Will Ozone dissolve my socks?
June 15, 2022 11:54 AM Subscribe
I have a small ozone generator I once used to get rid of some nasty smells in my cellar. Now I want to try two things:
1. Sterlilizing my footwear, like socks&shoes
2. Getting rid of some critters in the kitchen
Ozone oxidizes organic materials. So if I put my cotton socks and leather shoes in a box with my Ozone generator, will they melt or something after a certain amount of time? I guess any bacteria, spores etc. will be dead after an hour, but if I would leave them longer, would maybe the glue soften? The cotton fibers get brittle? Or what?
Same for my kitchen, I think the critters will die, but for example what would happen to an apple if I leave it for a longer period in my ozone box? Potatoes that are lying around?
Is this all a bad idea? I know not to be around during and after using my generator.
I once saw a working Ozone Generator in an antique store and, although cool in a mad scientist way, it frightened me. What might O3 do to your lungs? Ozone Generator Dangers.
posted by Rash at 1:17 PM on June 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Rash at 1:17 PM on June 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
Ozone generators are generally bad for you, and my impression is they are largely snake oil. Same goes for UV light to a certain extent, because there are risks.
Try baking soda, dilute bleach (if you don't mind color change), rubbing alcohol, or disinfectant spray.
posted by Peach at 2:33 PM on June 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
Try baking soda, dilute bleach (if you don't mind color change), rubbing alcohol, or disinfectant spray.
posted by Peach at 2:33 PM on June 15, 2022 [2 favorites]
UV light is a legit disinfectant except for shadowing. But you do need actual UV light whether it be A, B or C -C being the most anti microbial but least consumer available due to it being more hazardous. Lamps proclaiming mood enhancement not so much. Putting your stuff in sunshine for several hours is legit but of course what is not in the light will not get affected.
posted by waving at 4:06 PM on June 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by waving at 4:06 PM on June 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
Copper insoles will solve all your foot and shoe smelling problems. I don't know why but they work really well.
Take it from someone who has to wear steel toe boots 6 days a week.
posted by Max Power at 4:12 PM on June 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
Take it from someone who has to wear steel toe boots 6 days a week.
posted by Max Power at 4:12 PM on June 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
I don't know why
Copper ions are fungicidal and bactericidal and the sweatier your socks are the more copper ions they'll release from the surface of any metallic copper they're in contact with.
posted by flabdablet at 3:58 AM on June 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
Copper ions are fungicidal and bactericidal and the sweatier your socks are the more copper ions they'll release from the surface of any metallic copper they're in contact with.
posted by flabdablet at 3:58 AM on June 16, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Ozone, eh?
I have a moderately high power ozone generator (not really such high power, something like THIS but with two plates. I built it into a box with a fan and 60 minute timer. (That's just to give you an idea of its strength.)
Rule with using ozone. The three P's must stay away: People, Plants, Pets.
So when I use it, I set a time (about 30 minutes) and stay away for the 30 minutes, PLUS two hours.
It works wonderfully! Smelly room. 15 minutes (PLUS the 2 hours) with the generator running in the closed room, and no smell.
Put it in a small box (cabinet) with some smelly slippers, about 15 minutes, and the smell was gone.
Musty basement? Close up the basement, let it run for an hour (PLUS the 2 hour stay-away) and the basement is odor free for about a year, as the ozone kills the source of the mustiness...basement is pretty dry normally.
So ozone attacks some materials. How long would it take for the attack to really harm the material. More than just the 15 minutes to one hour session.
posted by mbarryf at 2:38 PM on June 16, 2022
I have a moderately high power ozone generator (not really such high power, something like THIS but with two plates. I built it into a box with a fan and 60 minute timer. (That's just to give you an idea of its strength.)
Rule with using ozone. The three P's must stay away: People, Plants, Pets.
So when I use it, I set a time (about 30 minutes) and stay away for the 30 minutes, PLUS two hours.
It works wonderfully! Smelly room. 15 minutes (PLUS the 2 hours) with the generator running in the closed room, and no smell.
Put it in a small box (cabinet) with some smelly slippers, about 15 minutes, and the smell was gone.
Musty basement? Close up the basement, let it run for an hour (PLUS the 2 hour stay-away) and the basement is odor free for about a year, as the ozone kills the source of the mustiness...basement is pretty dry normally.
So ozone attacks some materials. How long would it take for the attack to really harm the material. More than just the 15 minutes to one hour session.
posted by mbarryf at 2:38 PM on June 16, 2022
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posted by moonmoth at 12:52 PM on June 15, 2022 [1 favorite]