Hand Towel Hygiene

The cold and flu season is upon us. Now more than ever before people are extremely aware of spreading germs, preventing the spread of flu and hand washing. I know everyone is aware of the proper method of hand washing, but do you know the best way to dry your hands and why it is so important?

According to an article from Tissue World by Roger Gaudreault, PhD, moisture left on hands not properly washed and dried is the single largest determining factor for hand hygiene and the spread of germs.

So what is the best method of drying your hands; is it air dryers, disposable guest towels or reusable cloth towels? Some of you might be surprised to learn that the most sanitary way to dry your hands is using disposable guest towels.

The reason disposable guest towels are the best option is because they minimize the spread of bacteria compared to air dryers or reusable towels. When you use a disposable guest towel, any bacteria remaining on your hands after washing is transferred from your wet hands to the disposable guest towel. Since it is a single use disposable product, you do not have to worry about the spread of germs.

I’m sure you may think air dryers would be the better choice, but what you may not realize is that air dryers can potentially spread bacteria back onto your hands or body as well as in the surrounding area. I don’t think I need to give you a lot of detail on how ineffective reusable towels are, but wanted you to know that when cloth gets wet, its absorbency drops and bacteria are only reduced by drying hands with absorbent materials.

The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both recommend that hands be thoroughly dried using disposable guest towels. So look for disposable guest towels when using a public washroom or add them to your home when entertaining guests. Keep everyone happy and healthy this cold and flu season and use a Hoffmaster® guest towel to dry your hands!

For more information about Hoffmaster® disposable guest towels check out our website.