Is it safe to wipe hands with hand towel papers?
Hand towel papers today have become an essential item in daily life. We can meet them anywhere, at home, in the office or in public places. So are hand towel papers really safe? Let’s find out in the following article!
What are hand towel papers made from?
Wood Pulp
The main material used in tissue paper is pulp. It comes from softwood and hardwood trees.
- Softwood pulp: Pulp is produced from softwood trees (these are types of trees with needle-like leaves, round cones, and evergreen foliage), such as pine, cypress, fir, Douglas fir, and spruce. Pulp from softwood trunks has good flexibility, contributing to the durability characteristics of paper, such as tensile strength, burst strength, and tear resistance.
- Hardwood pulp: Hardwood is typically large in size and heavy, prone to warping, cracking, and difficult to process. Pulp is produced from hardwood trees (these are types of trees with broad leaves that shed in autumn and spring), such as oak, birch, willow, banyan, and rubber trees. Paper made from hardwood pulp has low durability, strong absorbency, and contributes to the characteristics of paper such as stiffness, thickness, brightness, opacity, smoothness, and printability.
Recycled Paper
Recycled paper is a type of paper produced from used paper, rather than from new wood pulp. The paper recycling process involves collecting old paper, cleaning and processing it to remove impurities, and then pulping and reconstituting it into new paper pulp to produce new paper products. Recycled paper can be made from various types of used paper such as old newspapers, office paper, cardboard boxes, and other printed materials. These types of paper are collected from households, offices, and industrial facilities. Recycled paper fibers may be shorter and less strong than virgin fibers.
What are hand towel papers made from?
Is it safe to wipe hands with hand towel paper?
Yes, it is generally safe to wipe your hands with hand towel paper. Hand towel paper is designed for this purpose and is commonly used in public restrooms, kitchens, and other areas to dry hands after washing. Here are a few considerations:
- Hygiene: Hand towel paper is single-use, which helps maintain hygiene by reducing the risk of cross-contamination compared to cloth towels that might be reused without proper laundering.
- Material Safety: Hand towel paper is typically made from materials that are safe for skin contact. Most brands are designed to be absorbent and durable enough for drying hands without disintegrating.
- Allergies: While uncommon, some individuals might be sensitive to certain types of paper towels, especially if they contain fragrances, dyes, or chemicals. If you have sensitive skin or allergies, look for hypoallergenic or fragrance-free options.
- Environment: Many hand towel papers are now made from recycled materials or are biodegradable, making them a more environmentally friendly option compared to some alternatives.
In summary, using hand towel paper to dry hands is a practical and safe method, provided you choose a product that suits your skin type and meets any specific health requirements you may have.
Amoca’s hand towel paper
Buy at: Hand Towel 2ply – 1 Carton 4,000pcs=
Comparison of paper towels to other hand drying methods
Hand Towel Paper
Advantages:
- High Efficiency: Quickly dries hands, removing most bacteria and water.
- Hygienic: Single-use, reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
- Easy to Use: Doesn’t require electricity, and can be used anywhere.
- Environmentally Friendly: Many paper towels today are made from recycled or biodegradable materials.
Disadvantages:
- Cost: Frequent use can be expensive.
- Waste: Generates a large amount of waste, which needs proper disposal to avoid environmental pollution.
Hand Dryers
Advantages:
- Economical: Saves money in the long run, no need for frequent replacements.
- Environmentally Friendly: Doesn’t produce paper waste, reducing overall waste.
- Modern: Often found in public restrooms, providing a sense of convenience.
Disadvantages:
- Efficiency: May not completely dry hands, especially older models.
- Hygiene: Can blow bacteria into the air and surrounding area.
- Initial Investment: More expensive to install compared to paper towels.
- Energy Consumption: Uses electricity, which may not be environmentally friendly unless renewable energy is used.
Cloth Towels
Advantages:
- Efficiency: Absorbs well, quickly drying hands.
- User-Friendly: Provides a soft and comfortable feel.
- Environmentally Friendly: If washed and reused properly, reduces waste.
Disadvantages:
- Hygiene: Can easily spread germs if not washed and replaced regularly.
- Maintenance: Requires proper washing and storage, which can be labor-intensive.
- Cost: Washing and maintenance costs can add up over time.
Comparison
If you dry your hands with paper towels, it’s not an environmentally friendly method, especially given that humans waste a lot of paper each year. Therefore, many people opt to use hand dryers, which may take a bit longer but are cleaner and better for the environment.
However, some things are not as they seem. Using hand dryers in public restrooms turns out to contain an unexpected risk. Hand dryers can blow viruses up to 3 meters away, increasing the spread by hundreds of times. Yes, that’s right! In many experiments, using hand dryers in public restrooms increases the likelihood of bacteria, fungi, and viruses being dispersed into the air. This includes many viruses that give you chills just hearing about them, such as herpes, hepatitis, diarrhea, and vomiting viruses.
Each type of hand dryer yields different results. Hand dryers that use blowing air to dry hands have a 60 times higher potential to spread bacteria compared to those that use heat. Most importantly, compared to using paper towels, the spread rate is up to 190 times higher.
Using cloth towels for hand drying may be the most environmentally friendly solution, but it is not as convenient and hygienic as using paper towels. However, wasting paper is not ideal, so let’s cultivate the habit of saving paper for ourselves and the environment.
In conclusion, hand towel paper is a safe and effective option for drying hands after washing. Its single-use design helps maintain hygiene standards by reducing the risk of cross-contamination. With proper selection of hypoallergenic or fragrance-free options, individuals with sensitive skin can use hand towel paper confidently. Moreover, the increasing availability of recycled and biodegradable hand towel papers contributes to environmental sustainability. Therefore, when it comes to hand hygiene, reaching for hand towel paper is not just safe – it’s a responsible choice for both personal health and the planet.