If you’ve struggled to find household disinfectants and wipes recently, you’ll understand the allure of UV wand disinfectants. These devices claim to kill 99.9 percent of germs, bacteria and viruses, and they’re lightweight and portable. Perfect for that weekend trip to the Airbnb.
The product descriptions are certainly alluring — advertised to sanitize everything from mail to computer keyboards, plus makeup brushes, sofas, bedding, toilets and pet areas. They’re easy to find on sites like Amazon, Sharper Image and eBay. But while a personal UV-C light wand may sound nifty, problems with the wands may outweigh any potential benefits.
For starters, many of them are fakes. Others are of such low power that you’d have to hold the device over an item (say, a mask) for 30 minutes to maybe get any disinfection, much less destroy SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. You also risk accidental exposure to dangerous ultraviolet light.
