Antimicrobial Treated Devices
Published October 2021
Keeping Things Extra Clean
“Clean, clean, clean, then clean again,” has become everyone’s mantra lately. These days safe cleaning practices are on the forefront of everyone’s minds everywhere! Many families have recently resorted to home deliveries such as Instacart, which also led to new cleaning habits like wearing gloves and spraying down the bags of groceries. In addition, who didn’t learn that the best practice to really washing to your hands was to scrub for 20 seconds – which many learned was the exact timing as singing one verse of “Happy Birthday to you?” |
Defining Antimicrobial
So, what does this have to do with electrical wiring devices? Leviton has developed antimicrobial treated devices to help keep the surfaces of our switches and wall plates cleaner. Microorganisms, also known as microbes, are too small to see but can survive on a wide range of surfaces. By incorporating an antimicrobial additive into the product material, antimicrobial treated devices from Leviton help to inhibit the growth of mold, mildew, fungi and other odor-causing bacteria on the surface of the device in between normal cleanings. This keeps our products clean and fresh and also protects against discoloration, staining, deterioration and corrosion.
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“It’s a natural process that our skin emits oils and those oils provide certain bacteria and an opportunity to grow, especially on frequently touched surfaces,” notes Hasan Amin, Leviton Product Manager. “In public environments, surfaces are constantly being cleaned to avoid any build-up of unwanted microbes. Leviton discovered that infusing silver ion onto heavily touched devices can help reduce the growth and build-up of unwanted microbes in between regular cleanings,” he further explains.
For more detailed information on the testing and results performed on the Leviton products, visit: Leviton.com/antimicrobial |
The Dirty Truth
“Leviton’s antimicrobial products have come in high demand for a wide-range of industries due to the increased desire to keep frequently touched surfaces clean,” states Tony Pulsonetti, Leviton’s Director of Product Management. “Think about all the public places where there is constant touching of devices such as light switches and wallplates is common. This includes students, travelers and employees in public transportation, workers returning to offices and manufacturing facilities, patrons and employees in restaurants and guests and staff in hotels and conference centers and even families and friends in your own home. The list is endless,” he adds.
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Leviton Gets Into The Nitty Gritty
“Almost everyone is now aware of how microbes and bacteria can spread onto nearly anything we touch. This gave opportunity for Leviton to expand their antimicrobial solutions which also expands into our distribution channel offerings,” Pulsonetti notes. |
| Leviton’s line of antimicrobial treated devices includes wallplates and switches – both toggle and rocker style. The switches and wall plates are embedded with the silver ion, antimicrobial additive and the stainless-steel wall plates are further protected with an antimicrobial coating that resists fingerprints, stains, and odor-causing bacteria. The complete line of switches and wall plates include:
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| Leviton’s latest residential antimicrobial devices are ideal for high traffic rooms throughout the home such as bathrooms, hallways, entryways, and kitchens. What’s even better, they have the same look and feel as traditional switches and wallplates. In addition, many of the Lev-Lok® family of modular wiring devices are available with the antimicrobial additive. The Lev-Lok line includes occupancy sensors, hospital grade and heavy-duty receptacles including GFCI receptacles and switches. This system accelerates the installation 3x faster than traditional wiring, which is especially beneficial in health care facilities where stringent standards require frequent replacement of switches and receptacles. For more information on Lev-Lok: Leviton.com/levlok |
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“We are constantly expanding our line of antimicrobial treated products – most recently we are embedding this technology into our Smart wall boxes and sensors,” notes Reid Parks, Leviton Product Manager for Commercial Lighting Products. “But always remember that even though these devices can resist the growth of certain unwanted microbes they do not replace regular cleanings but work in conjunction with cleaning best practices,” adds Amin.
For more information on Leviton’s extensive line of antimicrobial products, go to: Leviton.com/antimicrobial |
Leviton Mfg.
Company Inc.
201 North Service Rd.
Melville, NY 11747
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