A scientist has uncovered just how unsanitary hand dryers in public restrooms may be, and the findings are quite shocking.
Many individuals believe that using these devices to dry hands is a healthy option, but recent experiments might suggest otherwise.
Devon Science, a TikTok account, recently shared a video demonstrating an experiment carried out by Ruth, the scientist running the page.
In the experiment, Ruth utilized two agar plates—petri dishes with a thin layer of nutrient gel used for growing bacteria and fungi—to assess the cleanliness of hand dryers. One of these plates was positioned beneath a hand dryer in a restroom.
The other agar plate was simply ‘wafted around in the air’ in a different location, enabling a comparison of results later on.
After incubating the plates overnight, Ruth observed a variety of bacteria and fungus had developed on the one placed under the hand dryer.
Conversely, the agar plate exposed to the air in a different room showed no bacterial growth.
“This is why I do not use hand dryers,” Ruth concluded in the video, which has since garnered over three million views on TikTok.
https://www.tiktok.com/@username/video/7426414718388161825
This revelation is causing many to reconsider using hand dryers. One viewer commented on the viral video: “I stopped using hand drier after seeing these videos.”
Another person remarked, “New fear unlocked, cheers,” while a third added, “Ha knew it. Never using them again.”
Additionally, many requested Ruth conduct a similar test on a Dyson hand dryer, as the company claims their technology uses HEPA filtration to dry hands with purified air.
Ruth has agreed to perform a test using the Dyson hand dryer in response to these requests.
Following the viral success of her initial video, Ruth has released another video addressing criticisms and discussing the experiment further.
She clarified, “It’s not a proper scientific experiment, I literally had two spare agar plates and I thought ‘what am I going to do with these?’.”
This idea was inspired by a conversation Ruth had with a friend a few weeks prior.
She described the experiment as ‘a very simple test’ and expressed an interest in conducting more.
“Don’t take them too seriously, it’s just a bit of fun,” Ruth cautioned.
Whether serious or not, this information gives pause for thought about the use of hand dryers in the future.