The touch-free appeal may have people believe that impressive jet-air hand dryers are more hygienic, however the opposite has been found in biological research.

In recent years, jet-air hand dryers have grown in popularity, as evidenced by the increasing distribution in major public facilities such as cinemas and shopping complexes. This is, however, showing to be at the expense of the user's hygiene, as recent research has shed light on their lack of cleanliness when compared to warm air counterparts.

In a study published by the Journal of Applied Microbiology, research indicated that jet dryers spread 60 times more germs than conventional warm air dryers.

The research measured bacteria spread by dipping gloved hands into a solution containing a harmless MS2 virus. Following this, the gloved hands were shaken and then subjected to various hand drying options (such as warm air or jet air). Samples of the air and surrounding surfaces were then taken for analysis. The results indicated that the difference in the germs' radius spread was approximately 10 feet to 2.5 feet between jet air and warm air respectively.

This indicates the importance of choosing the correct hand dryer option. MacDonald Industries Managing Director, Ian Strickett, explains that "we've always been very specific in the kind of hand dryers we supply for hygiene reasons." He states that "particularly for architects specifying for buildings with germ prevention as a priority, such as health care and food, this is a must."

To discuss the right hand drying device for commercial washroom specifications, talk to MacDonald Industries.