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Shared pens are covered in germs -- A new invention aims to change that

The CleanBlock sanitizes pens

DETROIT – A new invention helps kill germs on a commonly shared item that can be incredibly dirty -- a pen.

One study suggests that shared pens can have more than 46,000 times more germs than a household toilet. Yet pens are shared often, and people may not think about just how many germs they are encountering when they use one.

Putting pens in The CleanBlock helps eliminate many of those germs. Pens are stored in the block, which has a 70 percent ethanol alcohol solution, when they aren’t being used.

Todd Roberts, the clinical coordinator at Orlando Health’s Cancer Center, invented the block. He said his invention eliminates 99 percent of germs within seconds.


About the Authors
Kimberly Gill headshot

You can watch Kimberly Gill weekdays anchoring Local 4 News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. and streaming live at 10 p.m. on Local 4+. She's an award-winning journalist who finally called Detroit home in 2014. Kim has won Regional Emmy Awards, and was part of the team that won the National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast in 2022.

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