I know that Amazon is selling UVC germicidal lamps and that they fall into a narrow UV spectrum that isn't harmful to humans but kills stuff.

But what about the old standard off the shelf blacklights? I know you those might be harmful with longer term exposure but does their light fall across the germ killing spectrum?

Thinking of hitting same stuff with the heat gun from my shop.

TAMUallen said:

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You'd need 158 degrees for 30 mins if you used your heat gun per a stanford medicine write up on sanitizing PPE

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And how effectice is Lysol spray when compared against those same standards? Or sunlight....as has been recommended.

Here's a link to the write up https://m.box.com/shared_item/https%3A%2F%2Fstanfordmedicine.box.com%2Fv%2Fcovid19-PPE-1-1

Keep in mind this was for masks primarily. Ive heard 30 mins in the sun is good but that's iffy, it depends on the UV amount, temperature, and humidity.

Personally, I'm leaving my Amazon deliveries outside all day and occasionally flipping/moving them to make sure everything gets sunlight and then using chlorox wipes on what's inside the package

As far as I know, its hardly been shown sunlight is actually effective at killing the virus.

TXAggie2011 said:

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As far as I know, its hardly been shown sunlight is actually effective at killing the virus.

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Sunlight aka UV rays are the enemy especially with an enveloped virus. There's talk of the fact that hot weather isn't the killer of a seasonal virus but instead increases of UV rays being responsible https://www.accuweather.com/en/health-wellness/uv-radiation-from-the-sun-increases-by-a-factor-of-10-by-summer-and-could-be-key-in-slowing-covid-19/703393

Long story short, sunlight is good to combat a virus but the strength of the sunshine and duration are important just like the strength and duration of UV lamps

But does anyone know if the UV light that comes off a standard Head Shop blacklight is in the range that will kill the coronavirus? Because I have two or three four foot long ones that I'd love to set a couple of places, i.e. kitchen at night after bed....pantry, etc.

TAMUallen said:

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TXAggie2011 said:

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As far as I know, its hardly been shown sunlight is actually effective at killing the virus.

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Sunlight aka UV rays are the enemy especially with an enveloped virus. There's talk of the fact that hot weather isn't the killer of a seasonal virus but instead increases of UV rays being responsible https://www.accuweather.com/en/health-wellness/uv-radiation-from-the-sun-increases-by-a-factor-of-10-by-summer-and-could-be-key-in-slowing-covid-19/703393

Long story short, sunlight is good to combat a virus but the strength of the sunshine and duration are important just like the strength and duration of UV lamps

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Its all an "if" and a "maybe" at this point. And we're still in March. Not July.

Squadron7 said:

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But does anyone know if the UV light that comes off a standard Head Shop blacklight is in the range that will kill the coronavirus? Because I have two or three four foot long ones that I'd love to set a couple of places, i.e. kitchen at night after bed....pantry, etc.

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Will they give you sunburn if they shine on you long enough?

You are looking for the type of light that gives you sunburn. Sunburn is when UV burns the first layer or two of cells in your skin. Unlucky for viruses, they are only one cell deep, so enough UV to sunburn = death.

So, blacklights, probably not. Tanning bed, probably so.

TXAggie2011 said:

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TAMUallen said:

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TXAggie2011 said:

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As far as I know, its hardly been shown sunlight is actually effective at killing the virus.

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Sunlight aka UV rays are the enemy especially with an enveloped virus. There's talk of the fact that hot weather isn't the killer of a seasonal virus but instead increases of UV rays being responsible https://www.accuweather.com/en/health-wellness/uv-radiation-from-the-sun-increases-by-a-factor-of-10-by-summer-and-could-be-key-in-slowing-covid-19/703393

Long story short, sunlight is good to combat a virus but the strength of the sunshine and duration are important just like the strength and duration of UV lamps

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Its all an "if" and a "maybe" at this point. And we're still in March. Not July.

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To be clear, I agree and am not here to argue but one point remains true... UV light does kill the virus. What's unknown is how long does it take our sunlight as UV changes throughout the day, by location and time of year.

From your link

Quote:

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This is one piece of evidence, but as my colleague Dr. Eli Perencevich has pointed out there are many differences between Singapore in February and a temperate zone in summer different day length, ultraviolet radiation, and other factors that may be important for coronavirus we simply don't know.

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Quote:

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To be clear, I agree and am not here to argue but one point remains true... UV light does kill the virus. What's unknown is how long does it take our sunlight as UV changes throughout the day, by location and time of year.

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I'm not here to argue either, so I guess I'll just say I'm of upmost concerned about folks, and I've seen this floating around plenty, of setting the box outside for 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or heck, longer and thinking they've done something.

Hell, lets say 30 minutes to 60 minutes of good UVA/B/C or all of the above fries the sucker. So, you've got one corner of your box that was getting direct sunlight that's surely been disinfected?

If you're concerned and don't need to open it right away, just put it somewhere to sit for a day and then go wash your hands.

TXAggie2011 said:

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Quote:

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To be clear, I agree and am not here to argue but one point remains true... UV light does kill the virus. What's unknown is how long does it take our sunlight as UV changes throughout the day, by location and time of year.

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I'm not here to argue either, so I guess I'll just say I'm of upmost concerned about folks, and I've seen this floating around plenty, of setting the box outside for 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or heck, longer and thinking they've done something.

Hell, lets say 30 minutes to 60 minutes of good UVA/B/C or all of the above fries the sucker. So, you've got one corner of your box that was getting direct sunlight that's surely been disinfected?

If you're concerned and don't need to open it right away, just put it somewhere to sit for a day and then go wash your hands.

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Very true, I'll go ahead and outright say that 30 mins in the sun is not going to make it safe. A) probably not enough uv rays and B) dont forget all sides need sunlight

Need UV-C. Don't look at it. Don't expose your skin to it.

I don't know what type of UV light we have. But we left in a small part of the house for 20 mins, walked in and could smell burnt stuff. We couldn't see any evidence of burn, but your could smell it slightly. Our lamp will burn skin and eyes after relatively short periods so we set in a room on a timer and then move it.

Never stare at it, never expose yourself to it accept for momentarily if you don't have to.


If you leave it on overnight it will make paints fade or change the finish on your furniture....be safe and not like the fish chemical guy.

Sunlight is 10% or less in the UV spectrum virtually no UVC so letting your box sit out is probably more a factor if letting the virus die naturally versus actual sunlight kill it. Some virus can survive for days on these fomites.

Black lights are UVA Spectrum

UVC is recommended to kill things (<290nm wavelength )

Here's a protocol for UV CV disinfectant. Didn't read it thoroughly though the Rationale section likely has the info: https://www.nebraskamed.com/sites/default/files/documents/covid-19/n-95-decon-process.pdf?date=03262020

This is an article written for SARS, also a Coronavirus, in 2003. Caveat: the article is old, and this is the Novel Coronavirus.
Stability of SARS coronavirus in human specimens and environment and its sensitivity to UV radiation and heating

SeanAg05 said:

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How about open the package throw away and wash your hands.. would that work?

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I bought my daughter new shoes. I opened the box, the shoe box inside, and gave her the shoes. Put both boxes outside. Washed my hands. Didn't put the box on the counter, but if I had, I would probably have wiped it down with some cleaning spray.

Here is a bit of an update from Stanford re: using PPE including N 95 masks. Page 5 details re-use of N-95 masks and proper "sterilization" of such. Obviously, a new mask is the best protection. BUT, for those having to re-use masks, AND for people using masks at home and wondering about how to "sterilize" them before re-use, etc., Page 5 is a good reference. 70 degree dry heat or UV light for 30 minutes does not seem to degrade the masks. Please read with ALL the usual disclaimers. Also, note that alcohol and chlorine based disinfectants degrade the masks and reduce their filtration capacities. Lastly, Page 4 shows filtration capacities for various "homemade masks" - disclaimer, NOT specifically tested for COVID-19.
Stanford Anaesthesia re: addressing mask shortage

TAMUallen said:

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You'd need 158 degrees for 30 mins if you used your heat gun per a stanford medicine write up on sanitizing PPE

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That seems obscenely long. So to sterilize surfaces you have to basically treat it like raw chicken and grill it to an internal 160.

I'm betting ain't much alive once our mail has set in the mailboxes roasting in STX sun for a couple days.

UV light or even sunlight is not recommended for sterilization of N95 masks. It disrupts the electrostatic charge of the polypropylene fibers reducing its effectiveness.

What i do- i have 4 of them. I rotate them every 4 days. I place each one in a numbered paper bag. Leaving them in a low humidity environment. In theory the virus cannot live dried out on the fabric for this time period.

Alternatively. I have seen the recommendation of Hanging it in the oven with a wooden clip at 158 degrees (70C) for 30 minutes without letting it touch metal surfaces. Reportedly the virus starts to denature at 135 degrees and sterilization can be achieved with 146 degrees (68C) for 30 min. So the recommendation leaves some insurance the mask gets that hot. I have not tried this. Partly because i cant quite figure out the logistics and the lowest setting on my oven seems to be 200 degrees.

Obviously there is debate on the effects of UV light.

Randomly, my wife bought a device called PhoneSoap right before this happened. You put your phone in it for like 10 min and it supposedly sterilizes your phone. No idea if it works but we use it.

You could use a sous vide. Vacuum seal your mask in a bag and sous vide it for however long you want at 160F.

My AC guy from ARS is here and they are selling a brand called Patriot but it's 1100 or so. The bulbs have to be replaced every few years

How about using a microwave? Couldn't you nuke certain items to sterilize them? Obviously no metal but fabric or other materials

I've been wiping my phone down with 71% alcohol after returning home anytime I have had to go out.

This, again, is specific to N95 masks, but I would imagine that the same could potentially apply to other PPE if not hard surfaces.
Yale Medicine researchers find way to clean, reuse N95 masks