New one in the wild? Killer hand dryers

Lee Ayrton

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Jan 3, 2010, 12:49:41 PM1/3/10

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Multi-forwarded e-lore that recently hit my inbox. I haven't seen it
before in this form, but I do recall rumors from several years ago
concerning germs in airliner passenger cabins and how the overhead air
conditioning jets were funneling pathogens towards your face.

[quote]=====================================

Everyone in the cleaning industry has always been told that hand
dryers in restrooms are not sanitary, they spread germs and
bacteria around. I always thought that this just came from the
paper companies because they are loosing sales to the hand dryers.

A couple of years ago, I was working with a rep, and I noticed
that after he washed his hands and noticed that there were no
paper towels, only a hand dryer he left the restroom with wet
hands. I asked him about it. He said that hand dryers blow a lot
of germs and bacteria around. He also told me to take a look under
the hand dryer next time I was in a restroom. There is a filter
underneath the hand dryer that is supposed to be cleaned on a
weekly basis. I looked at one and it looked like it hadn't been
cleaned in years. It had layers and layers of caked on
gunk (disgusting). Since then I will not use hand dryers in
restrooms.

Now this is where the story gets really interesting.
The schools and universities that have had the H1N1 (swine flue)
outbreak this year are being told by the health department that
they have to take out all of their hand dryers and replace them
with towel dispensers because the hand dryers are spreading
disease. Please pass this along so everyone knows not to use hand
dryers.

I didn't know this. I normally do use paper towels because after
I dry my hands, I reuse them to turn the faucet off and open the
door to exit.

[end quote]=====================================

--
"If you can fake verisimilitude, you're home free."
Jon M offers an absolute truth on AFC-A

Charles Wm. Dimmick

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Jan 3, 2010, 2:41:48 PM1/3/10

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Snopes already has commented on this. Looks like a mixed bag:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/swineflu/handblower.asp

Goldenwight

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Jan 4, 2010, 6:17:32 AM1/4/10

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This reminds me of a story appearing in "Which" magazine where they
had a check of bacterial levels and found that their computer
keyboards housed more bacteria than their toilet seats.

Charles Wm. Dimmick

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Jan 4, 2010, 11:05:47 AM1/4/10

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Well, of course. Your butt wipes your toilet seat clean every time you
use it.

Mike Williams

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Jan 4, 2010, 9:45:42 PM1/4/10

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Actually it's the reverse. The urine that occasionally gets splashed
onto the toilet seat acts as an antiseptic and kills off the bacteria on
your butt.

--
Mike Williams
Gentleman of Leisure

Larry Farrell

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Jan 4, 2010, 10:29:35 PM1/4/10

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How do you tell the difference between a biologist and a chemist? A
biologist washes his/her hands *after* using the urinal, afraid on what
may come off his/her tender bits onto his/her hands. A chemist washes
his/her hands *before* using the urinal, afraid of what may come off
his/her hands onto his/her tender bits.

Larry (Do I *really* have to be politically/correct?) Farrell

Charles Wm. Dimmick

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Jan 5, 2010, 7:35:17 AM1/5/10

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Also advisable if you've been chopping Scotch Bonnet peppers. Actually,
in that case, best to dip your hands into white vinegar before using the
facilities.

charles

R H Draney

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Jan 5, 2010, 11:45:04 AM1/5/10

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Charles Wm. Dimmick filted:

>
>Larry Farrell wrote:
>>
>> How do you tell the difference between a biologist and a chemist? A
>> biologist washes his/her hands *after* using the urinal, afraid on what
>> may come off his/her tender bits onto his/her hands. A chemist washes
>> his/her hands *before* using the urinal, afraid of what may come off
>> his/her hands onto his/her tender bits.
>
>Also advisable if you've been chopping Scotch Bonnet peppers. Actually,
>in that case, best to dip your hands into white vinegar before using the
>facilities.

ObUL: then why does it taste like salad dressing?...r

--
A pessimist sees the glass as half empty.
An optometrist asks whether you see the glass
more full like this?...or like this?

Message has been deleted

Nasti J

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Jan 5, 2010, 2:18:06 PM1/5/10

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On Jan 3, 10:49 am, Lee Ayrton <layr...@panix.com.nul> wrote:

http://www.newyorker.com/video?videoID=58110648001

Keith F. Lynch

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Jan 5, 2010, 10:54:27 PM1/5/10

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Mike Williams <nos...@econym.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> Actually it's the reverse. The urine that occasionally gets
> splashed onto the toilet seat acts as an antiseptic and kills
> off the bacteria on your butt.

Urine is not an antiseptic. Fresh urine is normally sterile, but only
because there are no bacteria in a healthy bladder. Urine makes a
fine culture medium. Let some sit around in an open jar for a few
days if you don't believe me.

Anyhow, I doubt enough is splashed to make a difference.
--
Keith F. Lynch - http://keithlynch.net/
Please see http://keithlynch.net/email.html before emailing me.