INTERNATIONAL REPORT—With the onset of COVID-19, doors have become the untouchables yet somehow you have got to make your way through as unscathed as possible. Fortunately, myriad suppliers are offering innovative devices to make the door experience as virus and touch free as possible. Examples of the devices include a simple key made of antimicrobial brass that you use to push a door open, a no-touch door pull handle that allows one to use one’s wrist or bottom of one’s arm to open a door, a door handle cuff utilized by resting ones forearm into the cuff and pressing down on the door handle, a hands-free door arm used in refrigeration display cases that sanitizes itself, an automated door handle sanitizer that delivers a pulse of disinfectant to the handle each time the door closes, and stainless steel door levers and pulls, deadbolts, and other items that include an antimicrobial coating.
Here are some examples of recent innovations and introductions:
Hygiene Solutions—Hygiene Solutions has developed the Door Handle sanitizing device that delivers an estimated 4,000 uses. Through the simple closing of the door, an atomizer is triggered that delivers tiny particles of sanitizer onto the contact surface area of most types of door handles as well as a small amount onto the persons hand leaving the handle safer for users to touch.
NoContactKey—NoContactKey recently announced its launch of its clean touch germ key for the gaming industry. The NoContactKey is a no contact door opener tool stylus and germ-free door opener key made of metal antimicrobial brass. It keeps your hands free when you touch door handles, toilets, keypads, ATM keypads, elevator buttons and other touch points.
NoContactKey’s Don Douglas says, “Having a NoContactKey, your personal no contact germ utility tool along with the keycard of your room means, you don’t have to use your hands to press the elevator buttons.”
SanitGrasp—SanitGrasp is a no-touch door pull handle that provides a hygienic solution for exiting public spaces. Conceived by Matthew Fulkerson, SanitGrasp allows a person to use their wrist or the bottom of their arm to open a public restroom door. “The concept was to replace the last touchpoint in a restroom, which is traditionally a pull handle,” he says. “Without it, it essentially makes all other touchless options useless.” His internationally patented product is ADA-compliant and can easily retrofit an existing handle. It features a stainless-steel handle, an angled opening with a rounded cap and easy to read, engraved instructions. SanitGrasp handles are coated with SANIGUARD, an antimicrobial finish.
Mockett—This company’s new Door Handle Cuff offers a hygienic approach to opening traditional interior doors to prevent the spread of germs and bacteria. Simply rest your forearm into the cuff and press down on the door handle and push or pull to minimize possible contact through contamination. An easy-to-install forearm shield slips over the handle and is screwed into place. It fits most traditional door handles including square or round handles with a ¾” to 1” diameter.
Antimicrobial Door Arm Sanitizes Itself
Energy Door Co., a leading supplier of glass display doors and frames for the commercial refrigeration industry, introduces AMSafe, an antimicrobial hands-free, door arm that sanitizes itself. The unique design of the AMSafe Antimicrobial Arm uses a micronized antibacterial compound embedded into the arm killing 99 percent of germs. Even if you never clean it, the antimicrobial compound lasts for the life of the handle. Variable handle shapes are available to fit all major door handles including Energy Door Co., Anthony, Hussmann, and Styleline, plus many other brands. Two finish options are available in black or silver to match any door design.
INOX is now offering an antimicrobial coating for its line of stainless steel products, including commercial and residential door levers and pulls, deadbolts, panic devices and push/pull plates. INOX MicroArmor Antimicrobial Coating is a powder coating infused with antimicrobial technology that is applied during the hardware’s manufacturing process and works to inhibit the growth and reproduction of harmful bacteria, mold and mildew by up to 99.9 percent.
Sofidel, a leading global provider of paper for hygienic and domestic use, launched its Papernet Heavenly Soft Door Tissue and Defend Tech hand towel dispensers. With heightened concerns around hygiene in public facilities—particularly in restrooms—the Door Tissue promotes cleanliness by turning restroom doors into touchless exits and eliminating contact with other high-traffic touchpoints such as elevator buttons. The Defend Tech dispensers feature unique silver-ion technology that repels germs and helps further reduce the risk of contaminated hands. Paired with a waste receptacle, the Door Tissue can reduce touchpoints in a variety of environments.
According to Nostalgic Warehouse, its brass, copper and other doorknobs and hardware have antimicrobial properties built in. Copper and copper alloys like brass and bronze have recently been registered at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the first solid antimicrobial material, thanks to its natural ability to kill certain viruses on contact, like MRSA, Staph, Influenza A, E-Coli and the human coronavirus. A virus can survive just minutes on a copper or brass surface, compared to weeks on a stainless steel one.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
