Taking your hygiene in hand

IF THE bacteria on your hands after using a public toilet doesn’t make you ill, then what happens afterwards might. New research from the UK suggests unfinished hand drying may actually help spread bacteria, instead of removing it. The research, published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, also found that persons who rub their hands together while using certain hand dryers increase the levels of bacteria on their hands and enable it to be transferred to other surfaces.

Recent studies in Ireland found that the vast majority of Irish people always wash their hands after using a public toilet, though 40 per cent of respondents failed to dry them. Almost three quarters said there were never paper towels in toilets, a higher proportion than any other EU country surveyed.

Paper towels are considered the most hygienic form, although economically and environmentally, they are beginning to lose appeal. Companies such as Dyson – a sponsor of the research – have introduced futuristic dryers that remove the need for rubbing hands and reduce the time needed to dry them.

David McCleery, a microbiologist from Safefood, says poor hand washing is not just related to toilet use. His organisation recently found 70 per cent of people didn’t properly wash hands after handling raw chicken. McCleery says while most of us know we have to wash our hands, techniques vary. “The best way is to use warm, soapy water, lather all over and then rub together for 15 seconds. Then rinse your hands in clean running water, and dry thoroughly. If you use a hand towel, then ensure you do not use a part that has already been used by someone else.”

And McCleery warns against letting nature dry your hands. “Rubbing your hands against your clothing or allowing hands dry by themselves will leave bacteria on the handles of doors or whoever you may come in contact with,” he warns. “But the important point is to actually wash your hands in the first place.”