Hand Dryer Cleaning

Most individuals intuitively know to wash their hands after using the restroom or touching any public fixtures. Unfortunately, our hands are not the only agents for spreading disease-causing bacteria. Hand dryers are both a blessing and a curse when it comes to keeping your facilities sanitary. One of the most important responsibilities of any business owner with a commercial restroom is hand dryer cleaning. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates mounting height and protrusion requirements that will affect the type of hand dryer you invest in as well as the installment and maintenance process. Keep your hand dryers clean, safe, and accessible for customers and employees.

Protecting health and disease prevention should take precedence in your hand dryer cleaning routine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, handwashing can prevent approximately 30 percent of diarrhea-related sicknesses and about 20 percent of respiratory infections, but hand drying is not widely promoted when it comes to hand hygiene. The Mayo Clinic conducted a study to discover the hygienic efficacy of different hand-drying methods. Their findings suggest that hot air dryers produced the highest reduction in the number of existing microorganisms and are more effective at removing bacteria from palms and fingers. However, hand dryer units can transmit bacteria depending on the degree of wetness. Automatic hand dryers eliminate the need for contact and exposure, reducing the risk of cross-contamination of airborne bacteria from flushing toilets and other permanent bathroom fixtures.

Hand dryer cleaning requirements can vary depending on the material of your facility’s units. Stainless steel cabinets and recessed hand dryers are best cleaned by wiping or polishing with the grain direction of the satin finish. You can use mild cleaning solution or specialty stainless steel cleaners, applying the solution with a sponge for smooth surfaces or a soft brush for textured surfaces in the grain direction. Remove any residue with a dry, clean cloth for a like-new appearance. Hand dryers with absorbent ceramic surfaces must be wiped with soap and water. As with stainless steel, you should remove any soap residue with a dry, clean cloth. Avoid using cleaning solutions that contain bleach, hydrochloric acids, or chlorides. It is also important that you avoid using specialty stainless steel cleaners on ceramic fixtures because they can scratch the surface and cause ceramic pores to clog. If you have any questions about our hand dryer cleaning tips, contact a member of the PandaProducts.com team today for further assistance.