Gadget to open doors without touching them and not get infected [VÍDEO TUTORIAL]

There are many of us who share common areas with family, neighbors and co-workers. For this reason, in times when hygienic conditions must be extreme, it is convenient that we avoid contact as much as possible and use some type of accessory to open doors without touching them. The following video tutorial will show you how to make different accessories for this purpose.

We share common use areas every day, we walk through them and unconsciously touch them, but now they can pose a risk to our health. Both in the communities of owners and in the workplace, it is essential to take extreme precautions to combat the coronavirus.

The World Health Organization indicates that you can contract the coronavirus COVID-19 by being in contact with another person who is infected with the virus. In addition, when you cough or sneeze, the droplets that contain the virus can fall on objects and common areas of buildings such as the elevator, buttons, door handles, etc. Touching these contaminated areas is also a source of contagion..

To avoid this, in addition to following the hygiene advice of the health authorities, you can make various accessories or gadgets to avoid touching common areas such as doors. In this video tutorial you will see how to:

How to open the doors without touching them

Although the use of gloves is recommended to avoid directly touching surfaces that may have been in contact with the coronavirus, sometimes we can touch our faces with them out of habit and without realizing it. For this reason, accessories or gadgets that avoid coming into direct contact with common areas are a good option to protect us from infections.

Wood or MDF pusher

To make this pusher to open doors with a crank you must download the following template:

The steps to follow are:

1. Trace the template on a MDF board or pallet board.
2. Drill the central hole with a 25 mm diameter spade drill. If you don’t have a spade bit, you can make several holes with the drill and round it with the saw.
3. Cut the outline of the pusher with a jigsaw or scroll hacksaw.
4. Sand with the sander to smooth the edges.
5. Paint and varnish the pusher to waterproof it and to be able to disinfect it after use.

vinyl tube

A very simple solution for those who do not have the tools or materials to build an accessory like the previous one, is to use a hard cardboard tube lined with self-adhesive vinyl. That tube goes into the door handle and prevents it from being touched directly.

To do this you need the inner cardboard tube that you will find in rolls of food film or aluminum foil. First, it will be cut with a cutter so that it is about 15 cm long. The protective paper will then be peeled off the self-adhesive vinyl and wrapped around the tube. Finally, the edges of the vinyl will be cut and they will be inserted towards the interior.

By lining the tube with vinyl we will be able to waterproof it and disinfect it every time we use it. On the other hand, an alternative to the cardboard tube is to use a PVC tube.

How long does the coronavirus survive on each surface?

According to various studies by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention and The New England Journal of Medicine, the virus has a permanence of:

• 72 hours on stainless steel (cranks, railings, etc.)
• 72 hours on plastic (computer keyboards, bags)
• 48 hours on glass (phone screens, windows)
• 24 hours on wood
• 24 hours on paper and cardboard
• 8 on aluminum
• 4 hours on copper
• 3 hours in the air

By contrast, the coronavirus can be eliminated in a minute by disinfecting surfaces with household cleaning products that contain bleach or ammonia. For this reason it is so important that the accessories or gadgets to open doors without touching them are waterproof and can be disinfected.

Tips to ensure the proper functioning of buildings

Finally, the General College of Property Administrators has published a guide with tips to ensure the proper functioning of buildings during the pandemic and which is summarized in:

• The common areas must be ventilated all day, so it is advisable to open the windows on the stairs and landings.
• Use the elevator as essential and never by more than one person at the same time.
• Maintain the minimum safety distance of one meter with our neighbors.
• Frequently clean door handles and knobs, elevator buttons, intercoms, handrails, floors, etc., with disinfectant products that contain bleach or ammonia.
• Take off your shoes and wash your hands as soon as you enter the house. Remember that the soil is also a source of infection.
• It is recommended that custodians and doormen perform their basic duties first thing in the morning and then remain in the custodial office.

It should also be borne in mind that the use of communal leisure areas such as gardens, swimming pools, terraces, etc. is prohibited.

I hope that this tutorial to make an accessory with opening doors without touching it will be useful to you and help you protect yourself from the virus. In this sense, I also recommend the following tutorial to make your own homemade mask with waterproof fabric that you can disinfect.

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