instructables
Homemade UV-C Disinfection Cabinet for COVID-19 and Other Nasties
by e28m5blackie
Ultraviolet (UV) light is a common way to disinfect
things. It works by disrupting the DNA structure of
bacteria and viruses, and preventing their replication.
However, there are di erent types of UV and you need
to use the right one for disinfection. They are:
UV-A - Used in black lights at Halloween parties
UV-B - Causes sunburns and skin cancer
UV-C - Used for disinfection. Filtered by the ozone
layer so you don't see much naturally-occurring UV-C
The magic wavelength for DNA disruption is 254nm,
which falls in the UV-C spectrum. Therefore, a UV-C
light m us t be used in any disinfection application.
UV-C lights are available commercially, and are often
labeled as "germicidal".
By using a UV-C light combined with other commonly
gettable materials, you can make your own
Homemade UV-C Disinfection Cabinet for COVID-19 and Other Nasties: Page 1
disinfection cabinet, like I did. This instructable will
show you how I did it.
This instructable was built with parts procured from
Amazon (bulb, xture) and Home Depot (cooler,
velcro, aluminum foil, aluminum tape), and no power
tools are required for construction.
Disclaimer: I'm not a particle physicist, but I did my
best to understand and use the physics, microbiology
and math behind this solution. Treat this article and
its assertions with the same prosecution and diligence
of anything else you nd on the internet.
WARNING! UV-C lighting, while good for
disinfection, is v e ry bad for humans. Bad for your
skin, bad for your eyes. Therefore, it's important to
build a solution that doesn't allow the light to escape
and break down your own personal DNA.
Step 1: Materials

I used the following materials, most of which I got
from Home Depot:
1. Cabinet. Any cabinet with a lid that can be closed
will work. I got a Rubbermaid 75qt cooler from Home
Depot. Its insulating properties are useful when
disinfecting groceries.
2, 3. Aluminum tape and aluminum foil. The inside of
the cabinet needs to be lined with aluminum foil.
Aluminum re ects UV rays; most other materials
absorb UV rays. Aluminum tape is commonly used to
fasten ducting in HVAC systems, and works out nicely
here.
4. Velcro tape. Two 2"x4" patches. Used to attach the
lamp to the lid. You can also use tape/zip-ties and
other things to fasten the lamp to the lid.
5, 6. 2x paint grids and paint stirrers. It's important to
raise the irradiated materials o the oor so that the
bottom can be exposed to UV-C as well. I fastened two
of these together to make a stand. A small metal dish
rack could also work as well. I used the paint stirrers to
provide some extra rigidity.
7. Zip-ties. I didn't wind up using these, but it's in the
picture, so I thought I'd call it out.

Step 2: Line the Inside With Aluminum Foil

Using the aluminum foil and aluminum tape, line the inside of the cabinet.

Homemade UV-C Disinfection Cabinet for COVID-19 and Other Nasties: Page 2
Step 3: Procuring a UV-C Light
There are lots of UV-C lights available commercially. I
wound up getting an OSRAM/Sylvania 15W tube light,
which is 18 inches long. Note the "Germicidal" labeling
on the bulb. This light has the standard 2 pin
connector that is common with tube lights. Other
form factors and implementations are out there and
are equally as feasible.
Homemade UV-C Disinfection Cabinet for COVID-19 and Other Nasties: Page 3
https://www.osram.us/ecat/PURITEC%20HNS%20Linea
r%20Lamps-
PURITEC%20HNS%20Germicidal%20Lamps-
Ultraviolet%20Lamps-
Specialty%20Discharge%20Lamps-
Entertainment%20&%20Industry/us/en/GPS01_30489
98/PP_NAFTA_NAFTA_eCat/ZMP_4021025/
I gured I would go to Home Depot and buy a tube
light xture for this bulb. However, I found out the
hard way that the standard sizes for tube lights are
24" and 48". My light is 18". Fortunately, I was able to
nd an 18" tube light from a pet store, that is typically
intended for illuminating your pet lizard. This lamp
Step 4: Fastening the Lamp

I used a 4"x4" patch of velcro to attach the lamp. It worked nicely, since the lamp is 4" wide. I put the velcro patch in
a spot that allows the UV-C tube light to be centered on the lid. After attaching the velcro, I lined the rest of the lid
with aluminum foil.

Step 5: A Rack to Lift Your Items

It's helpful to get the items you want to disinfect o the oor, so that the bottom can be hit with UV-C rays as well. I
taped together 2 paint trays to make a rack. I broke o pieces of the paint stirrer and used them to add a little extra
rigidity.

Homemade UV-C Disinfection Cabinet for COVID-19 and Other Nasties: Page 4
Step 6: Final Assembly and Ready to Disinfect!

Homemade UV-C Disinfection Cabinet for COVID-19 and Other Nasties: Page 5
At this point, all that's needed to be done is attach the
lamp! This was trivial, given the velcro connection. At
rst I thought I might need to cut a notch to account
for the power cord, but the lid is able to su ciently
close without any surgery.
You can see a photo of the lamp in action. (I used the
timer on my phone to take the photo, to avoid
zapping myself with UV-C)
J/m^2) D90 dosage is required to kill coronaviruses.
Source: https://www.uv-light.co.uk/coronavirus/
Here’s the math that I did to calculate UV dosage time.
You should do your own math and follow your own
conclusions.
A G15T8 (15 W germicidal uorescent bulb) emits 4.9
W of UV-C with a central peak at 253.7 nm

Im po rt a nt No t e : Since taking this photo, I've read UV Dose = UV_Energy/Area

a number of articles that advise against using UV-C
disinfection with N95 masks, because the UV-C can
break down the elastic. So I largely use it to disinfect
groceries and takeout food.
To use the cabinet, put your stu in (while the lamp is
o !), close the lid, and then plug in the lamp. That's it!
Only one question remains: how long should I have
my stu in the cabinet to get proper disinfection? The
answer depends on: the wattage of your bulb, the
desired amount of irradiation energy needed to
achieve disinfection, and the distance from the bulb
to the item(s) you are disinfecting.
UV_Energy = UV_bulb_power*Exposure_time
Area = 4*pi*(UV_bulb distance^2) [assuming spherical
divergence]
This leads to: UV_Dose =
UV_bulb_power*Exposure_time/(4*pi*UV_bulb_dista
nce^2)
So the desired direct exposure time in seconds is:
Exposure_time = (Desired_UV_Dose*4*pi*
(UV_bulb_distance^2))/UV_bulb_power

The UV-C bulb is a 15W OSRAM 21259 G15T8/OF Units: UV_Dose: Joules/m^2, UV_Energy: Joules,
https://www.osram.us/ecat/PURITEC%20HNS%20Linea UV_bulb_power: Watts, Area: m^2, UV_bulb_distance:
r%... m, Exposure_time: s, pi: 3.141592

The bulb is rated at 15W, but that’s the power
consumed, not the UV power emitted. OSRAM doesn’t
have a spec on UV power output. However, another
manufacturer of a very similar bulb, USHIO, does spec
this at 4.9W.
USHIO 3000007 G15T8:
https://www.ushio.com/ les/speci cations/germic...
Anywhere from 7 J/m^2-241 J/m^2 (average 67
The distance from the bulb to the cabinet oor is
29cm (or 0.29m). For UV_Dose, I’m using the highest
number from the studies referenced above. This gives:
Exposure time = ((241 J/m^2)*4*pi*(0.29 m^2))/4.9 W =
254.7 J/4.9 W = 52 s e co nds
I typically irradiate my items (mainly groceries and
takeout food) for 2 minutes for good measure.

Homemade UV-C Disinfection Cabinet for COVID-19 and Other Nasties: Page 6
Hi. Note that the germicide function of UVC just acts over what is directly illuminated. If intended to
use for a mask as pictured, take into account the filter will not be cleanned and also the fabric just
on its surface: as it is composed for fibers, viruses and bacteria may kept hidden between the
fibers out of the light. Is better than nothing but do not rely 100%. For other object with solid
surfaces will work better.
Hi Edi, I agree. Although the photo shows a mask in there, I've since read a lot of articles that
suggest that UV-C might cause a breakdown in the elastic. So I primarily use it for surface
disinfection of groceries and takeout food.
Ok. You can find the scientific references and calculations I used on my Fast Home Ultraviolet
Germicide Versatile published 3 days ago. Lets keep working!

Homemade UV-C Disinfection Cabinet for COVID-19 and Other Nasties: Page 7