CM/Spotlight: Restroom Care HIGH-POWERED Hygienic Hand Dryers Building occupants are being blown away with the latest technology. By: Aaron Baunee, Associate editor W Water clings to skin both as a thin film and as loose droplets. Instead of trying to evaporate those droplets — the means to an end employed by outdated dry-ers — high-velocity hand dryers blow away water droplets using a focused, high-velocity air stream. The high-velocity air also breaks up the layer of water vapor between the air and the skin, causing the thin film of water to evaporate more quickly than it would using a conventional dryer. Gone are the days of waiting for what seems like eons for hands to dry under the lukewarm, misdirected and often bacteria-riddled air of hand dryers from yesteryear. Cue the band and ready the fireworks, todayʼs hand dryers are lean, mean and packed with enough power to hygienically dry hands almost instantaneously. When compared to traditional methods for dry-ing hands, high-powered hand dryers offer con-siderably less waste; in fact, waste is virtually non-existent. And, because hand dryers leave no refuse behind, germ-causing bacteria are not given an opportunity to breed in damp receptacles. Contemporary hand dryers are also customiz-able with various color options — some manufac-turers even allow pictures, company logos and other personalization. ing to maximize hygiene in their restroom facilities should install as many hands-free fixtures as pos-sible. The added benefits are improved hygiene, less overall product waste and significant cost savings.” According to Gagnon, except for a recommend-ed annual cleaning, a quality hand dryer will need little to no maintenance. And, as Cheyne Brokate of Brokate Janitorial observes, high-powered hand dryers create tons less waste, require no re-stocking and newer models dry your hands thoroughly and just as quickly as traditional methods — if not faster. Photo courtesy of Excel Dryer for more info Visit www.cmmonline.com and type in search keyword: Handwashing . For more information on related products, visit www.cmmonline.com , select SUPPLIER SEARCH from the main navigation bar, and enter keyword: Dryers . Less Is More In addition to producing less waste, todayʼs hand dryers are hygienic and essentially maintenance-free. “Hand dryers leave no refuse behind, which can carry bacteria, and hands-free models allevi-ate the need to touch any surfaces at all in order to dry hands,” states Bill Gagnon, director of mar-keting for Excel Dryer Inc. “Facility owners seek-Today’s high-powered hand dryers are aesthetically pleasing and can be ordered to match any décor. 20 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • November 2009
CMM – Archives Nov 2009: 20
