Paper Towels, Air Dryers Tie as Bacteria Killers

Tuesday, 14 September 2010 | by Pat's Picks

It’s not how you dry, it’s how long you wash. The New York Times lays to rest a issue that has long percolated in public bathrooms: which kills more bacteria—drying with paper towels or using an air dryer? Most of the confusion stemmed from studies that were funded by one industry or another. But the Times says an independent examination conducted by the Mayo Clinic called it a draw. The only way to eliminate more germs from your hands is to wash longer.

While we’re talking hand washing, the Times has another interesting story on the topic. A new study concluded that only about 15 percent of people who use a public restroom don’t wash their hands, prompting the Times to cheekily note in their headline that “?Washroom? Seems to Be Just a Name.”

Read an abstract of the Mayo Clinic’s study