Health & Wellbeing

SteriShoe uses UV light to eliminate smelly shoes

SteriShoe uses UV light to eliminate smelly shoes
The SteriShoe Shoe Sanitizer uses UV light to kill microorganisms in shoes
The SteriShoe Shoe Sanitizer uses UV light to kill microorganisms in shoes
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The SteriShoe Shoe Sanitizer uses UV light to kill microorganisms in shoes
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The SteriShoe Shoe Sanitizer uses UV light to kill microorganisms in shoes
The SteriShoe Shoe Sanitizer uses UV light to kill microorganisms in shoes
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The SteriShoe Shoe Sanitizer uses UV light to kill microorganisms in shoes
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The SteriShoe Shoe Sanitizer uses UV light to kill microorganisms in shoes
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U.S. company Shoe Care Innovations has launched the world’s first ultraviolet shoe cleaner. The SteriShoe UV Shoe Santizer safely disinfects the inside of shoes by using ultraviolet (UVC) light. It is ideal for people who suffer from athlete's foot (tinea pedis), toenail fungus (onychomycosis), or shoe odor. It has also been recommended for diabetes sufferers and is 100 percent free of chemicals.

Sweat from feet can often cause shoes to become breeding grounds for fungi and bacteria that can then cause infections. The SteriShoe is reportedly an effective chemical-free method for killing unwanted bacteria and fungal spores in your shoes. It may not be a quick clean, but after 45 minutes with the SteriShoe ultraviolet light, 99.9 percent of all microorganisms including fungi and bacteria are killed.

The use of UVC light for sterilization is nothing new, being commonly used in hospitals, public swimming pools and other water treatment systems. Using ultraviolet light is relatively safe, but it is not recommended to come in direct contact with the light. To keep this from happening, the SteriShoe shoe sanitizer includes two key safety features, including a compression sensor that requires the ultraviolet shoe sanitizer to be compressed in a shoe. If the device is removed from the shoe whilst in action, it will shut off automatically.

The device is also designed to only work in a closed, dark environment (such as a cupboard) and a second sensor scans the environment before activating a clean, to ensure the environment is dark enough and thus safe to start. If light is detected, the device will not start. In addition two shoe bags are provided in every box, so a user can cover their open-toed shoes and sandals to provide a dark enough environment.

The SteriShoe Shoe Sanitizer uses UV light to kill microorganisms in shoes
The SteriShoe Shoe Sanitizer uses UV light to kill microorganisms in shoes

Diabetes can cause poor blood circulation leading to loss of sensation and thus the potential for untreated blister or ulcers on the foot’s surface. If left untreated, a diabetic foot ulcer can result in an amputation and according to Shoe Care Innovations, in the United States there are approximately 86,000 diabetic related amputations annually. Clean shoes are thus an important measure for all sufferers of diabetes, to keep healthy feet.

Priced at US$129.95, the SteriShoe UV Shoe Sanitizer comes is three sizes (Sml, Med, Lge) and is available for purchase online.

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7 comments
7 comments
Håkon Skeide
nice device, but sloppy research. my gym has UV shoe sterilizers, and they have been there for quite some time it seems (I\'ve only gone there for a year but they are surely older)
Adrien
Finally, something on Gizmag that is actually a GOOD idea!
Cool!
Bill Bennett
there is one guy where I work,,, will it work on armpit odor?
donwine
The odor in shoes is the sulfur smell which comes from the waste produced by fungus. They can reproduce when you start wearing your shoes again. It will be an endless battle with this device. There is one element that can penetrate the cell of the fungus. It is potassium bicarbonate. If you would like to see what this does to fungus - look at the pictures on this site: nailfungus-dmso.com on the products page.
Ed
I use a Negative Ion Shoe sanitizer I got from Sharper Image years ago. Runs off of 4 \"C\" cell batteries. Every night, I put this thing into my shoes and turn it on. In the morning, I have fresh smelling shoes again! The only downside I have discovered is that rubber doesn\'t like Negative ions much...tends to make the rubber brittle over the years..but that makes me get new shoes earlier than I usually would!
amigabill
There is one element that can penetrate the cell of the fungus. It is potassium bicarbonate. If you would like to see what this does to fungus - look at the pictures on this site: nailfungus-dmso.com on the products page.
jeffb5
Why not use Lysol daily?