UV-C Sterilising Wands

[Jimk]

Right answer but the wrong reason....

[Custos Custodum]

Anyone have experience of these? Are they any good? We're thinking of getting one for packages and other deliveries, as we're both "sheltering". Sensible suggestions only, please.

[Adrian Brentnall]

I would think that anything that emits UV-C powerful enough to actually have viruses is probably too dangerous to sell to the general public...

Don't they advise that the virus is only 'viable' for a relatively short time on surfaces - so, if you're concerned, maybe leave the items to one side for long enough and the problem will (should) solve itself.

"The most important thing to know about coronavirus on surfaces is that they can easily be cleaned with common household disinfectants that will kill the virus. Studies have shown that the COVID-19 virus can survive for up to 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel, less than 4 hours on copper and less than 24 hours on cardboard.

As, always clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose." -

[alan_m]

I would be surprised that any unshielded wand that emits enough UV to kill viruses would not also do serious damage to your eyes.

Plenty of UV devices on sale (pond filtration etc.) on sale to the general public but designed to be used within an enclosure.

[Reentrant]

You would think so, but no. Big Clive's "Awesome flesh-burning death lamp" review, and a safety followup

?v=2T39BHvrHZ0 Well worth watching.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

Viruses are not strictly 'alive' at all, they use fragments of themselves which are capable by means of a coating to fool our cells into allowing them in, after which they look like genuine rna ready to be replicated. I often think of it like dried powdered milk, just add water. grin. Brian

[Peter Parry]

Well UVC is really good for causing very severe eye irritation (Often described as like having you eye filled with sand). It also causes skin damage and is moderately good for killing various pathogens.

is worth watching

However, if you order one of the common LED battery powered things it is unlikely (or from eBay or Amazon shops next to impossible) that you will get anything which emits useful germicidal levels of UVC although you might get a pretty purple light.

UV radiation divides into 3 bands UVA (315-400 nm); UVB (280-315 nm); UVC (100-280 nm). UVA is the common deep purple (almost black when off)) lamp used to make fluorescent fabrics glow. Sometimes called "Black Light" often seen on TV detective programmes for detected blood spots etc.

UV B causes sunburn and is used in tanning beds. It also causes skin cancer.

Neither UV A nor UV B have any germicidal properties.UV C is the most harmful. Used in disinfection it is effective but dangerous unless used with care.

Unfortunately you can just about guarantee that any LED hand held battery powered device you buy will either emit the wrong wavelength or insignificant levels of UV C or both. (This is mainly because purple LED's are very cheap UV C ones are very expensive and as most people won't be able to tell the difference purple light is what you are going to get).

See

Mains powered ones are available and you are more likely to get one that really is UVC as the tubes cost the same for UV A or C and the UVC ones are widely used in water treatment.

is likely to be a UV C lamp. You can test it by looking for the pale blue color and if you put your hand against the tube the smell of burning flesh. You will also smell Ozone and if you stay in a room with it your eyes will tell you how bad a mistake that was a few hours later. UV C also degrades many materials such as plastics.

So - battery powered "UV wands" almost certainly won't work. Mains powered UV C tubes will work but are high risk.

UV C is significantly less effective at disinfection than the cheapest bleach you can buy and much more expensive.

[harry]

A complete waste of time. Shading and shadowing plus the tiniest amount of dirt defeats them.

[harry]

You can get these quite easily at garden centres selling fish. They fit into water "sterilisers" that kill green algy in pondwater.

Very effective. Runs in completely enclosed containers where the water is circulated through.

[GB]

We have a more practical, simpler, and probably much safer, approach.

1. Any packages that can be left are shoved in a corner and left for 3 days before opening. You can pick it up to shove it in the corner, then wash your hands. Or just kick it into the corner. :)

The only research that's been done shows that the virus lasts 24 hours on cardboard, but 72 hours on plastic. Shiny cardboard is effectively plastic.

1. Any food deliveries are more difficult, and we do as follows:

a) Tins etc that can wait 3 days are shoved in a corner (see above).

b) Waterproof packages that we need to refrigerate (eg fish that's in a sealed package) gets shoved in a sink full of soapy water or preferably gets washed with dilute bleach and left soapy or bleached for a few minutes, then thoroughly bleached.

c) Fruit and veg (and eggs if we can get them) get thrown in the soapy water, left for a while, then really, really thoroughly rinsed.

Do bear in mind that freezing preserves the virus. Obviously, wipe any surfaces with bleach.

We're in London, and I reckon that very roughly 1 in 10 of the people touching the food or packages are infectious - either without knowing it or not caring.

I was a bit shocked that Jim, who's said he's vulnerable, just opened his food delivery without even wearing gloves.

[Cynic]

Worth watching. Particularly at 37 minutes in.

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

Adrian Brentnall explained :

Ordinary washing up liquid in water works just as well, I understand.

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

Peter Parry brought next idea :

As you get in a welding flash..

[Ophelia]

===

We bought one recently. Have a look on Amazon. There are a lot available and all the relevant safety procedures are explained.

[Ophelia]

We have a more practical, simpler, and probably much safer, approach.

1. Any packages that can be left are shoved in a corner and left for 3 days before opening. You can pick it up to shove it in the corner, then wash your hands. Or just kick it into the corner. :)

The only research that's been done shows that the virus lasts 24 hours on cardboard, but 72 hours on plastic. Shiny cardboard is effectively plastic.

1. Any food deliveries are more difficult, and we do as follows:

a) Tins etc that can wait 3 days are shoved in a corner (see above).

b) Waterproof packages that we need to refrigerate (eg fish that's in a sealed package) gets shoved in a sink full of soapy water or preferably gets washed with dilute bleach and left soapy or bleached for a few minutes, then thoroughly bleached.

c) Fruit and veg (and eggs if we can get them) get thrown in the soapy water, left for a while, then really, really thoroughly rinsed.

Do bear in mind that freezing preserves the virus. Obviously, wipe any surfaces with bleach.

We're in London, and I reckon that very roughly 1 in 10 of the people touching the food or packages are infectious - either without knowing it or not caring.

I was a bit shocked that Jim, who's said he's vulnerable, just opened his food delivery without even wearing gloves.

===

Yes:(( That is scary. That was good advice!

D. is very careful. We wear plastic gloves when we go shopping and he wipes down all the packaging with surgical spirit.

He used to do that to the trolley too, but the shops provide the stuff to do it with. Once the the trolley is returned the gloves are thrown in the bin.

We have the wand now for deliveries.

[Brian Reay]

After washing eggs you should store them in the fridge. Eggs have a natural 'coating' on the shell which is removed by washing.

In Europe, washing eggs is (generally) banned (I think it is legal in one EU country) as they need to be stored in a fridge after being washed. In the USA, eggs are stored in a cool room/fridge in shops as there they wash eggs.

You can use dilute Milton to wash fruit and veg (details on the bottles). Pre-washed salad etc (bought in shops) is generally washed in a similar solution. It is essentially the same as the stuff used in the US to wash chicken....

Milton is used to was baby bottles etc.

[polygonum_on_google]

You can use potassium permanganate solution for disinfecting fruit and veg.

[Andrew]

Buy a litre of methylated spirits for £4 and wipe over the outside of packages if you must. Or use diluted bleach.

[Andrew]

Snake oil.

[Dave Liquorice]

Taken off properly, inside out, one inside the other? And your hands are only "clean" until you handle something that you handled with the gloves on. Anything from your car keys, phone, wallet/purse, payment card, purchased goods, bag handles...

IMHO gloves give a false sense of security. You still need to wash your hands and not touch your face.

Anything powerful enough to deactive the virus isn't going to be very good for your skin/eyes. IMHO another false sense of security.