WASHROOMS AIRING WASHROOMMISCONCEPTIONS
Are modern air dryers the most hygienic way of drying hands in washrooms? Paul Mulready, Marketing Manager at Northwood Hygiene Products, shares some insights.
Proper hand hygiene is essential for reducing the spread of viruses and germs. We naturally focus on washing our hands when it comes to hygiene, but how we dry them is important too. Many of us may believe that handwashing and hand-drying facilities in public washrooms are hygienic, but they might not be as effective as we think.
Did you know that damp hands allow germs to thrive or that paper towels may be the most hygienic option for washrooms? Let’s look at the evidence.
Paper or air? A study at Leeds General Infirmary found that drying with paper towels resulted in lower rates of virus contamination compared to using air dryers. On average, the levels of contamination of surfaces after hand drying with air dryers was 10 times higher than with paper towels.
Damp hands spread germs more readily, but few people take enough time to dry hands hygienically with air dryers before leaving the washroom and some people rub their hands on their clothes to dry them if air drying is the only option. All this means that people are still carrying germs on their hands when they leave the washroom to spread elsewhere.
Furthermore, there have been many studies that have found that friction is a key component of hand drying to help remove contamination. So, the abrasive action of drying with paper towels can help to remove bacteria.
Optimising washroom hygiene With people often ignoring hand dryers on their way out of the washroom or not drying their hands effectively, it may be sensible to provide paper towels instead, which are both hygienic and convenient. So, how do facilities managers ensure the washroom provides the best conditions for good hand hygiene without compromising on cost or sustainability?
Preventing over usage is key, FMs should look for quality manufactured, high-capacity, controlled-use devices that
restrict the use of consumables. Thinking sustainably, it’s wise to ensure that paper products are made only from raw materials that have been sustainably sourced – either from recycled materials or from sustainably managed forests.
Northwood Hygiene, for instance, uses Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper within its North Shore range, as well as offering 100% recycled paper options. Furthermore, all packaging (including cardboard cores, cardboard cartons and paper and plastic wraps) is fully recyclable.
Fit for purpose Our high-capacity North Shore premium proprietary system of washroom dispensers and consumables can help to maintain good hand hygiene in washrooms.
Designed to deliver zero waste and volume in use, North Shore offers industry-leading capacity and supreme cost-in-use benefits. It is easy to install and maintain, as well as being durable, hygienic and environmentally sustainable.
There are three wipe-clean hand towel dispensers, which include a high-capacity mechanical hands-free roll towel dispenser, a sensor-operated, premium towel on demand hybrid roll towel dispenser and a folded towel dispenser, which dispenses sheets one at a time to prevent over-use.
There is a choice of soap dispensers and consumables for the washroom too. The easy to load manual soap dispenser is simple to wipe clean, with each cartridge including a new nozzle for added hygiene. It is compatible with Northwood’s range of alcohol and alcohol-free sanitisers and soaps.
Washrooms are vital for hand hygiene and with a little thought, FMs can ensure they deliver the best standards of cleanliness possible.
www.northwood.co.uk
30 | TOMORROW’S FM
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