UV Light for Room Disinfection May Be Just What You Need
Sanitizing sprays are a great way to clean surfaces and those gross but necessary household items (like your toilet, for example). But how do you sanitize things you can’t spray or scrub, like your computer or T.V.? These items carry a gross amount of germs and bacteria. UV light is a helpful resource when it comes to cleaning those difficult to clean items and hard to reach surfaces. Especially with the recent strand of new viruses rising and spreading, it’s important to be as clean and healthy as possible. So what exactly do UV lights do and are they effective?
UV Light and its Use Around Your Home or Office
UV light is used for killing viruses and bacteria that can spread through either the air or by touching surfaces. Disinfecting both the air and surfaces has a higher likelihood of killing viruses that can spread and cause illnesses (such as the flu or Covid-19). UV lights for room disinfectants use a form of ultraviolet radiation known as UV-C light. While an effective method to disinfect your home, UV-C light can be very harmful to the eyes or skin. Many times, using a UV lamp or handheld wand will require safety glasses.
What is UV-C Light and Is It Effective?
UV sanitizing lights are almost like fluorescent lights, except they emit UV-C, which is responsible for killing germs. There are three types of ultraviolet light: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. UV-C light has the shortest wavelength of UV, which means it is also the most harmful. While it can be damaging the eyes or skin if in direct contact, it is also the best for stopping germs, bacteria, and viruses from spreading. UV-C is considered germicidal, which means it alters the DNA of bacteria, stopping them from multiplying. For this reason, UV-C sanitizing light is effective in eliminating viruses or stunting their growth and spread.
UV-C is effective if directly exposed to a microorganism, but only if it’s directly exposed. This means that if a bacterium is hidden under a groove in a table, for example, it will not be destroyed or deactivated. Bacteria have a greater chance of being deactivated if exposed to UV-C radiation for a longer period. UV-C lights for home use are generally sold at a lower watt dosage which means to successfully deactivate viruses or germs, you may need to disinfect a surface or item for a longer time.
Different Types of UV Lights for Room Disinfection
There’s a variety of UV lights for multiple different uses. Depending on your situation, one type may be better than the other for you. Here’s a brief breakdown of the different kinds of UV lights for room disinfectant:
Handheld UV-C Lights
UV-C lights come in different forms depending on your use for them. A UV sanitizing wand is a portable lamp. When you want to disinfect a surface, grab the UV light and wave it over the surface you want to sanitize. It’s important to make sure the light is facing downward and that your skin or eyes aren't exposed to the light. UV-C can cause burn-like symptoms and sores on the skin and eyes. Likewise, it may be necessary to use eyewear or gloves to protect from exposure. Lightray UVC carries the GermAwayUV Premium 36 Watt Handheld UVC Surface Cleaner, which is a handheld UV-C lamp. This 36-watt portable lamp is an easy and efficient way to sanitize surfaces simply by waving a light over them. This product comes with safety glasses to protect your eyes from exposure during use. This easy-to-use lamp also features a long power cord so you can jump from surface to surface without unplugging.
Lightray also offers the 18 Watt Handheld UVC Surface Sanitizer Including Amber UV Glasses. This is a less powerful handheld wand, but will still get the job done. It features a 6-foot cord, allowing you to disinfect hard-to-reach areas. For those who aren’t ready to drop a good-sized amount of money on a UV disinfectant, this UV-C surface sanitizer is much more wallet-friendly.
UV-C Sanitizing Cases
A UV sanitizing case is made to hold whatever item you want to disinfect. For example, you could put your phone into the enclosed case and it will essentially drench the item in UV light to rid it of germs and bacteria. This type of UV light is helpful when it comes to smaller items but can’t disinfect a large surface or counter (as you could assume). One positive aspect of this type of UV light is that there is a significantly decreased risk your skin or eyes will come in contact with the ultraviolet light. A UV sanitizing case is effective for smaller items and is safer to use.
UV Germicidal Lamps
Another type of UV light is a UV germicidal lamp. This is essentially a small tower with a sanitizing UV light in the middle. Because this lamp has no cover, it cannot be used if people or pets are in the room. The UV-C rays are too dangerous for humans or pets to be near. That being said, sanitizing lamps are incredibly effective in eliminating the bacteria and germs on the surfaces in a room. Lightray UVC carries a powerful and safe UV-C lamp, called the Dual Motion Sensor 95 Watt UVC Surface Sanitizer With Remote Control. This lamp features 7 different presets, dual motion sensors for added safety, and a radio frequency remote control. Because UV-C lamps can be very harmful if in direct contact, Lightray UVC has improved its product to be safer than ever. This lamp has a remote control that can be used from a different room so that you don’t have to be in the way of the UV-C light when it turns on. Additionally, they’ve included a dual motion sensor that detects when a person or animal walks into the room (or in the way of the UV lamp). The lamp will then turn off if any motion is detected.
Generally speaking, if you are simply looking for an extra way to keep your household healthy, UV lights are a viable option. However, it may make more sense to opt for the sanitizing case or handheld wand rather than a germicidal lamp. Since the germicidal lamp cannot be used with people or pets in the room, it may not be very practical. That being said, if you are looking for a more powerful way to kill and deactivate viruses, the UV germicidal lamp is a great and effective option. The Dual Motion Sensor 95 Watt UVC Surface Sanitizer With Remote Control by Lightray UVC is a very practical option as it includes multiple safety features to make your UV light experience trouble-free.
More than ever, it’s important to eliminate the spread of germs where we can. Whether you choose a handheld wand, UV tabletop lamp, or sanitizing case, a UV light for room disinfectant is a worthwhile investment in your health. For questions, quotes, or interest in these products, contact LightRay UVC today!