this post was submitted on 10 Jan 2024
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[–] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 8 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

The correct way to handle this would be to use a disposable paper product. Most places still have a paper towel dispenser along side the air hand dryer, you're supposed to use that.

Besides the point, most people don't know how to properly wash and dry their hands. There's a technique to both that actually improves cleanliness a lot and reduces overall waste.

I never use air based hand dryers. Paper towel for life. Some places use maze patterns instead of doors, which I generally like but usually requires some extra work with air handling to make sure the bathroom air stays in the bathroom, and a bit more floor space to provide the room for the maze pattern. Those restrooms are usually the ones without paper towel, I don't mind, I just have moist hands for a few minutes afterwards.

All of this can be googled. So I won't go into more detail, but the majority of people couldn't possibly give fewer fucks about handwashing or hand drying properly. So I expect most won't even try to learn how to do things better, ever. They just go with whatever their parents taught them as a child and never question it again. Bluntly, your parents probably did the same, so you're probably working off of 50+ year old advice on hand washing.

[–] Daefsdeda@sh.itjust.works 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Yes, yes and yes. Do you also do laboratory work? Ive always found these hygiene important but, now i notice how nasty all things get since ive started doing lab work and especially when working with diseases

[–] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Nope, I'm an IT guy with a nurse for a wife. I've taken first aid (including proper handwashing) for about 30 years being a member of St. John's ambulance for a long time in there.

It's been beaten over my head for most of my life. Looking into it, the rabbit hole goes deeper. I also found a TED style talk (may have been TEDx? I forget) talking about the best way to dry your hands while using as few paper towels as possible.

I know I've only really scratched the surface with what I could know on the topic. I also understand that there's helpful "germs" on your skin, and over washing or over use of hand sanitizer can be detrimental to skin health and long term health; of course with a huge number of caveats that are just so far outside of the scope of what I'm trying to say.

Looping back on topic, I'm a science nerd, first-aid trained, very curious and knowledge seeking individual with a large exposure to medical people. Hygiene is very important.

[–] Daefsdeda@sh.itjust.works 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Cool background and understandable how that came to be. It is also important to get some exposure to the "bad" germs but that is a hard balance so I just see toilet areas as a big no no.

[–] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 2 points 10 months ago

Indeed.

In addition, I find that a stunning number of folks are okay with either simply rinsing their hands with only water, or not washing their hands at all. Disgusting.

I often don't shake people's hands, or at least sanitize after shaking hands because I don't know who washes up after using the restroom and who has shit on their hands.