painting with paint shieldIt’s difficult to completely clean, disinfect, or maintain a facility that’s always in use. Even with the best of intentions, you might find yourself choosing between interrupting the normal flow of your workplace or compromising on the standards you want to uphold.

With many businesses operating on reduced hours and making plans to clean and disinfect their commercial property soon, it’s a good idea to revisit painting projects, too. A good paint job is about more than aesthetics: It can also enhance the performance qualities of your space.

When you do, consider using antimicrobial coatings this time around.

Antimicrobial coatings can help both businesses and homeowners keep the surroundings cleaner and safer. Although antimicrobial coatings have been widely used in industrial settings for many years, most people do not realize they are available for other types of projects.

In the past, antimicrobial coatings were most popular in specialized industries where microbes could damage products or harm people. Virtually all healthcare facilities use antimicrobial coatings. So do certain engineering enterprises that rely on “clean rooms,” such as microchip manufacturers. In these environments, microbes can be especially hazardous.

Homeowners and businesses in other categories are taking a close look at antimicrobial coatings, and now is the best time for it. Sherwin-Williams’ Paint Shield® line of products is a true game-changer, offering industry-leading antimicrobial protection for households and enterprises.

Only a Fraction of Paints Can Receive EPA Approval for Antimicrobial Benefits

What does antimicrobial really mean when it comes to paints?

When discussing Paint Shield, a crucial distinction must be drawn:

  • Antibacterial: Protects paint film by inhibiting some microbes and harmful bacteria
  • Antimicrobial: Inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, and other microbes on the film
  • Microbicidal: Actively kills microscopic organisms that get onto the painted surface

Antimicrobial agents must undergo serious scrutiny before being used in any type of commercial application. Although products across many industries claim to be antimicrobial, these claims must be verified by the EPA if any type of health benefit is stated in the marketing.

Paints with antimicrobial agents are typically used in gyms and bathrooms. These are moist and high traffic environments, conducive to the development of mold and mildew. The application of the coatings is usually done with the goal of preventing fungal infections from spreading.

Paint Shield, on the other hand, goes a step further.

Sherwin-Williams Paint Shield is a Truly Groundbreaking Microbicidal Paint

Sherwin-Williams Paint Shield has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects for the groundbreaking nature of its microbicidal composition. Its active ingredient, called quat in the industry, can kill five kinds of bacteria that are harmful to humans.

It is no exaggeration to say Paint Shield is the first product of its kind. It is the only microbicidal paint registered with the EPA. It kills a variety of serious pathogens, eliminating up to 99.9% of bacterial colonies of these types within two hours of their exposure to a painted surface.

Among the diseases affected are:

  • Staph
  • MRSA
  • E. Coli
  • VRE
  • Klebsiella Aerogenes (formerly called enterobacter aerogenes)

Paint Shield® is a leading example of how coatings can go beyond aesthetics to fulfill challenging operational roles in high-performance environments. It has been enthusiastically adopted in a wide range of healthcare settings, from small practices to large research hospitals.

Is Sherwin-Williams Paint Shield Right for Your Business?

Although popular in hospitals and daycare centers, Paint Shield® is appropriate for all manner of enterprises and private homes. It is especially useful in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms.

Paint Shield® is an interior latex paint with truly unique properties and all the quality you expect from the Sherwin-Williams brand. Its near-immediate microbicidal effect is only the start: When the surface is maintained properly, it kills upwards of 90% of stated bacteria for up to four years.

To become a true microbicidal solution, Sherwin-Williams Paint Shield had to pass rigorous third-party testing. All claims have been verified under the strictest laboratory conditions. That includes testing to ensure that the paint performance does not degrade with regular wear and tear.

As with most interior paints, Paint Shield® microbicidal paint should be applied in the form of two coats on a previously primed surface. It can be used on ceilings, walls, doors, and trim, and may be painted directly over many other paints using standard paintbrushes or rollers.

Maximize the Value of Paint Shield Through Professional Application

Paint Shield® comes in the full spectrum of 550 Sherwin-Williams colors. It is also available in much-loved “eg-shell” low-gloss variety. It can only be purchased from Sherwin-Williams stores, which of course we can get for your painting project.

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