooms should just have a unisex hand washing station away from the toilets. May not work well for older buildings but new developments can implement that easier

      • Nindelofocho@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        i like this idea a lot and perhaps people would wash their hands more if the fact that walking past them and not doing so would broadcast the very fact they dont wash their hands

        • Ubettawerk@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          1 year ago

          There is a bar/arcade near me that has their sinks right outside both bathrooms in full view of all the patrons, and I think it would definitely encourage people to wash their hands since everyone can see you leave the restroom, especially considering it’s a place where people are touching everything

  • Loulou@lemmy.mindoki.com
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    1 year ago

    It’s not easy to convey important information when it comes to biology IMO.

    Yeah we breath in fart and poop “particles” all the time, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

    I don’t know about the idea that every time you take a breath you inspire some molecules from when Ceasar said “et tu mon Brutus”, or any other inspiring phrase, but also from one of Hitlers farts.

    Molecules are small, really small and there are really many of them.

    Our immune system works really hard, crazily hard even, and it’s not a simple mechanism (we basically don’t know how it works) but if you want to know if a fan blowing air or towel or a one usage towel is good or bad (or obviously how they influence our wellbeing) you have to do a real study. By scientists, and not by news looking “journalists”.

    BTW fact of the day to throw you off: there are somewhere around 600.000 cells that divide in an adult human body every:

    .

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    second.

    Cheers

  • dan1101@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Yeah if there is nothing but blowers I just wipe my hands on my pants. If the blowers could somehow bring in outside air that should be better, but that complicates the install and maintainence.

  • Hotdogman@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    … And a large portion of dust is dead skin cells. Also, during the springtime trees straight up bukake your face and lungs.

  • marcos@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Well, it’s from your (and other people’s) hands, onto everywhere.

    Still, AFAIK it’s not clear if this is a problem.

  • Osirus@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    Only wash my hands and flush the toilet in public restrooms that have touch less sinks. If the toilet isn’t automatic, I use my foot. Use the paper towel you wash your hands with to open the door on the way out or your sleeve if you have long sleeves on, or your elbow if it’s a push door. I’d rather have my own dick on my hands than my own and everyone else’s.

  • I_Miss_Daniel@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    I don’t care about that. What’s worse for me is that the Dyson ones are so damn loud. It’s a pain having to hold one arm over your head in the stall to cover both ears.

  • OutlierBlue@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    Just do what I do and wipe your hands on your pants because those blow dryers are virtually worthless. I’d have better luck blowing on my hands myself.

    Bonus: My pants aren’t covered in fecal mist… I hope.

    • macrocephalic@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Narrator voice: “They were”

      Basically everything is covered in fecal matter of you look well enough, and it doesn’t really matter. It’s really good for selling disinfectant though!

  • Kobrah@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Well I have to touch the door on the way out any way so it really doesn’t matter that much.

  • Daqu@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    Still cleaner than the doorknob. I hate opening a restroom door. The stuff I touch going in will land on my genitals, on the way out everywhere else, like my face and food.