Luminous glow in the dark murals and star ceilings can turn your space into an awesome starscape once the lights go out. But caution should be used when charging glow murals, especially in kid's rooms.

The Glow in the Dark Magic:

Glow in the dark murals contain phosphors that absorb and store light energy when exposed to light. When the lights go out, the stored light is released, creating a glow. You need a sufficient source of light to charge the phosphors, but not all light sources are safe to use.

UV Lights:

UV LED flood lights or bars are an easy and fast charge especially in rooms that don't get much natural light. Held close they can charge stars within seconds, mounted on a wall they can fully charge a star ceiling on a large bedroom ceiling in 5-10 minutes. Use 395 nm LED UV light at 30 watt - 100 watt for a strong charge. 

UV flood lights can get very hot but they charge fast so don't need to be on for long. 

The benefit of using UV lights is that they charge the stars and art to 100% so it doesn't just glow all night but you can also see all the various glow colours. 

Glow colours can only be seen in the 10 or so minutes from maximum charge, after that they fade to an off white colour that will last the rest of the night.

UV lights, can irritate the eyes and skin with prolonged use though, especially to children. Never stare into a UV light.

For little kids’ rooms, low powered LED blacklights or LED strips around 395–400 nm are generally safe for glow murals or fun, as long as they’re limited in use, aimed at walls, and not directly at eyes.
 
Stronger UV-A (~365 nm), UV-B, or UV-C lamps can damage eyes and skin and should never be used in bedrooms to charge glow art. 

Other Easy and Safe Ways to Charge Glow in the Dark Murals

1. Sunlight:

Harness the power of sunlight to charge glow in the dark star ceilings. Install them in a well-lit room during the day, allowing the glow phosphors to absorb daylight. Daylight and a top up with a bright room light at night is usually enough for stars that glow brightly all night. Depending on how bright your room light is you may not see the colours at 100% full charge through. 

2. Bright torch or flashlight:

Use a bright torch or flashlight for fast targeted charging and to see the colours pop. (Some colours like violet and pink still need UV though) I sometimes use a 3000 lumen flashlight for a quick spot charge but torches can get hot. Make sure high powered flashlights are not given to kids.

3. Energy-Efficient Room Bulbs:

Opt for energy-saving LED bulbs , compact fluorescent room lights to illuminate the mural just before bedtime, these will make the stars glow all night. 

Not recommended: