Beyond the Filter: The Role of eHEPA in Enhancing Restroom Hygiene Standards
Modern restroom expectations have evolved fast. What once counted as “clean enough” is no longer the standard, especially in high-traffic commercial spaces where guests, employees, and facility teams are paying closer attention to the full hygiene experience. Today, restrooms are judged on more than appearance. They’re evaluated on air quality, touch-free design, maintenance demands, and whether the environment supports higher facility hygiene standards.
That’s why the conversation around hand drying has changed, too. More people are asking: Are hand dryers hygienic? And facility decision-makers are looking for smarter hand dryer solutions that support public health priorities without adding unnecessary operational burden. One of the biggest innovations driving this shift is electrostatic HEPA (eHEPA®) filtration, which brings a new layer of confidence to hand dryer hygiene.
Are hand dryers hygienic? Look no further than this study from the University of Arizona to prove that hand dryers are a safe, hygienic hand drying option.
Hand Dryer Hygiene: Raising Restroom Hygiene Standards with eHEPA
When people search for answers about hand dryer hygiene, they’re typically trying to understand whether modern hand dryers support a cleaner restroom, or if they introduce new concerns. It’s a fair question, especially as more organizations prioritize touch-free technology and reduce reliance on paper towels.
The truth is, not all systems are created equal. A HEPA filter hand dryer helps address the biggest concern people have when evaluating air-based drying: what’s in the airstream. That’s where eHEPA filtration changes the conversation. It isn’t just a “nice to have” feature, it’s a measurable, test-backed improvement that supports cleaner air output and stronger hygiene performance.
For facilities aiming to improve public perception, reduce touchpoints, and maintain a more modern environment, filtered drying systems can help reinforce a higher standard of cleanliness. And for anyone still wondering are hand dryers sanitary, filtration-backed performance is a major part of the answer.
The Rise of Health-Driven Hygiene Regulations
Across industries, restroom expectations have shifted from convenience to accountability. Businesses, schools, stadiums, airports, healthcare settings, and corporate offices have all seen a rise in guest and employee awareness around shared spaces. In many ways, how restroom hygiene standards have changed reflects a larger trend: hygiene has become part of brand trust.
This shift is why more facility leaders are reviewing their hygiene approach through a new lens, one that includes indoor air quality, surface contact reduction, and sanitation consistency. It’s also why questions like are hand dryers hygienic? are being asked more frequently.
Modern hand dryer solutions must now do more than dry hands quickly. They should help facilities meet elevated facility hygiene standards by supporting touch-free operation, minimizing mess, and improving confidence in the overall restroom environment. Solutions like our XLERATOR® hand dryer with eHEPA filtration easily help facilities accomplish this.
From Basic Cleanliness to Advanced Hygiene Protocols
For years, restroom upgrades focused on the basics: durable fixtures, easy-to-clean surfaces, and reliable performance. But today’s restrooms are increasingly designed around hygiene-forward strategies, especially in high-volume facilities where maintenance teams need systems that support consistent cleanliness with fewer interventions.
This is where advanced filtration for hand dryer hygiene has started to mirror what people already expect in other areas of a building. We don’t think twice about commercial air filtration systems in offices, hospitals, and public spaces. So it makes sense that the hand drying step, an essential part of hygiene, should also benefit from cleaner air output.
At Excel Dryer, the philosophy of XLERATOR = Hand Hygiene represents this shift: hand drying isn’t separate from hygiene, it’s part of it. When drying is fast, touch-free, and supported by restroom air filtration, it becomes a stronger link in the overall hygiene chain. And as facility hygiene standards continue to rise, it’s no longer enough for restrooms to “look clean.” They need to perform clean, too.
Choosing the Right HEPA filter Hand Dryer for Your Facility
If your facility is evaluating upgrades, choosing the right filtration-backed dryer starts with understanding what makes eHEPA different and why it matters for restroom air purification.
Excel Dryer’s electrostatic HEPA filtration has been tested to remove 99.999% of viruses and 99.97% of bacteria from the airstream by LMS Technologies, providing the highest hand dryer hygiene. That kind of verified filtration performance helps reinforce confidence in hygiene outcomes, especially for high-traffic restrooms which need hand hygiene resources so that cleanliness is consistent throughout the day.
HEPA vs eHEPA: what’s the difference?
When comparing HEPA vs eHEPA, the difference in a HEPA filter hand dryer is more than a label. Our eHEPA filters are constructed with polypropylene, a robust thermoplastic material. This durability surpasses the traditional fiberglass media HEPA filters which are typically made from fragile Borosilicate glass microfiber, which is prone to tearing.
These filters use electrostatic microfiber technology which means that the polypropylene microfiber in our filters is electrically charged, significantly increasing their ability to attract particles. This electrostatic charge plays a crucial role in restroom air purification to remove viruses and bacteria from the airstream.
Facilities can also benefit from prolonged filter life with our hand dryer solutions because they include a prefilter, helping reduce maintenance demands while maintaining filtration efficiency. Plus, for projects targeting healthier indoor environments, our hand dryers can also contribute toward LEED credits and WELL points.
Learn more about why facilities are turning to electrostatic HEPA for superior hand dryer hygiene.
A Higher Standard of Hand Dryer Hygiene with eHEPA Filtration
The goal of hygiene upgrades isn’t just to keep pace, it’s to set a better standard. With eHEPA filtration, hand drying becomes a more confident part of the hygiene process by helping ensure the air used for drying is filtered to an extremely high level.
For facility managers, this supports daily performance: fewer concerns, less mess, and stronger confidence that the restroom environment aligns with modern expectations. For designers and specifiers, it supports a touch-free restroom experience that fits today’s priorities.
Reach out to us to see how we can help improve your restroom with eHEPA filtration.