Even though it’s been over three years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, expectations for safer and cleaner facilities persist, especially in restrooms. So much so that one TikTok user has garnered tens of millions of views on her videos testing the spread of bacteria from various air hand dryers in facility restrooms.
With hygiene being a top concern for facility visitors, facilities managers must incorporate safer, alternative solutions to hand air dryers in restrooms—making hygiene a top priority—to optimize guest experience and reduce complaints.
Rising Guest Expectations
We are continuing to see a heightened public concern for hygienic and clean facilities. The pandemic has left the general public hyperaware of their surroundings, and guests expect facilities to maintain high cleaning and hygiene standards to reduce the spread of germs. And as facilities managers navigate more visitors in their restrooms after years of lower traffic, there is one critical factor that drives their day-to-day routine: the bar for hygiene is rising.
According to a global survey conducted by Essity, maker of the Tork brand, 80% of respondents expect public restrooms to be safer and more hygienic than before COVID-19. People want to feel safe and secure when they are away from home, and they understandably have high expectations for the standards of cleanliness in the restrooms they visit. For facilities managers, the key to success is keeping hygiene top-of-mind to meet and exceed visitors’ expectations.
So, Why Not Air Dryers?
Compared to paper hand towels, jet air dryers blow around airborne droplets, spreading 10 times more bacteria than paper hand towels and increasing the risk of spreading germs and catching an infection. Paper towels are the more hygienic way to dry hands and are therefore recommended in hygiene-critical environments.
Additionally, jet air dryers service only one person at a time and take ten or more seconds per person. As a result of long lines, or to save time, visitors may avoid drying their hands, resulting in increased contamination issues. Air dryers only serve one purpose: drying hands. Paper hand towels support many uses in addition to drying hands—for example, blowing noses, wiping mouths, fixing makeup, tending to cuts, changing diapers, and helping restroom visitors avoid dirty faucets and door handles.
Paper Hand Towels Make a Difference
Recent research from Essity showed that nearly 7 in 10 restroom users wish more facilities offered paper hand towels as an alternative to air dryers, and 73% rely on paper hand towels to avoid touching surfaces in restrooms (turning off/on faucets, opening doors, etc.). If facilities managers do not offer paper hand towels as a hand drying alternative, guests may never return. In fact, 41% of restroom users are less likely to go to places that do not offer paper hand towels.
Simply put, the hand drying choices that facilities managers make for their restrooms make a difference. By incorporating paper hand towels into their supply, facilities managers can avoid the wrath of negative restroom reviews on social media and provide end-users the reassurance of a hygienic experience. It’s an easy switch, but it can leave an impactful impression on guests that encourages them to return.
Rachel Olsavicky is the regional marketing manager for commercial and public interest at Tork, Essity’s professional hygiene solutions business.