It’s starting to look like we will be wearing face-masks for the foreseeable future. Many people have opted to buy reusable face-masks as opposed to single use disposable masks that can get expensive. To make sure that a cloth mask keeps you as safe as possible, it is important that you wash reusable masks regularly.
You should really wash your mask after each use. If you wear a mask to work, make sure you wash it when you get home and before wearing it out again. If you have a single use mask, throw it away after use. For masks with removable filters, throw away the filter after use and wash your mask.
When washing your mask, you can either throw it in with your regular laundry or wash by hand. You may want to use an unscented detergent if you are sensitive to smells.
When washing by hand, use warm water and detergent. Soak the mask for several minutes before giving it a good scrub. Scrub for at least 30 seconds, just like when you are washing your hands, and then rinse thoroughly.
You can throw your mask in the dryer or lay it flat to dry. You can also lay it in the sun to air dry a little faster. Make sure your mask is completely dry before wearing it as a wet mask is not effective.
While it may be easy to grab the same mask everyday, it is important that we are washing our masks to make sure we aren’t moving germs, and other gross things, from one place to another with our masks. Wash your mask after every use (or at the end of every day) and you’ll make sure your mask is good to go!