This experiment was done by a TikTok user. The type of bacteria found in the samples has not been disclosed.

The hand dryer is not (really) your friend. A new experience reported by the Daily Mail again overwhelms these devices intended to quickly dry hands in bathrooms in public places. An experiment was carried out on several machines installed in a shopping center, a cinema and in a workplace.

According to the findings of this analysis carried out on TikTok by @the_lab_life1 The machines suck bacteria out of the air and then spray them onto freshly washed hands. “The reason is not that the machines are infested with bacteria, but rather that the hand dryers push bacterial aerosols from the bathroom onto the hands.“, illustrates the English newspaper. The type of bacteria discovered in the samples has not been revealed.

“The sample taken at work seems to trigger the most bacteria, and the scientist felt compelled to pop one of the bubbles in the sample.“, reveals the Daily Mail. If these devices for drying hands promised to be more hygienic, in the end it seems that it is not the most appropriate solution.

Do you prefer paper towels?

In 2018, A study was conducted by researchers from three European hospitals in the UK, France and Italy. As part of this work, the scientists analyzed the machines installed in the bathrooms of several hospitals. Thus, they found that the number of bacteria was significantly higher in the bathrooms on the days when the hand dryers were used.

In the UK and Paris, five times as many bacteria were picked up from floors on days when jet air dryers were used. For Professor Wilcox, the danger comes above all from the misuse of these dryers: “The problem starts because some people don’t wash their hands well. When people use a jet air dryer, germs are blown up and spread in the toilet“. And to conclude: “Jet air dryers often rely on touchless technology to initiate hand drying. However, paper towels absorb water and germs left on your hands, and if disposed of properly, the risk of cross-contamination is low.“.

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