Studies upon studies have deduced that the coronavirus can survive on surfaces for up to four weeks. Considering that money is something that is widely used and changes hands every now and then, it is one of the hotbeds for the growth and transmission of this virus.
To be on the safe side, you have to know how to sanitize paper money periodically. We want to help you to achieve this end well. To do this, we prepare this article. In the discussions that follow, we shall peek into the two main steps to follow on how to disinfect money from coronavirus.
These are our choices for the best UV Sterilizers for disinfecting money
1. uvFreshr Mini Odor Eliminator (click here to view)
2. NIELS RYBERG Premium UVC STERILIZER (click here to view)
3. UV Travel Light Sanitizer (click here to view)
4. GUESO G1 MINI UV Rechargable Sterilizer (click here to view)
5. Handheld UV Sterilizer with Germicidal Disinfectant Lamp (click here to view)
6. Ultraviolet Light Portable Travel Sized Sterilizer (click here to view)
7. uvFreshr Germ UV Sterilizer (click here to view)
The Critical Methods on How To Disinfect Money From Coronavirus
Below are the three leading methods of how to disinfect money from coronavirus:
Method 1: Wash and Dry
This method simply entails you washing the bank notes normally and then drying them in the sun.
What You Need To Disinfect Money From Coronavirus?
- Mild Detergent
Water - Piece of cloth
- Basin or bowl
Follow these steps on how to sanitize paper money to achieve this end:
Step I: Unfold The Notes
Start by unfolding the notes one at a time until all of them are straight and properly aligned. This is to make the wholly exposed to the external elements and the detergents as a whole.
Step II: Wash The Notes
Using a mild soap or baby laundry detergents, you are now supposed to wash the notes. Be slow and careful to prevent damaging the notes in totality.
Step III: Dry The Notes
You should now dry the notes using a piece of clean white cloth. Again, you should be soft and gentle as you go about this to prevent tearing the notes apart.
Step IV: Place The Notes in Sunlight
Place the notes out in the sun to let them dry out completely. The heat from the sun shall suck out any residual moisture that may weaken the notes further.
Step V: Store The Notes
Round it up by storing the notes in a cool, dry, and properly aerated container. Place the container in a place that is not easily accessible by people.
NB: Do not soak the paper notes as they shall get worn out completely
Method 2: Using UV Sterilizer
As its name implies, this method entails the use of UV sterilizer to eliminate germs. The method is expensive, yes, but it is by far the fastest and most efficient of all.
What You Need To Disinfect Money From Coronavirus?
- UV Sterilizer
- A table
These steps on how to sanitize paper money will help you to achieve success:
Step I: Unfold and Spread The Notes
Unfold each fold in the bundle and then spread the same out in the open. Place each note on the table without stacking any atop the other.
Step II: Shine The UV light on The Notes
Switch on the UV sterilizer and shine the light atop each note one at a time. Turn the other side of the note and similarly shine the light bulb atop it. Pay attention to those areas that may be adversely affected or more vulnerable.
Step III: Store The Notes
Store the notes in a sealed and airtight container. Limit access to this container lest some people get in touch with it and transmit the coronavirus yet again to them.
Method 3: Disinfect Using Alcohol
In this method, you will use alcohol, which is a great sanitizer, and apply the same in moderate quantities to the notes. The method is great if you have some money as it is cheaper than UV light but more expensive than the wash and dry method.
What You Need To Disinfect Money From Coronavirus?
- Alcohol
- Dry cloth
Adhere to the steps below on how to disinfect money using this approach:
Step I: Unfold and Spread Out The Notes
Yet again, you should kick start the exercise by unfolding the notes and spreading the same out in the open. By doing this, create a larger surface area that is likely to accept the alcohol well and have maximum impacts.
Step II: Spray or Wipe The Notes
Now sprays or wipe each note with the alcohol. If you choose to spray, channel the sprays to the paper as a whole meticulously. Then, turn the paper the other way round and do the same there.
In case you opt for wiping, start with one side and wipe the alcohol gently and steadily. After you are done with that one side, turn the note the other way round wipe it also with alcohol.
Step III: Dry The Notes
Leave the note to dry on its own. That will give the droplets of alcohol the time to sink and bring about deeper impacts. After an hour or so, turn the note the other way round and let the alcohol sink. Then, round it up by placing it in the sun to dry fully.
Step IV: Store The Notes
Store the notes at a place that is largely inaccessible by many people. Remember, you want to minimize any form of exposure that is more likely to predispose the notes to the risks of coronavirus infections.
Things To Remember During This Process
To achieve great success in how to disinfect money, you have to remember these things while disinfecting your paper money:
- Never apply excess spray or detergents as these may weaken the notes
- Do not soak the notes, for obvious reasons
- Refrain from scrubbing the notes as that may peel off the writings
- Clean one note per unit time to prevent confusion
- Notes are legal tenders; not personal property
You may also read: Learn How To Disinfect Something That Fell in The Toilet?
To Keep Money Disinfected For Longer Time
To keep your money disinfected for longer, you have to:
- Store it in a cool and dry place
- Seal the containers or drawers in which the money is kept
- Limit access to this container to minimize any infections
- Use strong detergents or alcohol to eliminate most germs and prevent the growth of others
- Disinfect the notes right before and immediately after retrieval from the storage
Final Verdict
Just to reiterate an earlier point, you can never take chances with your paper money as things stand. Money changes hands every now and then. Couple that with the fact that the coronavirus can survive on the surface for quite some time and you find yourself very vulnerable to COVID-19.
What are we saying? You should not take the wonderful pieces of advice on how to sanitize paper money lightly. Instead, you want to implement them as diligently as you may possibly manage. We release you now to disinfect your money faithfully.
