Superclean: how to find the balance between “good” clean and “bad” clean.

Let’s investigate the UV disinfecting

Loving the sunlight

Humanity has had a love affair with the sun ever since that first dawn. We have cloaked it in myths, we have created a bunch of different sun deities and gods, and Icarus even found his downfall by not respecting it for the awesome power it has. (or so the myth goes…)

For South African’s the sun is playing an important role at the moment. Where our government and service providers are failing us, we are looking (well, squinting) up at the sun for our salvation. Solar now powers our fridges, air-cons, cell phones and wi-fi.

Let’s talk about UV (sunlight)

Ultraviolet light, (UV) is a part of the light spectrum that is not necessarily visible to the naked eye. This is because it is electromagnetic radiation with shorter wavelengths than visible light.

The origin of UV light being used as for its anti-bacterial properties dates back to the early 1900’s when Arthur Downes and Thomas Blunt found that sunlight, particularly its shorter wavelengths, hindered microbial growth. Further studies even found that UV light could destroy the bacteria which caused tuberculosis.

Quick and easy clean

The appeal of using UV light to disinfect daily objects likely comes from the fact that you don’t need chemicals or specialized solutions. Simply popping something into a UV cleaner does the job. No moisture, no mess, no wiping, no fuss.

This is particularly handy when we want to sanitize everyday items such as personal electronics and household items.

UV toy and bottle cleaners

This is the one place where UV cleaning has been tested and trusted for a long time. Having a UV sterilizer box or bag that you can chuck your baby’s pacifier, toys and bottles into for that extra bit of germ defence sounds amazing, doesn’t it? There are a number of similar products on the market and the only limit will be your budget and geography.

UV cleaning shoe box

We as South Africans can learn something from the rest of the world. In many places, it is unheard of to wear your shoes indoors at all. Shoes are left in entryways or mudrooms and you either walk around in your socks or wear a pair of “house slippers”…But no. We and our guests choose to walk into our homes, shoes on, right off the street…While we probably won’t be breaking this habit any time soon, it’s worth looking into a shoe sanitizer and a new “no shoes” policy if you want to get serious about sanitation.

UV water filters.

These additional filter components can give you absolute peace of mind when it comes to your household water. Whether you invest in a large-scale system to ensure that even your bathroom water is pristine or simply stick to a drinking water system for now, it’s worth investing in this type of filter for its excellent cleaning properties.

UV cleaning machines

UV cleaning robots are becoming more commonplace in spaces that deal with a lot of foot traffic and crowds. London Heathrow airport has a UV cleaning robot that comes out at certain times and zaps the terminal area – very high-tech and impressive. Other such robot devices are used by airlines to clean their planes in addition to conventional cleaning methods. The science varies on the value of this in a home environment. While it’s been proven that UV will kill viruses and bacteria and works well on smooth or plain surfaces, it’s not certain what the value of UV is on rough, textured materials or fabric.

For a full breakdown of what UV cleaning machines or devices can do, click here.

We love the thought of harnessing the power of the sun.

Whether It’s to protect us against loadshedding or to keep us safe from scary pathogens, UV power is exceptional. BUT, take some advice from Icarus and never underestimate the potency of UV light. Buy only reputable products and follow the instructions.

Remember, we want clean, not cooked!