Paper Towels or Hand Dryers in Schools: Why This Everyday Choice Matters

In schools, every decision contributes to the overall environment. Leaders rightly focus on curriculum design, staffing, safeguarding, and wider operational strategies. Yet there are quieter, everyday choices that influence the daily experience for pupils, staff, and visitors more than is often realised.

One of those choices is how pupils dry their hands.

At first it can seem like a simple facilities detail. But the more you consider hygiene, pupil comfort, safety, accessibility, and inspection readiness, the clearer it becomes that hand drying deserves more attention. It is a practical process that touches every pupil several times a day, and because of this it is also a constant reflection of how a school is run.

This article explores the strengths and challenges of both paper towels and hand dryers in schools, along with the emerging blended approaches that many schools are now adopting.

Why the decision matters more than it appears

Hand drying is about more than clean hands. It influences how pupils move through corridors, how noise is managed during the school day, and how washrooms are presented to inspectors and parents. For site teams, the method chosen affects cleaning routines, daily workloads, and the smooth running of facilities.

Because hand drying is one of the few activities that every pupil experiences multiple times, it plays a surprisingly important role in shaping overall school culture and the perception of organisation and care.

Paper towels: hygienic, intuitive, and widely trusted

Paper towels remain a familiar option in many schools, valued for their ease of use and accessibility. They are quick, effective, and require no instructions, which makes them particularly supportive for younger pupils or those with additional needs.

Advantages of paper towels

• Generally regarded as the most hygienic option, since pupils can dry hands thoroughly and dispose of the towel immediately
• Fast to use, which helps reduce queues at peak times such as lunch breaks
• Quiet, supporting pupils who are sensitive to noise and keeping corridors calmer
• Help to limit slips by removing excess water from hands and preventing it from dripping onto floors
• Require no electricity or technical maintenance

Challenges of paper towels

• Refilling dispensers and emptying bins adds to site team workloads
• Waste management can be a concern if local contracts do not support recycling
• Full bins or scattered towels can create a poor impression for visitors and inspectors

Many schools are now looking at how to refine the way towels are managed rather than move away from them entirely. A growing focus is on the type of dispenser being used. Single sheet dispensers, for example, can significantly reduce usage compared with continuous roll systems. This not only improves hygiene by avoiding unnecessary contact but also supports waste reduction without relying on a full switch to dryers.

Hand dryers: tidy, low-intervention, and increasingly advanced

Hand dryers are often installed in schools where site leaders want to reduce the daily demands of consumables. Once in place, dryers remove the need for constant refilling, storing of paper, and emptying of bins, which can simplify maintenance routines.

Advantages of hand dryers

• No consumables to manage, which reduces daily intervention for staff
• Washrooms remain tidier without paper waste or full bins
• Newer models often include HEPA filters or rapid dry technology that improve hygiene standards

Challenges of hand dryers

• Dryers can be noisy, which may unsettle pup