Hand Dryers in Public Restrooms on the Ships

[TNcruising02]

This virus situation got me thinking about the hand dryers in the cruise ship public restrooms.  I never liked them because it is much quicker to dry my hands using a paper towel than to stand under the dryer.  I wonder if those dryers also blow germs all over the bathroom.  Maybe they will finally do away with them.

[trummy]

http://facilitymanagement.com/restroom-paper-towels-air-dryers/

[Moviela]

My company determined long ago that paper was safer than blowers and air blades. In one test using an ultraviolet tracer we found that the blowers filled a 750 sq ft restroom. The tracer was all over the faucet handles, the floor, and other people in the room. Almost all public restrooms have auto flush sensors, and a few have auto doors (mostly ADA rooms).

 

 

[joeyancho]

Being a plumbing contractor,  I have know about this for a long time.  They not only pick up cooties from your hands, they lift them off the floor.

[plettza]

Those air blades are gross; having to slide your hands into that slim slot where they get pushed to into the frame where there'd be plenty of germs.  Yuck.

[RWolver672]

I may be naive, but don't you wash your hands before you use the dryers.  If there's still germs on your hands, apparently you haven't washed them properly.  I'm not saying that the dryers aren't blowing germs around but it just seems like if you washed properly, it would eliminate the germs in them.  For the record, I detest the dryers too.  Most don't even come close to drying your hands.

 

[plettza]

24 minutes ago, RWolver672 said:

I may be naive, but don't you wash your hands before you use the dryers.  If there's still germs on your hands, apparently you haven't washed them properly.  I'm not saying that the dryers aren't blowing germs around but it just seems like if you washed properly, it would eliminate the germs in them.  For the record, I detest the dryers too.  Most don't even come close to drying your hands.

 

Oh I do, but how many people have poorly washed their, i.e. not using soap, etc.?

[Butterbean1000]

 Fecal bacteria can hover in the air up to 4 hours. These machines stirs up the air and deposits it on your hands. I never use these machines.  I let my hands air dry.  Sometimes I will use a seat cover to dry my hands if available

Edited May 18, 2020 by Butterbean1000

[Sea Hag]

I sure hope these things  never show up on cruise ships! As others have said, they're not nearly as safe as paper towels.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, Sea Hag said:

I sure hope these things  never show up on cruise ships! As others have said, they're not nearly as safe as paper towels.

I also do not like them. Generally when I see them, I do see a notice that claims they are more hygenic then the use of paper towels. It seems that that is "fake news".

[Saint Greg]

7 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

I may be naive, but don't you wash your hands before you use the dryers.  If there's still germs on your hands, apparently you haven't washed them properly.  I'm not saying that the dryers aren't blowing germs around but it just seems like if you washed properly, it would eliminate the germs in them.  For the record, I detest the dryers too.  Most don't even come close to drying your hands.

 

 

How often do you actually see someone wash their hands for the 30 seconds you're supposed to? I say never. I do it myself because I'm a gemophobe but I've had times where in that 30 seconds someone else comes in, uses the bathroom, washes their hands and leaves before I'm finished washing my hands.

[beshears]

I did not read all the comments, but when it comes to the blow dryers for hands, for ME, I will go back and get some toilet paper, just to make sure I wipe my hands, and even use the TP on the door handle if necessary, as not everyone wash their hands! 😞

[RWolver672]

1 hour ago, Sea Hag said:

I sure hope these things  never show up on cruise ships! As others have said, they're not nearly as safe as paper towels.

 

I guess you've never used the public restrooms on cruise ships.  That's all they have in them.  No paper towels, just air dryers.

[Tiger0613]

I like them.  Paper towels don't completely dry my hands.  That makes the spaces between my fingers sticky until it finishes drying.  It takes longer, but the air dryers get my hands completely dry.

[tinleypark andy]

22 minutes ago, beshears said:

I did not read all the comments, but when it comes to the blow dryers for hands, for ME, I will go back and get some toilet paper, just to make sure I wipe my hands, and even use the TP on the door handle if necessary, as not everyone wash their hands! 😞

I have always brought my own, will do so even more after this scare. I carry a pouch (no murse), over my shoulder to carry my phone, meds, and paper towels to dry my hands.

[Saint Greg]

Imagine the amount of additional trash they'd have from paper towels. I can't see it happening.

[samiam0403]

There's always a 3rd option - cloth hand towels. On our Costa cruise last year, we loved the rolled up washcloths in every bathroom for hand drying. They did an excellent job of keeping them stocked. 

[coevan]

1 hour ago, Tiger0613 said:

Paper towels don't completely dry my hands.

 

 

no, you don't dry your hands completely

[Tiger0613]

8 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

 

no, you don't dry your hands completely

Yes I do.  It doesn't matter how many towels I use or how much time I take.  There will still be moisture left behind.  Just because paper towels work for other people, it doesn't mean they work for me.

[Langley Cruisers]

3 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

I guess you've never used the public restrooms on cruise ships.  That's all they have in them.  No paper towels, just air dryers.

 

Sorry, that's not correct - many lines have paper towels and some offer cloth hand towels. I use a paper towel to open the door.

[RWolver672]

11 minutes ago, Langley Cruisers said:

 

Sorry, that's not correct - many lines have paper towels and some offer cloth hand towels. I use a paper towel to open the door.

 

Before it got moved, you originally posted it on a Carnival board.  Carnival only has air dryers in public restrooms.  Always has been that way.  Carnival does has very tiny paper by the doors to open them but that's it.  Other lines were never mentioned.

 

 

 

[ATC cruiser]

Mythbusters once did a show on this and I think their research showed paper towels were the clear winner

[mom says]

I can't remember the last time I used an air dryer on a cruise ship. I prefer to use the rolled cloth towels (we most often sail on Celebrity), or will use a paper towel if that's all there is. And either my elbow to hit the automatic door opener, or a paper towel if you have to open it manually. I can't see myself ever using toilet paper (already contaminated by bacteria aerosolized from the toilet flushing) to dry my clean hands. Yuck!

[Sea Hag]

4 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

 

I guess you've never used the public restrooms on cruise ships.  That's all they have in them.  No paper towels, just air dryers.

We've only cruised on Princess for the last several years, and I can tell you for sure that I've never seen a hand blower on any Princess ship. Not doubting that they're on ships you've been on, but they're surely not on all ships.

[lenquixote66]

9 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

 

I guess you've never used the public restrooms on cruise ships.  That's all they have in them.  No paper towels, just air dryers.

Every cruise ship I have been on had paper towels.There on signs on the doors telling people to use towels to open the doors.