Washing our hands with soap and water is one of those habits we pick up early in life. We’re taught to wash our hands before meals, after using the toilet, before holding a baby, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing our nose. Many of us even learn to wash our hands for a full 20 seconds—a practice strongly reinforced during the COVID-19 pandemic. These days, it would be rare to find someone in Australia who hasn’t come across a public health campaign, commercial, or catchy jingle about the importance of handwashing.
While it’s fantastic that handwashing is getting the attention it deserves, it raises the question: why isn’t hand drying receiving the same focus? After all, health authorities, including the Australian Government Department of Health, emphasise the importance of thoroughly drying your hands after washing them. Yet, we don’t see commercials or jingles reminding us to do it. (At least, not since the 1980s.)
The data supporting hand drying is strong. Damp hands can spread up to 1,000 times more bacteria than dry hands, according to health experts. Thorough drying, such as using paper towels, can reduce the bacteria on your hands by up to 76.9 percent. Despite this, the focus on hand drying remains significantly less visible.
Make hand drying a habit
Are Australians aware of the importance of drying their hands thoroughly after washing? Do they follow through with it?
A recent survey on public bathroom handwashing and drying behaviour revealed that just 55 percent of people believe the most effective way to clean their hands is to wash with soap and water and dry them thoroughly. This leaves nearly half who don’t consider how vital hand drying is. Furthermore, when asked how clean they think their hands are when unable to dry them properly, over one-third of respondents said their hands were “very clean,” while more than two-thirds said they were “clean enough.”
Maybe we need to shift the language. When we remind people to wash their hands regularly, what we really mean is to wash and dry them. We say “wash,” but “dry” is implied. By not explicitly stating both, are we downplaying the importance of hand drying? Do we need to coin a new phrase that combines both steps, like “washndry” (wash and dry) or “cleanwel” (clean and towel)? Perhaps signs in public bathrooms should be updated to read “Handwashing and Drying Steps” or “Steps for Clean and Dry Hands.”
Building hand drying into a routine
If we know that we should dry our hands after washing them, why don’t we always do it? Creating habits takes practice. According to research, about half of our daily actions are driven by habit, which makes building positive routines crucial to our health. Setting intentions, creating schedules, and remaining dedicated to new practices can help build lasting habits.
Providing options for drying
Although nearly half of the survey respondents didn’t believe that drying their hands is essential, 67 percent said a lack of adequate handwashing and drying facilities negatively impacted their perception of a public space. This is something for facility managers and custodians to note. Whether people are aware of the benefits of hand drying or not, ensuring accessible and functional drying options in public bathrooms can improve both hygiene and the public’s view of a venue.
We’ve all experienced the frustration of broken or empty paper towel dispensers, forcing us to either use toilet paper, dry our hands on our clothes, or leave with wet hands. High-capacity automated paper towel dispensers that switch to a new roll when the current one runs out could solve this. Some of these dispensers are even equipped with technology to reduce paper towel jams.
Smart technology is another solution. Internet of things-connected dispensers can send alerts to cleaners when they’re running low on supplies, ensuring bathrooms stay well-stocked.
These solutions not only help ensure better hygiene but also protect a venue’s reputation.
Lending a helping hand
At the end of the day, we are each responsible for our personal hand hygiene, but facility managers also have a duty to partner with manufacturers who provide the right tools for effective handwashing and drying practices. Ensuring access to these resources helps everyone stay healthier and improves the overall cleanliness of public spaces.
About the author:
Ronnie Phillips, Ph.D., is senior director of washroom innovation at GP PRO, the away-from-home division of Georgia-Pacific, and an adjunct faculty member in Georgia State University Perimeter College’s Chemistry Department.
Photo by Maria Lin Kim on Unsplash
