If at first you don't succeed, dry, dry again
October 1st 2006

Pasi Maijanen, product group manager of Metsä Tissue,producers of Katrin hand towels, discusses why drying hands, and choosing the right method to do so, is vital for effective hand hygiene

How many of us nip to the toilet and in a hurry end up wiping our hands dry on our clothes? Or how many times have you entered a washroom where the only drying facilities are those that exude cross-contamination? We all know that we should be washing our hands thoroughly and regularly, but just how important is the hand drying process? In a recent survey carried out by United Minds on behalf of Metsä Tissue, 86% of the people questioned said they always washed their hands after a visit to the toilet, but only 37.70% said they always dried their hands with paper or a source other than paper.

Most infections are spread directly or indirectly from hand to hand. So correct hand hygiene is the best way to prevent and guard against bacteria and viruses spreading between people.

Hand washing is the first place to start, using soap and hot water and making sure problem areas such as under finger nails, rings and around wrists are cleaned thoroughly. But hand hygiene does not stop there.

Research into hand drying conducted by TÜV, the leading German institute for independent testing and assessment services in 2005 for VDP, the German Papermakers'Association, has shown that the number of bacteria actually increases as a result of hand washing, as bacteria emerge from layers of the skin.As the majority of harmful microbes thrive in damp conditions, simply washing hands therefore does not mean they are clean. Hands must be dried properly.

Outside the home it is common to find hot air dryers in washrooms as the only means of drying hands.However, dryers often leave hands moist rather than fully dried and, according to the TÜV research institute, actually increase the amount of bacteria both in the air and on hands. In the survey carried out by United Minds, participants were asked if they believed hot air dryers spread a lot of germs. Nearly a third said they neither agreed nor disagreed – showing a lack of awareness about the perils of using hot air dryers.Other alternatives that are offered in washrooms outside the home include fabric towels.These can potentially spread harmful germs via cross-contamination as the same part of the towel can be touched by more than one user.

The best method to ensure hands are dried properly is to have paper towels available.Drying hands with a paper towel is quicker and more thorough: typically around seven seconds compared with 25 seconds using a hot air drier.Absorption speed and absorption capacity are key criteria when choosing the optimum, cost-effective paper towel.As the diagram illustrates, the average time a person expects to dry their hands within is 5 to 7 seconds.

Selecting the right paper towel is just as important as the method itself as some will actually absorb water too quickly, leaving sections of the paper towel flooded.This encourages the user to take more towels since the first feels wet almost immediately.

This heightens consumption and causes wastage.At the other end of the scale other paper towels can take too long to absorb water, which again encourages users to take more towels to speed up the process. Furthermore, if a towel is taking too long to absorb the water a user might just leave hands damp rather than drying them properly, providing an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

The Katrin One Stop hand towel from Metsä Tissue enables hands to be dried at the optimum absorption level and speed.With a revolutionary new embossing pattern, the towels are softer, stronger and more absorbent. Katrinís chequered embossing pattern allows them to absorb 20% more than conventional products and soak up water 100% faster, for rapid and effective hand drying.The towels are soft and even with frequent usage will not irritate the skin.Metsä Tissue's Katrin One Stop hand towels are designed for use with the Katrin One Stop Dispenser which helps prevent cross contamination by dispensing sheet by sheet. Only a single Katrin hand towel is ever needed, keeping waste at a minimum, less costly man hours spent on maintaining the washroom and a lower environmental impact.

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