ChargeBox plays its part in the fight against Coronavirus

In the fight against COVID-19, three words, hands, face, space, are all imprinted on our minds, but there is one other invisible weapon against the virus that consumers might not be quite so familiar with – antimicrobial coatings.

Coronavirus can be transmitted through air particles, but common touchpoints such as ATM screens, self-service checkouts and mobile charging stations can be high-risk areas where the virus can be passed from one carrier to another. Consumers now expect these shared facilities to be scrupulously sanitised, and thankfully most retailers and business owners are committed to doing this to ensure their customers’ safety and improve their customer experience. However, this additional cleaning does add an extra cost and burden to business owners when times are already tough and may result in lost sales due to delays.

Are antimicrobial coatings a quick and simple solution to fighting viruses and bacteria? 

Antimicrobial coating technology offers both piece of mind to consumers and reduces the responsibility of businesses having to deep clean high risk shared surfaces after each use.

Liquid Guard is an award-winning and innovative provider of antimicrobial technology. The effectiveness of the wipe-on coating has been independently verified and is proven to kill 11 viruses and bacteria including SARS-CoV-2, TGEV Coronavirus and Influenza A.

How easy is it to apply Liquid Guard?

ChargeBox have unreservedly implemented the use of Liquid Guard to all new sales of their mobile charging equipment in an effort to help fight the transmission of Coronavirus and offer greater peace of mind and a safer customer experience to consumers.

Every ChargeBox we manufacture has now been treated with the Liquid Guard antimicrobial coating in the following way:

  • All areas are first thoroughly cleaned.  
  • A primer coating is then applied followed by a ‘buffing’ process.
  • The Liquid Guard top treatment coat is applied and buffed again.
  • The charging station is closed for use for a further 6 hours to allow the coating to fully cure.

It’s not just the exterior of the ChargeBox that is treated, each of the following parts are also cleaned, primed and protected to ensure maximum protection to ChargeBox users:

  • Cable endings are one of the main touch points in any charging station, so these are all now thoroughly treated with Liquid Guard. Replacement cables, if needed, are pre-coated before installation.
  • Locker mats, where consumers rest their devices, are pre-treated at the ChargeBox factory and then inserted onsite when lockers are being treated.
  • Each key and key fob is fully coated. If we ever replace the lock and key/key fob we replace them with protected replacements.
  • All edges, doors, screens and surfaces are treated with as much care and attention as the locker’s major contact areas.

Does an antimicrobial coating offer long-lasting protection?

One of the major concerns is the longevity of the treatment. The good news is that after application the coating is effective for more than one year. Standard regular cleaning does not hamper the effectiveness of the coating, in fact tests have proven that it actually enhances it.

Can the use of antimicrobial coatings offer another effective weapon in the fight against Coronavirus?

Although touching contaminated surfaces is not considered to be the main way the Coronavirus spreads, studies have shown that traces of it can linger on plastic surfaces for up to 72 hours. Many consumers are, justifiably, nervous of using shared facilities for fear of contracting Covid-19. The development of antimicrobial coatings and their application to shared devices such as ChargeBox charging stations is a game changer, offering extra protection and greater peace of mind for staff, consumers and business owners.

ChargeBox uses antimicrobial coatings to fight coronavirus