Paint that Kills… Germs

originally posted4/24/2009 9:37 am

Here’s a link to a foxnews.com article on Germ-killing paint:
—http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,517745,00.html (opens in a new window)

This could be a great product once it is approved for use and if it doesn’t cost twice as much as regular paint.

Of course, there wouldn’t be any need of me posting to my blog just to say that.  The point of this post is to wonder how this is going to work.  As new strains of mold, fungi, virus, germs, etc. evolve will the paint work to prevent/kill them, as well?  Or will you have to go buy the latest version of the “re-bleaching” formula they mention in the article.

Like computer anti-viruses…
When you buy the paint, it will have a website you can go to sign-in as a registered user of the paint and get email or text messages (to you phone) letting you know a new version of the solution is available.  You then run down to your local vendor, pick it up and “re-bleach” all the surfaces you painted with this paint.  No problem.  What?  Oh, that ring was just another message telling me there’s a new version.  This may have just dried, but I guess I need to go get the new one.  Maybe I should subscribe to the ‘auto-ship’ feature, where they automatically bill my credit card and overnight the latest version of the formula when it is developed.

Yes, I’m being a tad ridiculous.  We don’t currently see viruses mutating that quickly, right?  But you can see how this is a huge potential money-maker for the company(ies) making the “re-bleacher” and paints… especially with the percentage of the folks out there who buy into the need for everything they use to be anti-bacterial —soap, shampoo, cleaners, etc.

[soapbox time]
You’d think with all the anti-bacterial stuff being used so much, that people would be getting infected a lot less, but it doesn’t really seem to be making much difference.  Doctors’ Offices are still over-booked for the sniffles and coughs.  Hey, folks, consider this:  By using all this stuff to kill germs, your body doesn’t get to practice fighting off the bad stuff so when it makes it through your multi-level security, your body is less capable of dealing with it.  Or maybe it knows how to fight it off, but the stuff that gets through is just more potent because it had to evolve to breach your perimeter.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t anti-bacterialize some things, but every product in your house certainly doesn’t need to be a germ killer.
[end soapbox time]

Bottom line:  I’d like to see the pricing on this new paint and may have to consider it for my bathrooms.  Maybe they can create a clearcoat of sorts that you can just layover existing paint.