The dingy public restroom diaper changing table is getting an upgrade.
Pluie is a new Chicago startup that's created a self-sanitizing diaper changing table that uses UV light to disinfect the table's surface. Using a patent-pending UV-C light system that's turned on when the table is folded and not in use, Pluie says it can kill 99.9% of germs, bacteria and viruses. It also features a leak-proof cushion and a retractable security strap.
Founded earlier this year by Addie Gundry, a former chef who has appeared multiple times on The Food Network and has written for Martha Stewart Living, and Brittany Hizer, the former president of fishing boat company Crestliner, Pluie is a high-tech twist on the traditional changing table. And it could be a welcome upgrade in the era of Covid-19.
"Businesses and public places need to focus on sanitation and cleanliness now more than ever," Hizer said in a statement. "Pluie is not just a changing table, it is peace of mind."
The company's changing tables will be available for installation starting in December.
Pluie says its device is bringing peace of mind to businesses that are focused on cleanliness now more than ever, and is helping give parents a more hygienic option when needing to change their kids on the go. Gundry, the startup's CEO, said she came up with the idea while out to lunch and faced with an especially dirty changing table in the women's room.
"I thought why isn't there a better design that exists in every restroom?" Gundry said. "Moms, dads and children deserve better, and I knew in that moment it was my mission to create Pluie."
