Whenever I find myself needing to use a public restroom, a wave of unease washes over me. While I wouldn’t label myself as a complete germaphobe, I’m certainly cautious about the myriad of germs lurking on the toilet seats, wet counters, and—don’t even get me started on—the unsightly floors! If I have my child with me, I may very well become a bit frantic, ensuring she doesn’t touch anything with her bare hands. Honestly, if there were a HAZMAT suit designed specifically for public restrooms, I’d be the first to wear it.
To mitigate the germ exposure, I take various precautions. I utilize toilet seat covers, or if those are unavailable, I lay down some toilet paper. I use my foot to flush non-automatic toilets and carefully open the stall door with a tissue. After washing my hands for the recommended 20 seconds—or one rendition of “Happy Birthday”—I prefer to dry my hands with paper towels. I appreciate the fresh, untouched length of recycled paper that the automatic dispensers provide. While it’s a bit unsettling to think about the trees that sacrificed their lives for my convenience, I find solace in knowing it’s all compostable.
Recently, I’ve noticed a troubling trend: the increasing prevalence of those noisy jet air dryers that seem to be popping up in public restrooms. They look sleek—often silver with orange accents and a futuristic blue light directing you where to place your hands. These devices kick on automatically and blast air at speeds of up to 400 mph, effectively “squeegeeing” the water off your hands. However, if you’re over the age of 38 and acutely aware of your skin’s aging, a squeegee for your hands isn’t exactly the most appealing option.
I can’t stand jet air dryers. Not only do they wreak havoc on my delicate skin, but they also terrify my noise-sensitive child, who instinctively covers her ears whenever we’re near one. Perhaps even worse, I find them to be quite unhygienic. Typically, there’s only one or two in a restroom, meaning I often have to walk with wet hands to reach one. Upon arriving, I frequently encounter a small puddle of stagnant water at the base of the device, leftover from who knows how many other hands. Oh, and let’s not ignore the fine mist of water sprayed against the wall and the puddles forming on the floor beneath these contraptions. It’s absolutely revolting.
A recent post by Sarah Collins on social media included a disturbing image of what can grow in a Petri dish after just a few days of exposure to air dryer particles. “This is what I cultured,” she wrote. “Several strains of potentially pathogenic fungi and bacteria that you’re spreading on your hands, and you thought you were leaving with clean hands.”
But it gets worse. In a study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, researchers tested various hand-drying methods—paper towels, warm air dryers, and jet air dryers—to see which method dispersed the most viruses into the air. The findings were alarming. After participants washed their hands with a low-level virus, the results showed that jet air dryers propelled germs further and higher than paper towels or traditional hot air dryers. Fifteen minutes after using a jet dryer, the air contained 50 times more germs than after using a hot air dryer and 100 times more than when using paper towels. Clearly, a return to paper towels is necessary.
Sadly, the likelihood of public restrooms transitioning back to paper towels is slim. Electric dryers are cheaper to manufacture and maintain than managing used paper towels. Environmentally, the move away from paper towels may seem logical, but the reality is that germs are everywhere. Observational studies by the American Society for Microbiology have shown a disparity between the number of people who claim to wash their hands and those who actually do. In cities like Atlanta, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco, 90% of women and 75% of men were observed washing their hands, compared to the 97% of women and 96% of men who claimed they did.
Moreover, the germ-laden water that sprays up when those powerful public toilets flush is enough to make anyone consider holding it until they get home. So, do jet air dryers pose a health risk? While nothing has been definitively proven, given the severity of this cold and flu season, it’s better to be safe than sorry. My personal strategy? A portable restroom kit stocked with toilet seat covers, extra tissues, and hand sanitizer—at least until someone invents that HAZMAT suit.
In summary, the push toward jet air dryers in public restrooms raises significant hygiene concerns, as these devices may spread harmful bacteria and viruses. The effectiveness of paper towels as a safer alternative remains evident, yet the transition back may be unlikely due to economic and environmental factors.