Introduction
Have you ever felt uneasy about using an electric hand dryer in a public restroom? Because you should.
Groundbreaking research from the University of Leeds, UK, has found the answer to a question that has divided facility managers, health officials, and environmentalists for a long time, i.e., which hand-drying method is more hygienic?
If you’ve ever felt uneasy about using an electric hand dryer in a public restroom, your instincts were correct.
The research results are shocking. Paper towels reduce contamination by up to 78 times compared to electric air dryers. It shows that the use of the single-use paper towel is more hygienic than other methods.
“There is a long-running evidence base stretching back almost two decades, recording how air dryers continue to fail on hygiene,” explains Professor Mark Wilcox OBE, who led the study. “Regardless of design tweaks or technological upgrades to improve efficiency, the hygiene challenge remains the same: Drying hands with air dryers risks splattering and the inhalation of microbes.”
The Study: How Scientists Measured Contamination
The research was conducted by Professor Mark Wilcox OBE, an internationally recognized microbiologist from the University of Leeds, UK.
This isn’t the first study showing paper towels’ hygiene advantage—it’s the latest in nearly two decades of consistent research—but it is the most comprehensive measurement of newer, “redesigned” air dryer models.
What They Tested
Researchers compared three hand-drying methods:
- Single-use paper hand towels
- Jet air dryers (high-speed models)
- Warm air dryers (traditional models)
How They Measured Contamination
The team used two testing methods:
Visual Testing:
- Food dye solution to track droplet dispersion
- High-speed photography
- Surface contamination mapping
Quantitative Microbial Testing:
- Bacteriophage (virus) suspension on hands
- Air sampling for aerosolized particles
- Surface swabs for contamination levels
- Mask contamination measurement (simulating inhalation risk)
Testing Locations:
- Floor contamination
- Wall contamination (at multiple distances)
- User’s face mask
- Bystander’s face mask (at 1 meter distance)
- Surrounding air samples
Time Measurements:
- Immediate (during drying)
- 15 minutes post-drying
- 30 minutes post-drying
The Shocking Results: Paper Towels Win by Every Metric
The result of the study revealed that there is a concerning hygiene gap between air dryers and paper towels. The study shows that microbes can remain suspended in the air for up to 30 minutes after an air dryer is used.
The user mask contamination results within just 15 minutes showed that masks worn by users of air dryers show dramatically higher contamination, up to 100 times more than those who dry their hands with paper towels. The risk extends beyond the user: bystanders standing even one meter away can experience up to 10 times more contamination for as long as half an hour after the dryer has been activated.
In practical terms, this means that a single person using an air dryer can leave behind aerosolized bacteria and viruses that the next 10–15 people entering the washroom may unknowingly inhale.
Droplet Dispersion Distance
How far do contaminated droplets travel?
- Jet air dryers: Up to 3 meters (10 feet)
- Warm air dryers: Up to 0.75 meters (2.5 feet)
- Paper towels: Zero dispersion (contained in towel)
Person-to-Person Transmission Risk
- Significantly more contamination with air dryers
- Paper towels: Minimal torso and mask contamination
Nearby Person’s Mask:
- Air dryers contaminate bystanders’ masks
- The effect persists for 30 minutes
- Paper towels: No bystander contamination
Critical Implication: Air dryers don’t just contaminate surfaces—they directly threaten people sharing the space.
Why Air Dryers Fail Hygienically
The Physics of Contamination
Professor Wilcox explains why air dryers inherently spread microbes:
1: Incomplete Hand Washing
2: Aerosolization Mechanism
3: Water Droplet Splatter
4: No Physical Removal
Why Paper Towels Are More Hygienic
The Mechanical Advantage
Paper towels work through physical removal, not just evaporation:
1: Friction-Based Removal
2: Absorption of Water Droplets
3: Immediate Containment
4: Drying Efficiency
Industry & Facility Implications
Healthcare Facilities
- Air dryers can compromise sterility and increase infection risks, especially for immunocompromised patients.
- Many hospitals now mandate paper-towel-only policies.
Food Service & Processing
- Airborne microbes threaten food safety and increase liability.
- More food facilities are switching to paper towels as regulations tighten.
Commercial Buildings & Offices
- Post-pandemic hygiene expectations are driving demand for safer hand-drying.
- Many offices are bringing back or increasing paper towel access.
Schools & Childcare
- Children’s weaker immunity makes air-drying risks more concerning.
- Parents and schools are increasingly insisting on paper towels.
Airports, Transit & Public Venues
- High footfall increases the chance of disease spread via air dryers.
- Major public venues are re-evaluating air-dryer installations in favor of safer options.
What This Means for the Tissue Paper Industry
Demand Surge Coming:
This new study strengthens the ongoing shift toward paper towels. People are shifting towards more hygienic options post-COVID, which will increase the demand for tissue papers and paper towels. This will lead to a tremendous rise in the Tissue Paper business.
Market Drivers:
- Post-COVID hygiene awareness is here to stay.
- Regulations and health guidelines are increasingly favoring paper towels.
- Scientific research consistently supports towels over air dryers.
- 73% of people prefer paper towels.
- Key sectors—healthcare and food service—are mandating them.
Capacity Considerations:
- Global tissue demand is growing at 5.8% annually.
- Paper towels already account for 12 million tonnes a year.
- With 87% capacity utilization, the industry is close to its limits.
- A strong opportunity exists for new production investments.
Quality Requirements:
- Premium hygiene use demands high absorbency, strong wet strength, good softness, and optimal bulk.
- Technologies needed include advanced creping, precision coating, efficient drying, and consistent quality control.
Expert Perspective: Professor Wilcox’s Recommendations
Professor Mark Wilcox OBE, lead researcher, provides clear guidance:
“The physical action of rubbing hands with paper towels removes bacteria more effectively than evaporation. Additionally, paper towels don’t aerosolize microorganisms from incompletely washed hands—a significant factor in disease transmission.”
His Recommendations:
- Healthcare: Paper towels mandatory
- Food service: Paper towels strongly recommended
- High-traffic public washrooms: Paper towels preferred
- Private/low-use facilities: Either option acceptable with proper hand hygiene
Paper Towels:
- Renewable resource
- Biodegradable and recyclable
- Lower manufacturing energy vs. dryer production
- Carbon sequestration during tree growth
- No electronic waste
Air Dryers:
- Energy consumption over 10–15-year life
- High embodied energy in manufacturing
- Electronic waste at end-of-life
- Rare earth materials
- Depends on the electricity grid (often fossil fuel powered)
Conclusion
After the research of nearly two decades, the study shows paper towels are significantly more hygienic than electric hand dryers—by every measurable metric.
The data shows:
- 78x less surface contamination
- 100x less mask contamination for users
- 10x less exposure for bystanders
- 30 minutes of airborne contamination eliminated
- Zero aerosolization risk
For facilities where hygiene matters—which is virtually all of them—the choice is clear.
This is going to increase the demand for paper towels, tissue paper, which is showing significant growth in the industry in the near future.
