Hand dryers can circulate germs through the air. Why are they still used everywhere?

Airborne contaminants, dirty toilet seats, mould and mildew: long before the coronavirus pandemic came around, the hygiene-focused among us knew public washrooms are grimy places.

Most adults visit the bathroom around 8-10 times a day. With an average hand-drying time of 30 seconds, we could expect between 4-5 minutes of daily dryer use per person (and more for people with an overactive bladder or similar disorders).

In an attempt to facilitate the hand washing process, are hand dryers adding to the filth by blowing contaminants around? And if so, why are they still common?

The need to dry

Drying hands is an essential part of the hand washing process. Wet hands can further the spread of microbes, since moisture facilitates their…