The demand for masks has skyrocketed amidst the outbreak of Coronavirus, so the CDC has suggested reusing N95 respirator masks. Healthcare workers and medical professionals need N95 masks to protect themselves from the respiratory droplets of infected patients. Due to the shortage of masks, many have to wear the same mask again and again. But many of us don’t know the proper way to disinfect the mask before using it again.
Face masks are basic PPE essentials required during this COVID-19 to prevent the spread of respiratory droplets reaching others. N95, KN95, or other clothing face mask can only be worn for 6-8 hours and should be disposed-off properly after every use. But due to the limited supply of face masks, the government has urged people to re-use N95 respirators mask, KN95 mask, or other masks. It is advised to clean and disinfect the masks after every use because a contaminated mask might also spread the disease or contract an infection.
However, we are not 100% sure because the answer to this question is in short supply. But we have done enough research before sharing these methods with you and on that basis; we are sharing this information with you. Standard guidelines say throw away the mask and use the new mask. If you’re facing difficulty finding N95 masks, you buy kn95 masks online; it works similar to N95 masks.
Through this post, we will share the best ways you can use to disinfect masks without destroying them:
- Washing with Soap & Water
According to some reports, the simplest way to disinfect the mask is to wash masks with soap and water. Yet test data shows washing masks reduce their filtration effectiveness.
It would be good to buy masks in bulk for your daily use. Are you thinking about where to buy KN95 mask or other face masks? You can visit many sites that provide masks in wholesale and at affordable prices.
- Disinfect with alcohol (ethanol)
Alcohol is also used for disinfecting the masks. You can soak the respirators mask into 70 -75% solution of alcohol or ethanol for 2 hours. Then take out the masks from the solution and keep it to dry and then the masks are ready to use.
3. UV sterilization
Another way to disinfect the masks is by using UV sterilization. In this method, 60 minutes of exposure is enough to disinfect the masks effectively and 10 minutes for the metal portions. This way may damage the materials of the masks.
- Heating
Heating can be the best way to disinfect N95 masks after every use. You can perform dry heating methods to disinfect the N95 or KN95 respirator masks. Disinfect your masks at a minimum of 70°C only for 60 minutes and it will not lose its filtering efficiency and can use it repeatedly.
How long does it take to disinfect the mask?
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong tested J-cloth material, which is somehow similar to the electrostatic material used in masks and they found that the virus was completely non-viable within 5 hours. The researchers also said the H1N1 is likely to “survive for up to a few hours.” Thus, simply leaving a mask to dry out should kill the virus. This eliminates the need to degrade the mask with alcohol or water.
However, none of these methods are approved by the CDC, so it would be better to discard the mask after using it. If you have difficulty finding masks at shops near you, you can search for KN95 masks online. In this coronavirus pandemic, it is important to take care of yourselves and follow the safety measure to protect against COVID-19. Everyone should wear a mask, and hand gloves when step out for grocery shopping or while traveling to reduce the risk of exposure to contagious virus-like COVID-19. You can buy shamrock supreme nitrile gloves and masks online for your everyday use.
