![]() How to clean your home effectively - we explain which everyday cleaning products work against Covid UVC phone sterilising boxes The risk of actually catching Covid from your carpet, sofa or other surfaces is considered to be negligible. You're better off opening a window to air a room and cleaning surfaces the traditional way. VERDICT: Not necessary and not to be trifled with. Upon detection, the UV-C Disinfection Desk Lamp automatically ceases operation.' Signify told us: 'A high-quality microwave sensor is used to detect humans and animals. We've also seen worrying reports of lamps turning on when people are in the room, both on online reviews of unknown brands on online marketplaces, and the Signify lamp. ![]() 'UV light can't bend round walls or get into every corner, and it's more effective the closer you are to the lamp, so there's no certainty that everything in the room will be disinfected,' says Professor Beggs. While the idea may seem like an easy win, lamps aren't a magic germ-killing solution. There's a huge number around on online marketplaces, but few mainstream options aside from Signify (formerly Philips), which sells a UVC Room lamp for £110. UVC lamps are turned on and left in a room for a set period of time to disinfect the surrounding area. UVC lamps, wands and boxes - the verdict UVC room lamps We've rounded up some of the most common types below so you know what to be wary of. So, while you may see loads of these products on online marketplaces, and creeping onto the high street, it pays to be cautious. 'I've also had manufacturers asking me to guarantee that their product kills Covid-19 despite there being, as yet, no definitive third-party data on the exposure time necessary for this,' says Dr John. He also says that while some products do produce enough UVC to act as effective disinfectants, the stated disinfection times on products (when they are actually stated) often aren't long enough to do the job. A UVC-emitting device should have safety interlocks to stop accidental skin and eye exposure, but we found a lot of products didn't have them.' Or, it emits UVC but in an unsafe manner. LIA spokesperson Dr Gareth John told us: 'Either the device under test doesn't emit any UVC or doesn't emit enough to be used as an effective disinfectant. Their findings have shown it's hard to know what you're getting if you buy a UVC device. The Lighting Industry Association (LIA) has been looking into home and personal UVC devices in collaboration with Public Health England and the OPSS, testing and reporting any dangerous or faulty devices that it finds on the market. UVC products may be faulty, ineffective or dangerous However, this comes with certain strings attached, such as what the UVC product is, and how and where it's used. There's been limited research into the effectiveness of UVC on the Sars-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid, but based on its effect on other coronaviruses, experts believe UVC has potential. ![]() There are three different types: UVA, UVB and UVC, which are classified according to wavelength and all are found naturally in the sun's rays. UV light forms part of the electromagnetic spectrum, sitting between X-rays and visible light. We talked to UVC lighting and microbiology experts to get to the bottom of how effective or necessary different UVC products are likely to be, and what you need to know to stay safe.īest reusable face masks - see which ones topped our independent tests What is UVC light and how does it work? It's also dangerous - exposure can cause damage to your eyes and skin. UVC light can be a powerful weapon against germs, but only under the right conditions. So, it's perhaps not surprising that there's been an increase in the popularity of UVC products, which claim to destroy viruses and bacteria at the touch of a button.Ī Covid-19 consumer survey by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) in September 2020 discovered that one in 20 people had recently purchased a UV sanitising device. Many people have become more anxious about how to keep their homes and belongings clean over the last year. UVC products are increasingly cropping up on online marketplaces and in high street shops, but they are largely unnecessary, and some have been found to be ineffective or even unsafe.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |