Why copper offers peace of mind to COVID-conscious customers

Leading bath maker BC Designs is urging bathroom retailers to inform themselves about the antimicrobial properties of copper, as the industry starts to reopen in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Colchester-based firm says copper is a 'super metal' when it comes to killing germs, and that demand for copper bathtubs has been 'unprecedented' in recent months.

While most viruses can last for days on steel and glass, they die within hours on copper, which has natural antimicrobial properties which are still not completely understood. Numerous studies have demonstrated copper's efficiency at killing off the bacteria behind illnesses including E.coli, MRSA, norovirus and swine flu - and early research indicates a similarly lethal effect on COVID-19.

Barrie Cutchie, Design and Marketing Director at BC Designs, says: 'At a time when there is unprecedented demand for products that help fight Covid, retailers can now inform potential customers of the virtue properties of copper.

'Knowing that copper kills bacteria and viruses within a short time frame, without any additional help from cleaning products will help to put a lot of people’s minds at rest when it comes to making sure a high-traffic area such as a bathroom remains germ free.'

'Combining this knowledge with a beautifully-styled piece means people can combine functionality, safety and aesthetics into one beautiful piece.

'We have already started to see an unprecedented demand for our copper boat baths and new basins, and we expect demand to continue as people become more aware of the facts.'