Lumin approved for N95 masks
Now there’s even more reason to invest in a Lumin cleaner for CPAP equipment.
Not only does it effortlessly kill 99.9% of harmful bacteria, viruses, mold and fungus on your CPAP mask and other accessories, it safely uses UV rays to get the job done in 5 minutes without introducing harmful ozone gas or other toxic chemicals.
But the best part?
Because it’s so safe and effective it can be used on other small items too – in these COVID-anxious times it’s reassuring to have an easy, at-home method for sanitizing frequently touched items like cell phones, keys, pens, small toys… the list goes on.
And now, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has granted emergency approval to use it for cleaning and reusing N95 masks.
Not out of the woods yet
While most of us can’t wait for the day when COVID-19 is behind us, and while vaccines are rolling out for the most vulnerable, we aren’t out of the woods yet. Masking up has become a requirement whenever we venture out in public. We may not have a choice but to don masks for now, but the expense and environmental damage of throwing away endless disposable masks is high. Fortunately, now there’s a strong case for reducing that waste with Lumin.
According to an FDA release, “The Lumin LM3000 has been authorized by FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization for bioburden reduction of 3M model 1860 N95 respirators only for single-user reuse by healthcare personnel to supplement CDC reuse recommendations to prevent exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogenic biological airborne particulates.”
So what does this mean?
In simpler terms, that means they’ve given a green light to healthcare workers using the Lumin to zap nasty bugs so they can re-wear their masks instead of tossing them in the garbage after a single use.
The emergency authorization in the U.S. is only for during the pandemic, it applies to one specific mask (the now famous N95) and it requires that users follow a detailed set of protocols. But for the casual user here at home, it is very good news – it means confidence is high that the Lumin can provide safe pathogen irradiation for any object that can fit in its bin.
The technical stuff
According to developer 3B Medical, Lumin has an irradiance output of over 1,100 mJ/cm2 in a single 5-minute cycle, while the literature establishes a COVID-19 reducing dose of 60-200 mJ/cm2. A study they commissioned by an outside lab said, “Taking the cytotoxicity and neutralization control results into consideration, the evaluated test device demonstrated an average ≥3.25 Log10 reduction in viral titer (99.94% reduction).”
In short, the Lumin destroyed Human Coronavirus with a 99.94% success rate in just 5 minutes.
If you’re really into the science of it all, you can learn more about the detailed test results here.
It’s not just for CPAP accessories…
The test results and the recent FDA approval are both great news, but they just confirm what Lumin owners have been taking advantage of all along – using the machine to sanitize all kinds of non-CPAP items around the home.
It has a small enough footprint to fit on a bedside table, kitchen counter or office desk, making it super convenient.
Since it doesn’t use chemicals, gasses or liquids of any kind, but rather a closed chamber that’s flooded with UV-C light, it’s safe to use on any material that can fit inside – whether it’s silicone, plastic, metal or cloth (or medical grade respirator mask) makes no difference!
…But it’s really good for CPAP accessories
Of course, the original intent for the Lumin was to clean CPAP accessories, and there’s good reason it’s so popular.
When you think about the amount of time spent wiping, washing, rinsing and drying (or how much time should have been spent if you’ve gotten lazy) the Lumin starts to look very appealing: you just pop your CPAP mask or water chamber into the bin, push a single button to start the 5-minute cycle, and you’re good to go!
It’s by far the easiest way to keep your CPAP accessories free from harmful bacteria and viruses; the fact that it does the same great job on all your other small objects, in these challenging pandemic days especially, is a great added benefit!
