Last Updated on April 29, 2023
Sunlight is an outstanding natural element that is good for removing germs, bacteria, and fungi. It is also good for removing mold from fruits and other foods.
How long does sunlight take to kill mold on food?
Generally, 1-2 hours is enough to remove mold from the foods if you keep them under direct sunlight. The UV light that comes from sunlight has an unseen power that dries anything and removes molds and other harmful microbes.
It has been tested that mold can be easily removed from clothes, foods, and many other items if you keep them under the sun. But how is it possible? Everyone knows that UV (ultraviolet) rays come from the sun. The rays are sometimes harmful to the human body and skin, but they are also some good solutions for removing mold from necessary elements.
Related: Does boiling or cooking kill mold?
Advantages of killing mold with sunlight
UV light filtration systems are becoming popular. Many people follow it and benefit from the sun’s utility. According to new research, sunlight has the potential to kill bacteria, rendering a product free of its toxicity.
Natural way
The sunlight effect takes only 1-2 hours to remove mold naturally.
Efficient cleaning
If the product with mold is perfectly placed under the sun, approximately 99% of the mold can be removed. However, the sun must reach it.
Disadvantages of killing mold with sunlight
Using the UV rays of sunlight is not completely good. Doctors and health specialists always suggest we be safe from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. If you use the UV rays of the sun, you may face the following problems:
Damage to the skin
Sunburn is a common term indicating a significant problem with our skin caused by the sun. Sunburns are also caused by ultraviolet rays from the sun. Moreover, staying under the sun’s scorching heat is not always admirable.
Damage to the eyes
Some people use sunglasses to make their eyes safe from sunlight. The sun’s UV rays damage the eyes’ power very quickly. As a result, blindness or other problems can arise.
Not an actual mold removal
Sunlight can be considered a substitute for mold removal. But it is not the proper solution. So, if you stay at home, you cannot remove mold from your food, clothes, and other things because there is no presence of sunlight.
Common FAQs
- Is it hard to remove mold under the dust?
Sometimes, the area surrounding the moldy item can be dusty, and the mold may be covered with dust. As a result, sunlight cannot penetrate beneath the dust and thus fails to remove mold.
- Does indirect sunlight kill mold?
We knew that the UV ray from sunlight kills mold directly. But when the sunlight enters the room through the glass of the window, it cannot implant the UV ray into the room.
So, indirect sunlight can’t kill mold. Some molds within a product can be difficult to see. The sunlight effect cannot work against these types of mold.
