Cleaning House

AK Steel Corporation has engineered a self-cleaning house by making use of an antimicrobial compound that coats the house with a disinfecting agent that provides a germ-free environment. Too bad it’s not so easy to keep our spiritual house in order.

Adrian Monk is the obsessive-compulsive detective in the television series Monk.

He’s a clean freak, germaphobe, neatnik. He uses special hand soaps. He swipes his kitchen counters with germ-killing disinfectants. He goes out of his way to avoid dirt, disarray, bad smells and loud noises, but the surprising twist of the show is that his disorder is not a problem for him. In fact, his obsession leads him to notice important clues that other detectives overlook.

Detective Monk and others like him, including most housewives, househusbands and those who live in more clutter than the Mir Space Station will be delighted when AK Steel’s new self-cleaning house goes on the market.

AK Steel Corporation has unveiled an 11,000-square-foot house made with special stainless and carbon steels. These alloys are coated with a compound that actually kills bacteria and fungi, including mold.

But just how does it work?

The AK Steel home has a silver-based coating that does its disinfecting by...