Orlando inventor creates pen sanitizer for hospitals, public places

ORLANDO, Fla. - Have you ever wondered how many germs are on that pen at the doctor's office? One Central Florida man did, and he invented something to make certain those pens don't get you sick.

It's blue or green, gooey and clean, killing 99 percent of all germs. The Clean Block is described as a fast, effective, and cheap way to sanitize pens.

"It took a couple of years of showing this, showing that, proving this, proving that. And now, we’re up and running," said Todd Roberts.

The idea came to Roberts when he was waiting to sign in at a doctor's office.  In front of him was a line of sick people.

"They were coughing and you could see they were coughing inside of their hands. They were in front of me and they were signing in, as everybody has to do, and that’s when it came to me," Robert said.

Backed by Orlando Health's Foundry Program for inventors and innovators, Roberts' hours spent putting together PVC and fiberglass paid off. The Clean Block is cheaper and more effective, he says, than using an alcohol wipe because "it doesn’t come in contact with your hands."

He says the Clean Block should last three to five weeks or 1,400 uses. Orlando Health is already stocking them. Roberts hopes they'll soon be used anywhere germs gather.

"It’s basically a giant melting pot. Anything I can do to try to interrupt that chain, that’s something that makes me happy," he said.