Disinfection of Garments
What is the disinfection of garments .What is the need of disinfection of the garments. This is the primary question now days in every body mind after these Covid-19 crises. Just to explain the need , we will wash our hands, many times a day, that is a given – even the smallest child knows that we should wash hands for 20 seconds but what about the clothes?
It is always better to be careful and do everything you can. Today’s world situation is due to little carelessness only.
As we all know we may be getting infected by the Covid-19 Virus through many media. It may be through garments also. The assumed life of the Virus on the Garments is 7-10 hours based on humid conditions and temperature. With this it is well understood the need to disinfects our garments.
The next things comes in mind that it means whatever garments we will purchase from any shop may be infected , So how to insure it is disinfected . It is very important for the entire retails counter, Multi Brand Store, Single Brand Store selling the garments.
As retail counter Supplier, faces two types of challenges.Each consumer touches the garments to get the feel of the fabric before purchasing the garment. To feel you need to remove your hand gloves.
Touching the garments before deciding to purchase
Each consumer likes to do fit test before purchasing by wearing the garments, which will touch the Body.
Wearer Trial before taking final decision to purchase
And after these trials it is not sure that consumer will purchase the garments. By this the retail counter are under high risk of infection.Hence it is responsibility of User and retail counter owner both to insure that no one is getting infected due to any virus.
Above we talked about the Concern. Next thing comes in mind should we stop the purchasing garments? This is not a purpose of describing concern. We need to provide solution for every concern raised by any idea.
The solution is to disinfect the garments.There are so many methods to disinfect the garments
- Chemical method
- With steam and temp (By ironing)
- By the Ultra Violet Light.
Chemical Disinfection
Disinfectants are chemical agents designed to inactivate or destroy microorganisms on inert surfaces. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially resistant bacterial spores. It is less effective than sterilization, which is an extreme physical or chemical process that kills all types of life.As we understand that Chemical method disinfection is not possible in retails counter,
Steam and Heat Disinfection
Steam and temp disinfection is not of that speed and need boiler at each retail counter to generate steam. This is also not a very practical solution. A steaming process, likewise, which heats things to between 248°F and 302°F can also disinfect.
Ultra Violet Light Disinfection
Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is a disinfection method that uses short- wavelength ultra violet light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellular functions.
Method of operation
Low-pressure & medium-pressure mercury – vapour lamp compared to E.Coli germicidal effectiveness curve.
UV light is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible light but longer than X – Rays. UV is categorised into several wavelength ranges, with short-wavelength UV (UVC) considered “germicidal UV”. Wavelengths between about 200 nm and 300 nm are strongly absorbed by nucleic acids. The absorbed energy can result in defects including pyrimidine dimers. These dimers can prevent replication or can prevent the expression of necessary proteins, resulting in the death or inactivation of the organism.This process is similar to the effect of longer wavelengths (UVB) producing sunburn in humans. Microorganisms have less protection against UV and cannot survive prolonged exposure to it
Effectiveness
The effectiveness of germicidal UV depends on the length of time a microorganism is exposed to UV, the intensity and wavelength of the UV radiation, the presence of particles that can protect the microorganisms from UV, and a microorganism’s ability to withstand UV during its exposure.In many systems, redundancy in exposing microorganisms to UV is achieved by circulating the air or water repeatedly. This ensures multiple passes so that the UV is effective against the highest number of microorganisms and will irradiate resistant microorganisms more than once to break them down.The effectiveness of this form of disinfection depends on line of sight exposure of the microorganisms to the UV lightDust and films coating the bulb lower UV output. Therefore, bulbs require periodic cleaning and replacement to ensure effectiveness. The lifetime of germicidal UV bulbs varies depending on design. Also, the material that the bulb is made of can absorb some of the germicidal rays.Lamp cooling under airflow can also lower UV output; thus, care should be taken to shield lamps from direct airflow, or to add additional lamps to compensate for the cooling effect.
Measurements of Effectiveness.
One way to compare disinfectants is to compare how well they do against a known disinfectant and rate them accordingly. Phenol is the standard, and the corresponding rating system is called the “Phenol coefficient”. The disinfectant to be tested is compared with phenol on a standard microbe. Disinfectants that are more effective than phenol have a coefficient > 1. Those that are less effective have a coefficient < 1.
The standard European approach for disinfectant validation consists of a basic suspension test, a quantitative suspension test (with low and high levels of organic material added to act as ‘interfering substances’) and a two part simulated-use surface test.
A less specific measurement of effectiveness is the United States Environmental Protection
(EPA) classification into either high, intermediate or low levels of disinfection. “High-level disinfection kills all organisms, except high levels of bacterial spores” and is done with a chemical germicide marketed as a sterilant by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Intermediate-level disinfection kills mycobacteria, most viruses, and bacteria with a chemical germicide registered as a ‘tuberculocide’ by the Environmental Protection Agency. Low-level disinfection kills some viruses and bacteria with a chemical germicide registered as a hospital disinfectant by the EPA. An alternative assessment is to measure the Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of disinfectants against selected (and representative) microbial species, such as through the use of micro broth dilution testing. However, those methods are obtained at standard inoculum levels without considering the inoculum effect. More informative methods are nowadays in demand to determine the minimum disinfectant dose as a function of the density of the target microbial species.
Dangerous Of UV Light Exposure to Body
Most skin cancers are a result of exposure to the UV rays in sunlight. Both basal cell and squamous cell cancers (the most common types of skin cancer) tend to be found on sun-exposed parts of the body, and their occurrence is typically related to lifetime sun exposure.
The risk of melanoma, a more serious but less common type of skin cancer, is also related to sun exposure, although perhaps not as strongly. Skin cancer has also been linked to exposure to some man-made sources of UV rays.
And UV light is harmful for the eyes also if one is exposed in the only UV light room for longer period, so please do not allow any person to stand in the UV room, or UV light box.
How to Do It
Now question comes how to do it. So we need to design one simple machine for that. It is very simple as like below figure, Fit the three UV Tube lights of full width, and keep 45 sec to 60 sec any garment in open condition in this machine.
When to Do.
Whenever one touches it, prior to touch and after touch at both stage.
For any further details please contact us .