"The DeGerm-inator as easy to use as a flashlight"

\"The DeGerm-inator as easy to use as a flashlight\"

Anyone used this thing?

From the website:

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<font color="green"> The DeGerm-inator is as easy to use as a flashlight! Simply shine the UV light over any smooth, non-porous surface to be sterilized at a distance of up to 1/2 inch (1.3cm) for four or five seconds.
The portable DeGerm-inator (patent pending) has been tested and proven to kill microbes (bacteria, viruses, protozoans) in drinking water. It also safely sanitizes toothbrushes, telephones, toilet seats and flush handles, computer mouse devices, keyboards and mouse pads, children's toys, doorknobs, ATM touch screens and many other surfaces. </font>

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Would this work on my stinky feet? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Re: DeGerm-Inator

I would think you shouldn't expose human skin to this UV radiation. Could be wrong though, but the photo seems very misleading to me...

Re: DeGerm-Inator

It says it is UV-C (254nm) ultraviolet radiation, that is pretty nasty stuff. I think the potential for mishandling that light [especially by children] would outweigh any benefits.

Would you carry that around to use on mouse pads, doorknobs, and ATM touch screens? Sounds like they are targeting a different type of OCD.

Re: DeGerm-Inator

I might use it on toliet seats and flush handles, but then again those paper seat covers and toliet paper (for the flusher) are good enough. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I've never thought about disinfecting things like telephones, computer keyboards and mouses, doorknobs, ATM keyboards, and things like that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

You know you're really a flashaholic when you start shining a flashlight at toliets, faucet handles, TV remotes, doorknobs, ATM keyboards, and the like... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

Re: DeGerm-Inator

this "Steri-Pen" uses light to de-germ water -- to me it seems to really have been tested -- plenty of support data, an education in purification by the light;

http://www.hydro-photon.com/

Re: DeGerm-Inator

A lot of municipal water is sterilized with UV light. That being said it also undergoes several other processes before getting to your tap.

Re: DeGerm-Inator

[ QUOTE ]
You know you're really a flashaholic when you start shining a flashlight at toliets, faucet handles, TV remotes, doorknobs, ATM keyboards, and the like...

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LOL /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif

Re: DeGerm-Inator

[ QUOTE ]
FlashlightOCD said:
It says it is UV-C (254nm) ultraviolet radiation, that is pretty nasty stuff. I think the potential for mishandling that light [especially by children] would outweigh any benefits.

Would you carry that around to use on mouse pads, doorknobs, and ATM touch screens? Sounds like they are targeting a different type of OCD.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is supposed to be a childproof key that has to be used to turn it on. And I would consider using it at some busy places. Al listed one of the biggest misconcepcions of people and public restrooms. The toilet seat is actually pretty clean compared to the flush handle, the faucet/spigot handles (your hands are dirty when you turn them on right?), and the door handles (because of those who don't wash). Use paper to flush, then a paper towell to turn off the faucet, then a paper towell to open the door. Now if you are in a work environement for example that requires you to share a workspace with another person, this might not be a bad idea. I know hat where I work, colds and once pink eye (conjunctivitis) spread like wildfire.

I'm also a bit of a germ-a-phobe so I know I'm a bit biased.

Re: DeGerm-Inator

It seems to me that one could take a handy LED flashlight and some of the UV-C LEDs and make your own water sterilizer. Although both products seem effective, the Degerm-inator looks more cheaply built, they both seem excessively expensive. I'm sure there is one of the CPF members who could take a 3 or 7 LED flashlight and construct something as equally effective. I'd be willing to buy something in the $40 to $80 dollar range. Anyone up to the task?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

Re: DeGerm-Inator

I'm not sure if there are LED's in the UV-C range, but even if there were I would want nothing to do with them.

UV-C is well beyond simple sunburn and Cornea burn and into DNA destruction, the stuff that causes cancer. That is why it is an effective DeGerm-Inator.

Re: DeGerm-Inator

The ad does not address a critical question. What is the area covered by a single application?

Given the power source, the necessity of holding the device so close to a target surface, the considerable time taken for a single application and the ad's significant omission of what could have been a major selling point, I suspect that the area covered is so small that the time required to sterilize even a modest size object would be prohibitive.

Brightnorm

Re: DeGerm-Inator

A paper towel and a bottle of rubbing alcohol would probably be much more effective and cheaper, albeit less interesting. It'd be my choice if I was really germophobic..

There's a reason why they use alcohol based hand sanitizers at petting zoos and places like that, because they reduce bacteria count something like 99%. Lots of instances where people got sick from not washing their hands and eating afterwards, and where water, soap, and paper towels aren't available, alcohol is effective in killing the bacteria.
If it were just a panacea, there wouldn't be that many products on the market copying the idea.

Re: DeGerm-Inator

I usually carry a small bottle of sanitizer made by Coleman. Basically it's a weaker version of what's in Lysol. I don't use it much (I'm not that bad), but since I do have to touch a number of doors, and a few unsavory objects in my work day, not to mention the fact that I'm supposed to be one of the ones to render first aid if an employee gets hurt it makes sense. It's great in the field, when there isn't a sink set up near the porta-potties.
I wouldn't mind one of those just for the heck of it though.

Edited to add: Actually I do wash my hands, and use a bit of hand sanitizer throughout my work day. I have to go through the bathroom doors a few times a day, and with the umber of employees I've seen who don't wash their hands, I'd hate to see what was on the door handles.

Re: DeGerm-Inator

I think you would be surprised at just how INEFECTIVE rubbing alcohol is as disinfectant. There are two ways to kill bugs. You can chemically disrupt them. In effect the UV radition does that by breaking the chemical bonds (the energy of a UV photon is considerably higher then the bond energy), that is also what bleach and chlorine, iodine and ozone do, although the mechanism is somewhat different, the effect is the same. They simply denature the molecules.

Plan B is to metabolically poison the bugs. That is what alcohol does. The problem is that it takes a long time to do it. Just swabbing with rubbing alcohol will reduce the germ levels at best about 30%. The reality is soap and water and elbow grease are much more effective.

If you really want to kill them it takes prolonged contact, soaking for 20+ minutes to reach 99+% and effectively disinfect. Alcohol is one of a number of compounds that can do this.

The swab at the doctor's office is more for appearance and expectation. Clinical studies among diabetics have established that the alcohol swab does not reduce the incidence of skin infections!!!

Re: DeGerm-Inator

When learning to give IV's in the Army Combat Lifesaver course, we used the alcohol wipes to clean off the iodine so we could see the vein. The iodine was to disinfect the site, and the alcohol to clean that off. I'm sure it wasn't too much better then just alcohol, but it's better than nothing.