Download Cleanic - Wilhelm May GmbH

Cleanic
World innovation
The antimicrobial
door fittings
Antimicrobial door fittings from the
company Wilhelm May bear this name
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Compared to conventional contact surfaces the Cleanic® doorknobs
and fittings show a reduction of up to 99.9 % of bacteria within a very
short time.
They are cast in a special copper alloy and retain their antimicrobial
effect over decades.
Their material properties are also retained even if they are treated with
cleaning and disinfection agents.
The Cleanic® product portfolio shows a range door handles, door
plates and doorknobs for external and internal use.
Clearly recognisable through a striking logo and the accompanying
brand name Cleanic®.
Copper is effective. Permanent. Antimicrobial
Simply the thought of what bacteria the previous user of the door handle could have left there
makes you want to avoid using touching the handle. But frequently this is simply
unavoidable. Consequently, for instance walking through a hospital becomes a precarious
health risk for patients and visitors, because touching door handles in institutions where there
are a great number of visitors often does not remain without consequences. The transfer of
pathogens is almost unavoidable, since germs can survive several days on conventional
materials. Investigations have shown that on average a sick person transfers the pathogens to
seven persons simply through them touching the same contact surface. This risk of infection
particularly has far-reaching consequences in clinics or old people's homes, since the reduced
immune defence of elderly people, patients and also children's immune systems – which are
not yet sufficiently developed – accordingly intensify the risk of infection.
The Cleanic® door and window fittings are made out of a special copper alloy. Here we rely
on a property of copper which was already known 4000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians
used the disinfecting effect of copper by treating wounds with a mixture of copper filings and
honey.
In the USA laboratory investigations have supported the thesis that the antimicrobial effect of
copper will play an important role in the future for avoiding hospital infections. All strains of
bacteria used for the tests showed a significantly reduced chance of survival on copper. The
strains of bacteria also included MRSA bacteria. These pathogens are very frequently
responsible for infections caught in hospitals. MRSA bacteria are increasingly attracting the
attention of scientists, because these germs are presenting research throughout the world with
a growing challenge because of their increasing resistance to antibiotics.
In an interview with the German newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt, Prof. Dr. Braun (head
doctor of the Asklepios clinic in Wandsbeck) explained why his clinic had been willing to
take part in a field test. "The fight against this highly-resistant pathogen cannot be won with
conventional measures, such as always using new antibiotics and intensive disinfection
measures. We have to adapt new approaches to reduce the risk potential for our patients*
In this globally recognised and scientifically supported series of tests a complete hospital
ward was fitted with copper door handles and door fittings from the company Wilhelm May.
The results of the study showed that the antimicrobial effect of copper had an important role
to play in fighting bacteria and viruses. The copper fittings continually reduce the number of
germs. Up to 99.9 % of germs, including the dangerous MRSA pathogen, are killed within a
short time on copper surfaces.** Hence, for instance in the Asklepios clinic it could also be
proved under everyday conditions that the rate of new colonisation by germs was
considerably reduced. The positive result of this was that there were fewer infections at the
ward which was equipped with Cleanic® fittings.