I particularly hate those airblade things even more than regular air dryers. I like that they're faster and typically not as gross and warm but they are designed in a way where you feed your hand in to a narrow gap with powerful air jets in front of and behind your hands in this gap. Your hands are not a completely uniform symmetrical shape, so the jets buffet your hand around and they inevitably touch the parts of the device where the jets are located, right where everyone else has had the same thing happen. It grosses me out.
Good time to share How to use one paper towel (to thoroughly dry your hands in a public restroom).
Shake. Fold. It really does work.
My biggest issue is the decibel level. I can hear, for now, but the decibel level on those things makes one of my ears feel like it’s being blasted out of my skull and induces ringing.
I use the paper because it doesn’t hurt my ear.
Yes, I’ve seen a doctor, it simply is what it is and my only recourse for that ear is to wear ear protection. In any public restroom, apparently.
I just wish people would know how to use paper towels so that they don't end up wasting huge piles of them for nothing. 1 sheet is enough. You don't need 5. Do it like this:
- After washing your hands, brush excess water off each hand using your other hand. Your hands should not be dripping wet when you reach for the paper towel.
- Take a single paper towel. Don't scrunch it up, and don't just clasp the towel. Use all parts of the paper towel to deliberately wipe your hands. The paper towels are quite absorbent. They don't need to be 100% dry to remove the water from your hands.
The end. If you do this, your hands will not be wet. You will not need a second paper towel.
I mean sure, but!
... It trains everyone to make the silly nyaa anime catgirl poses with our arms and hands.
Checkmate.
All air dryers are trash, always have been.
Wilcox et al were working in a hospital setting and just found that the air bacterial counts were higher around hand dryers than around paper towel dispensers, which doesn't establish whether the hand dryers are actually a source of bacteria. A more recent meta-analysis found mixed outcomes. So both the sign and the graffito need to revise and resubmit, ideally with a more comprehensive survey of the published literature.
Noted. Thanks OP
Inconclusive sauce here: https://mander.xyz/post/21607221/15388187
Every few years either the paper towels or the dryer spreads more germs, depends on the mood you know.
Edit: Seems like Big Paper™ sent their goons /s https://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(11)00967-9/abstract
