Hand dryers which are designed to blow hot air on your hands are actually sucking up faeces particles and spraying them onto your hands, researchers say.
The study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology , found the air coming out of the hand dryer contained far more bacteria than normal bathroom air.
"As many as 60 different bacterial colonies can be blown out of the machines in just one 30-second drying" the report says.
Several of the samples of the 36 bathrooms examined contained staphylococcus aureus, which is a common bacteria found in the body and sometimes linked to serious infections.
"Bacteria in bathrooms will come from faeces, which can be aerosolised a bit when toilets, especially lidless toilets, are flushed," study author, Peter Setlow told Yahoo.
The University of Connecticut School of Medicine where the study was conducted are trading in hand dryers for regular paper towels.
Scientists are also recommending always closing the lid before flushing any toilet.
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