New spray-on product offers unprecedented 24 hour protection

A former military secret will soon be helping hygiene-conscious New Zealanders keep their hands free of infection for 24 hours at a time.

A new, spray-on sanitiser, known as 'GermFree24', harnesses revolutionary technology, originally developed to stop the spread of microbial infection in the confined quarters of US Navy submarines during the Cold War.

Just one spray of the water-based product has been shown to protect hands against 99.99% of germs for 24 hours, without the need for reapplication after the user's hands get washed.

"GermFree24 is a significant breakthrough in offering protection from the infection risks we all face daily from many viruses, bacteria, fungi and other sources of infection," says Maya Banks, Brand Manager at EBOS Healthcare, the product's New Zealand distributor.

"The idea behind this breakthrough was literally a military secret until after the Cold War ended. But it's now available to provide all-day protection for the hands of the average, hygiene-conscious consumer," she adds.

Maya Banks describes GermFree24 as working in a totally different way to conventional disinfectants, as it kills germs by piercing them with microscopic spikes rather than by poisoning them and, most importantly, has the ability to stay on the hands for extended periods and remain active. This provides unprecedented protection and is a distinct step forward.

"When GermFree24 is sprayed onto your hands, it forms a safe, protective film on your skin. This film contains a microscopic bed of tiny spikes, which pierce and kill the germs. The spikes are too small to be harmful to people or animals but they're deadly to germs!

"The spikes retain their effectiveness after contact with germs in much the same way as a pin used to explode a balloon retains its ability to prick further balloons. The mechanical, rather than chemical, destruction of germs, also removes risk of them acquiring immunity and developing into super bugs," she explains.

"GermFree24 can be recommended to anyone with a genuine concern for hygiene. Germs are everywhere, including the workplace, restaurants, bars, gyms or even the handle of your supermarket trolley. Parents of young children will be particularly aware of their tendency to touch anything within reach and to spread germs everywhere. So it really makes sense to take precautions.

"Staying free of infection is absolutely vital for those involved in the hospitality, travel and food industries, or working in schools, hospitals and medical or dental clinics. We strongly recommend this product to people working in these fields.

"If you use GermFree24, your hands will stay protected right through the day, even if you wash your hands several times during that day. In addition, GermFree24 gently moisturises your hands," she says.

GermFree24 is now available at selected pharmacies throughout New Zealand. The recommended price of around $14.99 for a 50 ml bottle is considered extremely competitive, given that, unlike conventional sanitisers, GermFree24 only needs to be applied once a day.

The technology employed in developing GermFree24, has also been used to produce 'Zoono', a long-lasting, anti-microbial treatment for surfaces. Extensive testing has shown Zoono to provide broad-spectrum protection against germs for a period of weeks.

"It's hard to exaggerate the significance of these two products and of the truly revolutionary technology behind them. They're making it possible to envisage a very real reduction in infection risks," says Maya Banks.