Deciding between hand dryers vs paper towels may seem like a minor part of setting up your workplace washrooms. However, the impact can be quite noticeable. Consider costs, maintenance, waste, convenience and the number of employees and visitors using your facilities.
Hand dryers and paper towels are both effective hand drying solutions. There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong answer when deciding which solution is best for your business. Should you install hand dryers, use paper towels, or perhaps a combination of both? Let’s take a look at the difference between the two options.
Why Is Hand Drying Important?
Hand drying is often overlooked, but it’s an important part of effective hand hygiene. Ensuring employees, customers and visitors have access to a convenient hand drying method should be a priority when outfitting workplace washrooms. The ideal solution will vary depending on factors such as how busy your washrooms are, the space available, maintenance requirements and your budget.
What Are the Benefits of Hand Dryers?
Hand dryers have become increasingly popular in commercial washrooms. One of the biggest benefits is that there’s no need to keep replacing towels. After installing a dryer, users can wash their hands and dry them using the dryer. Hand dryers can be particularly effective in busy workplaces where your washrooms will get plenty of use.
Other benefits can include:
- Reduced paper waste
- No need to continually stock towels
- Bins won’t overflow with paper waste
- Tidy and uncluttered washrooms
- Easy for users to operate
Modern hand dryers are available in a wide range of styles. This means you can select hand-drying equipment which suits your washroom and anticipated usage.
Are Hand Dryers Cheaper Than Paper Towels?
Hand dryers will typically cost more initially. However, you won’t need to keep buying replacement paper towels. For workplaces with very busy washrooms, this can make dryers a more cost-effective solution over time. Remember to factor in electricity usage, servicing requirements and the initial purchase price when working out which is cheapest for your business.
Instead of looking at the initial price of hand dryers vs paper towels, it can be more effective to look at how much each option will cost your business during its entire lifetime.
What Are the Benefits of Paper Towels?
Despite the popularity of hand dryers, paper towels are still a widely used hand drying solution. Many people are familiar with them and they’re simple to use. There’s no need for electrical drying equipment in the washroom. Paper towel dispensers can be positioned wherever it’s most convenient for your washroom.
Paper towels might be preferable in smaller workplaces or where you’d prefer to let your users select which hand drying method they’d prefer to use. The benefits of using paper towels can include:
- Simple and convenient
- No need for a hand dryer
- Easy to supply via wall-mounted dispensers
- Can work in most workplace environments
Like hand dryers, you’ll need to ensure dispensers are stocked up during the working day.
What About Waste and Maintenance?
Waste and maintenance are two of the key factors that differentiate hand dryers vs paper towels. Paper towels will create waste each time they’re used. Suitable bins will be required and these will need emptying on a regular basis. Businesses will also need to monitor towel levels and refill the dispensers when stock is low.
Hand dryers remove this source of waste, although the machines will still need keeping clean and maintained. Busy businesses can benefit from reducing the amount of stock they need to monitor and replenish.
Which Is Better for Busy Workplace Washrooms?
If your workplace receives a high number of visitors each day, hand dryers can be a great solution. You won’t need to worry about the paper towel dispenser being empty when you need it most.
Upgrade Your Workplace Washrooms With Sterling
Sterling Washroom Services provides businesses with professional washroom products and services designed to help create clean, practical and well-maintained facilities.
From hand-drying solutions and paper products to sanitary hygiene, waste disposal and other washroom essentials, Sterling can help you find solutions suited to the needs of your workplace.
Whether you’re upgrading an existing washroom or reviewing your current facilities, speak to Sterling Washroom Services to discuss the options available.
