Effective hand hygiene is essential for disease prevention. Architects must therefore design washrooms with sustainable and efficient hand-drying solutions, considering the importance of minimising bacterial transfer. In this article, Dyson shares why touch-free hand-drying solutions should be prioritised to ensure cleanliness and user confidence.
The challenge of traditional solutions
Hand hygiene is a cornerstone of maintaining good hygiene standards in public buildings and one critical part of the process is hand drying. Damp hands can transfer up to 1,000 times[1] more bacteria than dry hands, which means that specifying effective hand drying solutions should be key for architects and designers of shared spaces.
According to a Dyson survey on washroom attitudes, 40% of UK respondents were concerned that the physical button on warm air dryers presents a hygiene issue, while the use of unfiltered, unclean air to dry hands is a concern for 24%[2]. This could become a deterrent for people to use what is available and therefore leave the washroom with wet hands.
Moreover, traditional hand dryers can take up to 50 seconds to thoroughly dry hands, but people are often unwilling to wait more than a few seconds[3]. In addition, while paper towels are an alternative, they can be costly, have a high impact on the environment and, when the paper towel dispensers are left empty, users have with no way to dry hands. This further exacerbates hygiene problems beyond the washroom.
Best practices for hygiene management
In recent years, there has been an increase in the public’s consideration and awareness of the role hand hygiene plays in the prevention of disease. It is therefore increasingly important to demonstrate that hygiene is being prioritised.
To improve the user experience and support with space-saving in smaller washrooms, specifiers should look to one product that can both wash and dry hands like the Dyson Wash+Dry hold Airblade™. This technology in the tap means there no need for users to move to a separate drying area, reducing water that drips on the floor. Taking just 14 seconds to dry hands[4], users also spend less time in the washroom, making the flow of the room and busy times easier to manage. This space saving initiative unlocks potential room for extra toilet cubicles and other facilities.
By prioritising modern hand-drying solutions and establishing best practices for hygiene management, specifiers can create safer, cleaner environments that promote health and wellbeing for all users.
To learn more about how to create a more hygienic shared space to support user well-being, visit Dyson technology’s business hub and book a call:
https://www.dyson.co.uk/commercial/hand-dryers
[1] Patrick D, Findon G, and Miller T (1997). Residual moisture determines the level of touch-contact-associated bacterial transfer following hand washing. Epidemiol. Infect. 119: 319-325.
[2] Survey conducted in the UK in July 2021 with 2,000 respondents, aged 18 years-old or above. This is part of a global survey done across 20 countries comprising 15,100 respondents in total.
[3] https://www.dyson.co.uk/content/dam/dyson/for-busi...
[4] Dry time determined using Dyson test method 769 based on NSF P335 using a measurement of 0.1g residual moisture.
