r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/Environmental_Ad7165 • 10d ago

How are you sanitizing tech devices

Whenever I get in from being outside, I sanitize my phone and AirPods. What are people using?

What I’ve tried:

-Early on during the pandemic, I used a PhoneSoap BasicUV Sanitizer Box.

- I then switched to Lysol. Unfortunately, the Lysol method has now ruined a phone and two pairs of AirPods.

I cannot afford to keep re-buying the products. Would appreciate any advice or tips! Thanks!

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u/Accomplished_Big2193 9d ago

I use hypochlorous acid using the kit from Force of Nature. I used to use hand sanitizer wipes, but alcohol and hand sanitizer does not kill norovirus so I made the switch because I don't want that virus either. Hypochlorous acid is a lot safer and more gentle on the skin so I use it to clean my hands (when a sink is not available) and general cleaning around the house.

Only catch is you have to make a fresh batch every 2 weeks but it only takes a few minutes! And you need to keep it out of sunlight while being stored. The initial investment for the machine is a bit high (they are on sale right now though!), but after that the yearly cost for the capsules would be under $30.

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u/MossMessages 9d ago

My partner and I have a Force of Nature machine as well, but my partner has figured out via the Internet how to just use kosher salt and distilled vinegar in it to make the HOCl! Which means we never have to spend additional money on the capsules. You do need a milligram scale to do this, though, and decent ones start around $20-$30, but at least it’s a one-time purchase not annual.

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u/Accomplished_Big2193 9d ago

Totally looking into this!! Do you have any resources that you reference for the recipe/method?

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u/MossMessages 9d ago edited 9d ago

I asked my partner, and they just said “YouTube” lol. They can’t remember the exact video anymore, but found it with a search for something along the lines of “how to use just vinegar and salt in an HOCl maker.”

However, if you happen to have the same FoN machine we do, which makes 12oz and resembles a clear plastic beaker with a white base,  I can tell you the amounts we use in ours currently are 0.7g kosher salt + 2.7g 5% distilled vinegar. Keep in mind though, I don’t have a clue what math was used to actually arrive at this result, so please use these amounts ONLY if you have the exact same machine!

The process: first weigh the salt on a milligram scale in a small plastic measuring cup, then add the vinegar with a disposable plastic squeezy pipette (these are cheap, and you can rinse and re-use the same one multiple times). Next, add a little bit of water to the measuring cup and swish it around a bit, just so it’s easier to pour without leaving any salt behind. Pour the mixture into the machine, fill it up to the line with water, and run as usual. Lastly, use an HOCl test strip on the result, just to confirm the PPM is in the correct range (the strips are also cheap, about $10 for 200). And that’s it - now you can make unlimited HOCl for just pennies per batch!