> > > My housemates are convinced that air drying is more hygenic than tea-towel drying, when washing up dishes.
> > > sam"besides, it looks neater if you dry and put away immediately"hael
> >
> I would assume air drying is better UNLESS you use a newly laundered tea towel every time OR the air in your kitchen is full of soot, fly spray, cigarette smoke, or airborne anthrax spores being secretly piped into your house by a malicious neighbour.

I agree with Brunnen G, unless you use a new towel each time, or toss it in the dryer after every drying, the towel becomes a nice breeding ground for bacteria. Drying with a used towel is seeding your plates. As for me, I like a little bacteria in my system -- I'd rather expose my immune system to it when I'm healthy than have it kick me when I'm down.
Euge'bacteria lad'ne