Comments on: Paper Towels Beat Dryers – Hands Down! http://blog.spruceindustries.com/2009/03/06/paper-towels-beat-dryers-hands-down/ Wed, 27 Oct 2010 17:54:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Daniel Josephs http://blog.spruceindustries.com/2009/03/06/paper-towels-beat-dryers-hands-down/comment-page-1/#comment-554 Daniel Josephs Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:53:28 +0000 http://blog.spruceindustries.com/?p=74#comment-554 Dear Mr. Herter, Thank you for your comments. We always like to hear about different opinions. After reading your comments regarding the Mayo Clinic study, I did find one thing that might skew the results of that study. While I believe that the Mayo Clinic study was through and their results do demonstrate no statistically difference in the efficiency of 4 different hand-drying methods for removing bacteria from washed hands, my concern is actually with the study itself. You stated that the study started with hands that were washed with a nonantibacterial soap. I would pose this question to you. What is the percentage of people that actual wash their hands with soap before exiting the bathroom? Is it more likely that the majority of people actual just use water (no soap) to wash their hands? If that is the case, doesn't it mean that people who dry their hands with a hand dryer would actual spread the bacteria across the bathroom for the force of the air. Where as if they use paper towels, their hands would still not be bacteria free, but the bathroom wouldn't be effected as much either. I do believe that there might not be a different in drying methods if your hands are already cleaned from washing them with soap and water, but sadly that is just not the norm. Step one of our goal is get people to wash their hands often. How to dry their hands can be our step two. Dear Mr. Herter,
Thank you for your comments. We always like to hear about different opinions. After reading your comments regarding the Mayo Clinic study, I did find one thing that might skew the results of that study. While I believe that the Mayo Clinic study was through and their results do demonstrate no statistically difference in the efficiency of 4 different hand-drying methods for removing bacteria from washed hands, my concern is actually with the study itself. You stated that the study started with hands that were washed with a nonantibacterial soap. I would pose this question to you. What is the percentage of people that actual wash their hands with soap before exiting the bathroom? Is it more likely that the majority of people actual just use water (no soap) to wash their hands? If that is the case, doesn’t it mean that people who dry their hands with a hand dryer would actual spread the bacteria across the bathroom for the force of the air. Where as if they use paper towels, their hands would still not be bacteria free, but the bathroom wouldn’t be effected as much either.

I do believe that there might not be a different in drying methods if your hands are already cleaned from washing them with soap and water, but sadly that is just not the norm.

Step one of our goal is get people to wash their hands often. How to dry their hands can be our step two.

]]> By: Jim Herter http://blog.spruceindustries.com/2009/03/06/paper-towels-beat-dryers-hands-down/comment-page-1/#comment-551 Jim Herter Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:33:00 +0000 http://blog.spruceindustries.com/?p=74#comment-551 Dear Mr. Josephs: The study that you cite was ... by the Applied Ecology Research Group, University of Westminster, London, England for a study sponsored by the Association of the Makers of Soft Tissue Papers (March 1994). This study contended that hand dryers were unsafe and in some instances actually increased bacteria. It also contended that paper actually reduced bacteria counts. Notice who sponsored the 'study'! And I wouldn't claim that 1994 is recent. To the contrary, the Mayo Clinic conducted a study (non sponsored or commissioned)in July of 2000 regarding different methods of hand drying. The results were ...washing with a nonantibacterial soap and after drying by 4 different methods (cloth towels accessed by a rotary dispenser, paper towels from a stack on the hand-washing sink, warm forced air from a mechanical hand-activated dryer, and spontaneous room air evaporation). The results were analyzed using a nonparametric analysis (the Friedman test). By this method, changes in bacterial colony-forming unit values for each drying method were ranked for each subject. RESULTS: The results for 99 subjects were evaluable. No statistically significant differences were noted in the numbers of colony-forming units for each drying method (P = .72). CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate no statistically significant differences in the efficiency of 4 different hand-drying methods for removing bacteria from washed hands. Dear Mr. Josephs:

The study that you cite was … by the Applied Ecology Research Group, University of Westminster, London, England for a study sponsored by the Association of the Makers of Soft Tissue Papers (March 1994). This study contended that hand dryers were unsafe and in some instances actually increased bacteria. It also contended that paper actually reduced bacteria counts.

Notice who sponsored the ’study’! And I wouldn’t claim that 1994 is recent.

To the contrary, the Mayo Clinic conducted a study (non sponsored or commissioned)in July of 2000 regarding different methods of hand drying. The results were …washing with a nonantibacterial soap and after drying by 4 different methods (cloth towels accessed by a rotary dispenser, paper towels from a stack on the hand-washing sink, warm forced air from a mechanical hand-activated dryer, and spontaneous room air evaporation). The results were analyzed using a nonparametric analysis (the Friedman test). By this method, changes in bacterial colony-forming unit values for each drying method were ranked for each subject. RESULTS: The results for 99 subjects were evaluable. No statistically significant differences were noted in the numbers of colony-forming units for each drying method (P = .72). CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate no statistically significant differences in the efficiency of 4 different hand-drying methods for removing bacteria from washed hands.

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