You’ll Never Wash Your Hands In A Public Restroom Again After Seeing This Disgusting Bacteria Living In The Hand Dryers

The age of instant information is good in that information can flow freely and effectively to the masses. It is bad in that it peels back the curtain on things we once believed to be helpful, good. I recently learned that the “air conditioning” on a plane is nothing more than the chilled breath of the passengers. Plane breath. The Worst.  Now I sit on the plane in a pool of my own sweat, thanks to too much knowledge.

And look at me, here, part of the problem.

But, this information is going super viral, so you’d probably see it anyway. Why not give me the page views, right? I have to put food on the table too.

Without further ado, you know when there is someone else is the bathroom so you have to wash your hands after taking a leak to show said person you’re tactful? Well, turns out, you’re doing everyone, including yourself, a disservice if you’re using the hand dryers.

A California woman named Nicole Ward claims to have stuck a petri dish under a Dyson Airblade for three minutes then incubated it for 48 hours. This is what she found:

 

This here, Is what grew in a Petri dish after just a few days. I stuck the open plate in an enclosed hand dryer of a public bathroom for a total of 3 minutes. Yes 3 only. DO NOT EVER dry your hands in those things again. This is the several strains of possible pathogenic fungi and bacteria that you’re swirling around your hands, and you think you’re walking out with clean hands. You’re welcome.
⚠this post is simply for awareness, not to instill fear.

The post has been shared 545,000 times, prompting a  Dyson spokesperson to weigh in. That person told ABC News:

“We’re very surprised to see these results, and unclear on the methodology employed. All Dyson AirbladeTM hand dryers have HEPA filters that capture particles as small as bacteria from the washroom air before it leaves the machine. Dyson AirbladeTM hand dryers are proven hygienic by university research and are trusted by hospitals, food manufacturers and businesses worldwide.”

Looks like I’m going to need to change my already lax stance on post-bathroom hand washing.

Nothing is sacred anymore.

[h/t NY Post]