RESEARCH · MEASURE IT YOURSELF
Compare flick-dry and direct-dry
for yourself.
This is the approach we use to measure how much flicking excess water off before using an electric hand dryer reduces dryer running time. We track dryer runtime and total task time, check timing accuracy, and follow safe-use practices. In both conditions, stop when your hands feel dry, just as you would in everyday use.
Safety and privacy come first. Site permission and appropriate participant
consent is needed. Avoid bystander recordings in washrooms and consider splash, slip, and accessibility risks. Do
not alter dryer wiring or access main electricity without qualified assistance and authorization. This project
does not establish hygiene benefits or replace facility guidance.
Four steps
- Define the procedure. Document the dryer, initial hand-wetting conditions, and flicking procedure. Use the same instruction in both conditions: stop when your hands feel dry. Perceived dryness will differ between individuals, but should make sense in the context of both conditions.
- Control for confounding variables. Use the same person and same dryer for all trials.
- Review the measurements. Check dryer events and timing, retain outliers with reasons, and keep dryer runtime separate from total task time and electricity measurements.
- Report the results and context. Explain sample size, variability, assumptions, and where the findings may not generalize. Null or unfavorable findings belong in the public record too.
See it applied
Our Stage 2 report shows this approach on real data, including how the trials were run and what was not controlled. Its records do not identify the person or dryer for each run, which is why step 2 matters for anyone collecting new data.
What this covers
- Electric hand dryers only. Paper-towel savings have not been measured.
- Dryer running time, and the energy savings calculated from it. Shorter running time means less energy used.