Fortunately, Swiss company Tweaq has a rather simple solution: a doorhandle that disinfects itself after every use. Called the Touch 1, the device can be installed in 10 minutes on any door. There is a ring around the handle with a sponge on the inside of it. After each use, this sponge is saturated with disinfectant and then a motorized mechanism slides the ring along the length of the handle and back, wiping it clean.
Tweaq says the Touch 1 can remove “99 percent of bacteria and viruses in less than three seconds,” so it’s ready to be used again almost immediately. The disinfectant is stored in a cartridge inside the unit alongside a battery that powers it. When the disinfectant runs out, the cartridge is sent back to Tweaq for refilling, at which point the battery will also be recharged, thus avoiding creating waste. The device also has a companion mobile app that keeps track of the disinfectant level and battery power, so you’ll be warned before it runs out of either.
