Restroom hand dryers 'worse' at spreading germs than paper towels

A new study has revealed that restroom hand dryers spread more bacteria than paper towels into the air, on to users and bystanders.

Research at the University of Leeds found that air bacterial counts were nearly 30 per cent higher around driers when compared with paper towel dispensers, the Daily Express reported.

According to the research, airborne germ counts close to jet air driers were found to be 4.5 times higher than around warm air driers and 27 times higher compared with the air when using paper towels.

Lead author Mark said that bacteria was more prevalent around both high-powered "jet-air" and warm hand driers and these driers are effective at drying hands but when a cursory male hand wash is done, there is likely to still be a high bacteria count on hands.

Mark, who doesn't believe it is sensible to install these in hospitals, added that in a hospital setting people may run the risk that hospital infections could spread in that way.

The research was recently published in the Journal of Hospital Infection.