You may know that dowsing rods are used to find water and treasure. And, reiki masters use them as a tool to balance your chakra. And, maybe you know that dowsing rods are used by paranormal groups to try and communicate with spirit. But, did you know that your brass dowsing rods are killing bacteria? Studies conducted between 2004-2018 (reference)show that copper and its alloys (brass and bronze) demonstrated the greatest antimicrobial activity (verified by the EPA) of seven metals, killing up to 99.9% of tested bacteria.
How does this happen? When microbes are transferred by touching or sneezing and lands on copper (or alloy), there is a release of electrically charged particles (ions) from the metal. These ions inhibit the cell from breathing and create tears in the bacteria’s cell membrane. Once inside, the ions then destroy the DNA and RNA of the bacteria.
Copper has long been used in medicine but until recently has not been studied in the use of hospitals. A study released in 2019 published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology, found that when copper was used in hospital beds versus a traditional bed, the copper showed 95 percent fewer bacteria. They also found that bacteria remained low throughout the stay of the patient. It has been shown that copper can kill certain bacteria including MRSA.
It has been shown that your sweat will hamper the ability for the metal to kill bacteria. To make sure your brass rods remain Super Germ Fighters, be sure to clean them regularly!