Robert Reeve was in basic training with the Canadian Armed Forces when he had a dream.
The idea for what developed into Purmist hand sanitizer came to him one night during his training period. Being the sort of man who kept a pad of paper and pen by the bed he was able to write it down after waking up, according to a story in The Globe and Mail.
It was vivid — people were being sprayed with liquid from head to toe, there were images of flowers, brooks, cleanliness, uniforms,” he recalls. “Of course, I had to decipher what I’d written down, and what it meant to me was that I had to find something that would help the professionals protect themselves better from bacteria and germs.”
After creating his prototype Reeve paid for tests to be conducted on the formula at ATS Laboratories in Eagan, Minn., while simultaneously patenting it. The laboratory, which specializes in microbiology, found that bacteria were killed on surfaces for up to four hours, considerably longer than other sanitizers.
By 2008, after leaving the army and following a four-year stint working for local fire rescue services, the final product was ready. Reeve says Purmist has been laboratory tested on 13 types of bacteria and one virus to date, including the H1N1 influenza, and can eradicate over 99 per cent of all 14 for four hours or longer.
What’s more, its plant-based natural pedigree means it doesn’t cause the allergic reactions experienced by those using chemical-based sanitizers.
Photo by MKR International Inc..