Why Paper Towel Dispensers Are Better Than Hand Dryers

Washing your hands after using the restroom is important for maintaining good hygiene, but drying your hands afterward is a critical part of that process. Most public restrooms offer their patrons a paper towel option or have automatic hand dryers. Some bathrooms accommodate users with both options, but it’s usually one or the other.

Hand dryers have a positive reputation for being more eco-friendly or cost-effective, but there are several reasons why paper towel dispensers are better than hand dryers. Once you consider some of these benefits, it may be hard to go back to hand dryers, or at least make you consider using both options.

More Hygienic

One of the most obvious advantages of paper towel dispensers is that paper towels are a far more hygienic option. A single-use paper towel allows guests to wash their hands, only touch a towel, and throw it away after drying.

Whether a bathroom uses a countertop or wall-mounted dispenser, these options limit the amount of physical objects users need to touch. While guests may not have to touch anything with air dryers, these machines often blast germs and other bacteria around, circulating these irritants into the air.

Many guests also admit to using paper towels to touch certain surfaces like sink handles or opening the door to leave. For those concerned about sanitation, especially in high-traffic or health-care settings, the single-use approach of paper towels makes them a safer and cleaner alternative.

Better at Drying Hands

A frustrating aspect of air dryers is that it never feels like they fully dry your hands. Guests don’t like the feeling of damp hands, which are also more likely to spread germs.

Paper towels are highly effective at quickly and completely drying hands. They absorb moisture efficiently, leaving hands dry in seconds. Hand dryers, even advanced models, often require a longer drying time and may still leave residues of moisture, which is bothersome at best and less hygienic at worst.

Enhanced Functionality and Reliability

Another reason why paper towel dispensers are better than hand dryers is because paper towels are a consistently reliable option. Many automated devices like hand dryers can break down, leaving guests with little recourse.

Paper towel dispensers often offer and deliver an easy-to-grab, single-use towel that requires little maintenance outside of refilling them. Paper towel dispensers also don’t come with the loud, grating noise of a hand dryer that some guests may find unpleasant. They offer a sense of simplicity and reliability that makes paper towels more practical in a high-traffic restroom.

Paper towel dispensers continue to be a practical and hygienic solution for drying hands. Businesses and facilities looking to provide a better restroom experience would benefit from considering the advantages paper towel dispensers offer.