Because paper towels are thrown away, there’s less risk of cross-contamination, unlike reusable towels. According to commercial bathroom products supplier One Point Partitions, “If multiple people use the same cloth towel to dry their hands and one of them hasn’t cleaned their hands appropriately or they touched a contaminated surface before they dried their hands, every subsequent person who uses the same towel will pick up germs during the hand drying process.” One Point Partitions adds that “because users will throw out their paper towels after they dry their hands, paper towels don’t have the same risk of cross-contamination.” The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends that you use single-use towels to dry your hands. Once you’re done drying off, “use a paper towel to touch any surfaces—doors, faucets—in the bathroom before exiting,” Taylor Graber, MD, a resident physician at UC San Diego, previously told Best Life.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb This last step is essential as faucet handles and doorknobs are two of the dirtiest touch points. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. In fact, the faucet handles in your kitchen and bathroom contain so much bacteria that they were ranked the sixth germiest place in your home, according to the National Sanitation Foundation. And for more hygiene errors you should avoid, here’s how You Haven’t Been Rubbing in Your Hand Sanitizer Correctly, CDC Says.
