Ever since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, government bodies and health organisations alike have given strong advice on the best ways to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. Without a shadow of doubt, being well-equipped with essential items such as masks and hand sanitisers have been proven to be rather effective, in this fight against the highly lethal virus.
Apart from donning masks and enforcing social distancing regulations, there has also been a surge in the use of UV lighting, as they’re said to be effective at disinfecting objects, surfaces, air and water. Today’s read will tell you how much of this is true, and whether or not UV lighting is truly worth investing in!
What Is UV Light?
Ultraviolet light, or commonly known as UV light, is essentially a form of radiation and has always been used to destroy germs such as bacteria and viruses. However, not all types of UV light are efficient at killing germs! On the topic of UV light being able to disinfect objects and surfaces, the type of UV light in question is usually Ultraviolet-C, or UVC in short.
UVC light is the type of UV light that’s most effective at killing germs. It can be used to disinfect surfaces, objects, air, and liquids. By damaging molecules like nucleic acids and proteins, UVC light has the potent capability of breaking down bacteria and viruses, making them obsolete and unable to perform the cellular processes that they need to survive.
Disinfecting Surfaces in Hospitals with UVC Light
As we all know, hospitals see infections occurring on a daily basis. It’s essential to ensure that surfaces are disinfected and sterilised, in order to provide maximum protection to patients and staff alike. The last thing you’d want is to catch a gnarly life-threatening infection!
Equipment such as the UVC Disinfection Trolley is used, whereby UVC light is emitted and aimed at surfaces that require disinfection. Apart from the UVC Disinfection Trolley, other equipment such as UVC ceiling-mounted lights are used to disinfect radiated surfaces. In this instance, the UVC is operating without human intervention, since ceiling-mounted lights are generally installed for long-term purposes.
UVC light is optimal for disinfecting purposes, since it can effectively deactivate bacteria and viruses – including the ones found in the coronavirus. This is why it’s mainly used in healthcare facilities and hospitals, as that’s where the highest risk of infection is usually found.
Disinfecting Hairdressing Equipment with UVC Light
Apart from hospitals and healthcare facilities, some salons have also equipped themselves with UVC sterilisers! Essentially, this equipment is an Ultraviolet Cabinet, whereby equipment such as clippers and scissors are sterilised by means of ultraviolet light radiation and ozone disinfection.
Since UVC light produces ozone, a double-sterilisation process occurs. UVC and ozone can destroy the DNA structure of harmful microorganisms found in bacteria and viruses. This enables the Ultraviolet Cabinet to effectively sterilise and disinfect hairdressing equipment. Apart from salons, the Ultraviolet Cabinet is also often used in nail salons, saunas and hotels.
UVC Light Requires Professional Handling
The efficiency of UVC has given rise to innovative products that incorporate the disinfecting capabilities of UVC. UVC phone sanitizers have been circulating on the internet and it’s not difficult to see why buyers willingly jump on the movement. After all, safety is a top priority to many of us – but do these products really work as advertised?
You might not like hearing this, but the truth is, UVC light is largely only ever used in healthcare settings and serve as a tool for heavy disinfection purposes. Besides, to operate any means of UVC light, safety measures and professional handling are required! This is because most devices marketed for home use lack safety features that protect users from unintended or accidental exposure to UV radiation.
UVC poses potential health risks such as eye injury (e.g. irritation and inflammation of cornea) and skin injury (e.g. erythema). Chronic exposure to UV radiation can also accelerate the skin aging process and increase the risk of skin cancer. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised that UV sterilisers should not be used to disinfect the hands or any areas of the skin.
UVC is naturally radiated by sunlight but blocked by ozone to protect us. As such, to maintain that amount of protection, safety measures such as the use of gloves should be incorporated.
De Hygienique Cleans Mattresses with UVC Light
When it comes to state-of-the-art equipment, De Hygienique has it all. During De Hygienique’s mattress cleaning treatment, the mattress will undergo a pulverization process, whereby embedded clumped up dirt will be vibrated into finer particles which will then be extracted into a tightly woven HEPA filter bag.
During the cleaning treatment, the mattress will be sanitized using an in-built UVC light specially designed to thoroughly disinfect the mattress. Finally, the cleaned mattress will be sanitized once again, with a chemical-safe solution that will help delay the re-infestation of dust mites in the mattress.
As mentioned previously, safety is of our utmost priority when it comes to handling our high-end UVC device. With De Hygienique, you can be rest assured and leave the professional work to us!
