Ig Nobel Prize: UVC light sterilizes shoes, kills odor

  • “But push it too far - 10 to 15 minutes - and the odour gave way to ‘strong burnt rubber’”

    Would definitely want to know what volatiles are being produced by this process.

  • I won't believe it until you try it on my belay partner's climbing shoes.

    Their shoes should be banned under the Geneva convention.

  • I've been using the bleach trick, especially when my shoes get wet on their own.

    Add a bit of bleach to a bucket, put the shoes there for 3-4 minutes, and then add a bit of thiosulfate to neutralize the bleach. Rinse under running water, and then dry in a tumble dryer (on a drying pan).

  • I heard these were already common in China:

    https://xcancel.com/NukitToBeSure/status/1972467734656209164...

  • Any time I have tried to use a UVC light on a product, it always comes out smelling worse. Like, burnt somehow.

  • Recently heard that about a study saying UV light can disable airbone allergens in a short time. And now this make it seem there's going to be a big demand for UV lights