A new paint that creates self-cleaning surfaces has been developed at the University College London, according to an article on the Infection Control Today website. 

The coating can be applied to clothes, paper, glass and steel and when combined with adhesives, maintains its self-cleaning properties after being wiped, scratched with a knife and scuffed with sandpaper, the article said.

Self-cleaning surfaces work by being extremely repellent to water but often stop working when they are damaged or exposed to oil. 

"Our work aims to characterise new materials at a very small scale so we can see how best to use them to improve our daily lives. The new paint fits into a broader portfolio of surfaces we are developing for different purposes, including antimicrobial coatings to combat hospital acquired infections, and we hope its discovery advances the widespread adoption of self-cleaning surfaces," corresponding author Ivan Parkin, who is professor of chemistry and head of UCL Chemistry, said in the article.

Read the article.