In your business, providing the best washroom facilities for your customers and employees is an essential step. When it comes to hand hygiene, an old argument remains prominent; hand dryers vs paper towels – which is better?
While both are suitable for hand drying, businesses must understand which method is the most cost-effective, hygienic and environmentally friendly.
In this blog post, we will be discussing which of these techniques is right for your business.
Which method is better for the environment?
Environmental concerns are an important topic in the current consumer market and businesses need to be proactive about their environmental actions.
Initially, you may believe paper towels are convenient and useful however paper towel dispensers rely on the replenishment of paper towels. The environmental impact of harvesting, transporting, processing, and shipping these towels is excessive.
Most paper towels are created using paper pulp from trees which can not be recycled, this further adds to the issues surrounding landfills and business waste.
In contrast, most modern hand dryers are manufactured to use approximately 2-4 watts per use, which is less energy usage than the average lightbulb. This means your business can benefit from energy efficiency that is reflected in utility bills and your Co2 impact.
When it comes to the hand dryer vs paper towels debate, there is a clear benefit to installing hand dryers in your business if you want to improve your environmental credentials.
Which method is more cost-effective?
An important facet for most businesses is addressing budgets and making cost savings, this kind of consideration should also extend into the washroom.
Paper towels, as mentioned in the previous point, are a finite resource and need frequent restocking. This can cost businesses between £300 to £800 annually depending on the paper towel brand and frequency of purchase.
While the upfront cost of a hand dryer installation is expensive, the affordability of running the machine makes up for the initial spend. With current tariffs and a prediction that most modern electrical hand dryers only run for 10-25 seconds at a time, the cost of running a hand dryer could mean spending only £50 to £70 a year.
In this regard of the hand dryer vs paper towels debate, it is evident that there are extremely high savings to be made by running an up-to-date hand dryer in your business establishment.
Which method is the most hygienic?
While there is still an ongoing debate about the most hygienic way to clean and dry your hands, there is no debate as to its importance in any business or industry. Good hand hygiene prevents the spread of illness-causing bacteria, which means fewer sick days for employees and provides a good overall impression on visitors and customers.
Paper towels are a good option for maintaining a high level of hand hygiene, towel dispensers ensure that each customer receives a new towel, which reduces the risk of cross-contamination. However, failure to properly collect and dispose of these paper towels can be a hygiene issue that many businesses forget to consider.
If your business uses paper towels, waste management is essential and our team of professional hygiene solution providers can make the process simpler and more hygienic for everyone on your premises.
With hand dryers, there is no waste management necessary and newer iterations of the machine provide a faster, more effective hand drying regime than paper towels. Many new hand dryers incorporate UV lights which eliminate 99.7% of lingering bacteria, making it a very hygienic process.
When it comes to handling hygiene levels in your businesses, it is clear that while both of these methods are effective, hand dryers are superior for delivering a thorough, hygienic drying experience.
How can NWR Hygiene help
If you have decided to improve your business’s washroom hygiene with a cost-effective, energy-efficient, modern hand dryer, we can help!
At NWR Hygiene Group, we have an extensive range of hand-drying services and products designed to be a perfect fit for your business’s washroom.
From the sleek Dyson Airblade V that is perfect for large, high-traffic washrooms to the cost-effective Air Lite Max for smaller, less frequented washrooms, we have the products, installation skills, and maintenance know-how to ensure your washroom facility hand drying is hygienic and sustainable.
Contact our team today to discuss the best hand-drying solution for your business.
