How to Clean with UV Light

Carpets are notoriously difficult to keep clean. Spot cleaning is helpful for stains, but if you don’t want to bring out a steam cleaner too often, then sucking up dust is pretty much the best you can do, unless you have a UV vac of course. A great choice for homes with pets, kids, or people with allergies, these vacuums have the capacity to kill much of the bacteria and dust mites that call your carpet home.

These fancy new-age products allow you to disinfect a surface with literally just a swipe of your wand. Some are more effective than others, requiring only a couple seconds seconds to kill off any bacteria, whereas others are slightly less effective and require about 15-30 seconds, but are small enough to fit in your pocket for a quick cleaning of a public bathroom or hotel TV remote.

The light inside your air purifier will kill flu virus germs floating around in the air, along with many other microscopic bad guys that make their way into the machine.

You can put a UV light bulb in a desk lamp that has a rounded neck or any gooseneck wall lamp and set items underneath the light for cleaning. This is particularly useful for wood cutting boards or other kitchen supplies that are able to soak bacteria deep into the grain of the wood, but it can also be useful for a shirt that needs a stain lightened. Watch out though; just as this light can brighten your whites, it can also lighten your countertops. Be sure to cover your counter with a thick black towel or trash bag to prevent any unwanted light exposure.

This product has two long prongs with UV lights in the ends that fit into a pair of shoes. By applying the UV light inside the toe of your shoes, you are able to kill any bacteria in there that are be causing those stinky shoe odors, as well as killing off any mold, mildew, or foot fungus.

This is another great UV cleaning item for travelers in particular, but anyone who regularly cleans their toothbrush with peroxide knows that all those bubbles are a sign of just how much bacteria was on the brush. Store your toothbrush in a UV toothbrush cleaning case and you can be sure that your brush is clean each time you use it.

One thing that is extremely important to keep clean: your water. Whether you want a built-in filtration system installed in your home or a travel one to purify a glass of water on the go, ensuring your water is free of bacteria has never been easier.

If you don’t have a UV product, you can just use sunlight. Take the item you want to be cleaned out in the sun and leave it for a couple hours; you get the same results for none of the cost. This method can be used to whiten T-shirts, kill mold spores on your recliner, or even to freshen up a stuffed toy that’s too delicate to wash. Be careful not to leave your items in the sun too long though as their colors might fade.

• Just as you shouldn’t look directly at the sun, you shouldn’t look directly at a UV light or get it on your skin for too long. Consider putting the UV bulb cleaning station in your garage or getting a pair of tanning goggles for when you use a wand.
• Be sure to follow the instructions for your specific UV item carefully to ensure you get the full clean that you need.

• Super Natural Home by Beth Greer
• Leather Care Compendium: For Shoes, Clothing, Furniture by Kim and Axel Himer
• Better Basics For The Home by Annie Berthold-Bond