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Paper Hand Towels vs Hand Dryers: Hygiene, Cost and Eco Impact
Drying your hands after washing them is vital for maintaining good hygiene practices. Moisture is a breeding ground for bacteria, so it’s important to provide easy and effective hand-drying options in workplace bathrooms.
Deciding between paper towels and electric hand dryers is a significant decision when updating your staff toilets or improving the facilities for customers and visitors.
Our comparison is here to help you make the best decision for your business by exploring the cost impact of paper towelettes and hand dryers as well as their environmental effect and hygiene levels.
Paper towels vs hand dryer solutions: Which is most hygienic?
Proper hand-drying is incredibly important in preventing the spread of germs, but are paper towels more effective than hand dryers?
- Paper towels: Paper hand towels are very effective at blotting away moisture to reduce the chance of bacterial growth. As they are disposable, they also reduce the chance of cross-contamination, provided they are placed in a suitable bin immediately.
- Hand dryers: Hand dryers also offer excellent drying properties. However, technology is mixed. A poor-quality hand dryer may disperse droplets and increase the spread of bacteria by delivering a small amount of warm air that creates the ideal environment for germs.
That said, with high-quality electric hand dryers, like our Airstream and Whisper ranges, you can benefit from fast, efficient drying capacities and hands-free operation to reduce cross-contamination.
The verdict
Because paper towelettes don’t create warmth or spread water droplets, they are typically considered more hygienic than hand dryers.
Despite this, hand dryers can also be a highly sanitary choice, as long as you opt for high-powered, hands-free designs.
Are hand dryers more environmentally friendly than paper towels?
If you’re looking for an eco hand drying solution for your business premises, it’s worth looking at both paper towel and electric dryer options.
Paper hand towels may initially seem like the best option, as they use zero power. However, many hand towels are not recyclable, and their single-use nature contributes to a significant amount of waste.
While modern air dryers do use electricity, models like ours are designed with the environment in mind and are incredibly energy-efficient.
The verdict
Hand dryers tend to be the greenest option for most businesses. At phs, we’ve designed models that use less energy than a lightbulb yet deliver high power to thoroughly dry hands in 30 seconds.
In contrast, if you can ensure your paper towels are 100% recyclable and implement a stringent waste disposal policy, then they can also be an eco-conscious choice. We recommend installing dispensers to reduce waste further. Our premium dispensers are suitable for c-fold hand towels and release one paper towel at a time to prevent overuse.
Which is more cost-effective: Hand dryers or paper towels?
Price is also an important factor when choosing between paper hand towels and hand dryers. To make the best decision for your business, you’ll need to look at both upfront and ongoing costs.
| Drying Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Paper Towels |
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| Hand Dryers |
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The verdict
Hand dryers can be a more cost-effective choice than paper towels in the long run, but it depends on your business setup.
Consider:
- Your initial and ongoing budgets.
- Who will be using the facilities and how often will you need to restock towels?
- Your energy usage (for example, if your building generates its own electricity through solar panels, then hand dryers are the most eco-friendly and affordable option).
Affordable, eco hand drying solutions from phs
At phs, we’re dedicated to providing hand-drying solutions that deliver effective results while being affordable and as environmentally conscious as possible.
Our paper towels, dispensers, and hand dryers are designed to support your business in its hygiene practices and waste disposal.
Explore our options and contact us to discuss your requirements.
