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Being exposed to direct sunlight, what percentage of UV rays

 

Customer Question

Being exposed to direct sunlight, what percentage of UV rays (A+B) will pass through a 200 thread count white sheet? (basically, a cheap, white sheet) I do not know exactly what the sheet is made of but I would guess either 100% cotton or a cotton-poly blend.

Or, another way of putting it, will a 200 thread count white sheet allow some* UV rays to pass through it or will it block them?

* the quantity would be good.

 



Already Tried:
Uh...visible light easily comes through the sheets...what about UV light?

Submitted: 359 days and 19 hours ago.
Category: General
Value: $16
Status: CLOSED
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Expert:  Josie-Mod replied359 days and 2 hours ago.

Hi, I’m a Moderator for this topic and I wonder whether you’re still waiting for an answer. If you are, please let me know and I will do my best to find a Professional to assist you right away. If not, feel free to let me know and I will cancel this question for you. Thank you!

Customer replied358 days and 20 hours ago.

Why yes, I'm STILL waiting for an answer. I know this is a rather unusual question, but there is an ANSWER for it...not just simply an educated 'GUESS".

I guess another way to pose the question is...Will a light fabric made of cotton or a cotton/poly blend block or allow UV rays to pass through it...and if they can pass through it, about what percentage passes through it?

A bit scientific/researchy, but I need an answer...please!

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Expert:  Josie-Mod replied358 days and 20 hours ago.

Hi,

Thank you for your reply. Sometimes, finding the right Professional can take a little longer than expected and we thank you greatly for your understanding. We’ll be in touch again shortly.

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Expert:  Josie-Mod replied358 days ago.

Thank you for your patience, your business is very important to us, we are waiting on the Professional with the right expertise to come online. Please let us know if you would like us to continue searching for a Professional or if you would like us to close your question. Thank you for your understanding!

Customer replied357 days and 19 hours ago.

I want an answer, I'm patient.

Accepted Answer

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Expert:  S. A. Abbott replied357 days and 13 hours ago.

Hi! I can answer your question and really appreciate your patience. It sure helps in a world where everyone wants results an hour before they make the effort right?

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Fabrics protect against UV rays in different capacities, much like the bottled skin protectors. The Sun Protection Factor in creams and lotions (aka: SPF) have ratings based on time in sun one should be able to spend without (much) damage.
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For example, 15 is an acceptable botXXXXX XXXXXne. If you can stand the sun for 15 minutes before you start to see changes such as pink or redness beginning, then a SPF 15 means you can withstand 15x’s that amount of time. Or 15 minutes x 15 with SPF 15 = 225 minutes (just under 4 hours).
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Fabrics tend to provide a Sun Protection Factor of their own and it depends on the density of the fabric AND whether or not the fabric has been treated with further SPF enhancements.

The thing is, it’s not called SPF when it’s related to fabric. It’s called UPF and it (the fabric) is graded by the percentage of Ultraviolet rays (UVA and UVB) it blocks.
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UPF 40-50 is best, XXXXX XXXXX than 97% and up to about 98%; UPF 25-39 blocks 96-97.5% and UPF 15-24 blocks just over 93%, but less than 96%.
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The thicker the material, the less UV rays get through. That’s an obvious fact right? But we have to also consider the material that makes up the fabric. The very best UV ray blockers are man made fabrics like Polyester, Lycra, even nylon. Knits made of wool will do a pretty fair job, silk is ok too, but surprisingly, the natural fibers such as cotton and the increasingly popular hemp fabrics are relatively poor UV blockers unless they are treated.
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And these days with our ozone thinning and most people becoming very informed about the dangers of UV rays, clothing manufacturers are producing lines of clothing with UPF built in and thus potentially giving those lesser protective fabrics much more of a safety factor.
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So, to sum it up - the 200 thread count cotton sheet is virtually worthless as a UV blocker. The cotton-poly blend is better, but this depends on the percentage of poly and even the color will factor in.

Lighter colors will, of course, reflect some rays - and what is reflected off isn't absorbed; Other colors will break the rays up and play a part in reflecting as well (think of the brightest colors of summer = those are good) and of course dark colors, black being the worst, absorb heat and also some, if not a lot of, UV's.

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Maybe more info than you wanted, but hopefully worth being patient for

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Expert TypeLicensed Business Owner/Operator
Category: General
Pos. Feedback: 100.0 %
Accepts: 47
Answered: 6/27/2012

Experience: Licensed Bus. Owner; published; prof. researcher over 35 yrs

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