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FFP2 masks are single-use products that must be discarded after use. However, there is a way to use it multiple times.
- A standard FFP2 * mask costs more than four euros in the pharmacy. This high price tag begs the question for many: Do I really have to throw it away after using it once or is there a way to keep using it?
- FFP masks should always be used as specified by the manufacturer. However, it can extend the life of the Particulate Filtering Half Masks, as FFP2 and FFP3 Masks are also called.
- According to the German Society for Hospital Hygiene, the strictest and qualitatively safest method for sterilizing FFP masks should be used in hospitals: steam sterilization. There is additional equipment in the hospital. but with the following tip you can also simply sterilize your FFP2 masks at home and use them again.
Normal everyday masks made of fabric can simply be machine washed and then worn over and over again. OP or FFP2 masks, on the other hand, are designed by the manufacturer as single-use products. Environmental reasons and also the question of costs are what prevent many people from disposing of the mask immediately after use. Scientists at the University of Illinois have now addressed the question of how N95 respirators – the same filter performance and material properties as FFP2 masks – can be disinfected at home.without losing any of its effectiveness.
According to the researchers, with the help of a simple kitchen appliance, the masks can be sterilized so well that they can be used multiple times without hesitation. For their study, they placed N95 mouth and nose covers on an electric stove. 50 minutes of dry heat in the rice cooker or multi-cooker was enough to decontaminate the N95 respirators inside and out with no filter performance or fit suffering. According to the study directors, the procedure allows for the safe reuse of tested respirators. However, the masks should not touch the heating element directly, as the sciencedaily portal reports. According to the study, this can be prevented by placing a small towel on the bottom of the stove.
FFP2 or N95 mask: protection class designations for half masks with particle filtering
FFP2 It stands for “Filtering Face Piece” and complies with the German standard DIN EN 149: 2009-08.
N95 masks They are approved in accordance with the US standard 42 CFR Part 84 of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Clean FFP2 masks: heat disinfects the material; electric stoves are adequate
For proper sterilization of the masks, according to the researchers, it was necessary to place them in the oven at 100 degrees Celsius for at least 50 minutes to eliminate corona viruses. Very important: There should be no water on the stove, the masks are sterilized with dry heat. This method is even more effective than UV light sterilization. “The respirators retained their filtration capacity of more than 95 percent and even after 20 decontamination cycles in the electric range they still sat correctly on the user’s face,” sciencedaily quotes the study director. According to Web.de, several masks can be disinfected at once by stacking them on the stove.
The SPD politician and doctor Karl Lauterbach had already posted it on his Twitter channel last summer. Mask disinfection option he pointed:
A simple € 30 electric rice cooker can disinfect the N95 protective masks, which protect the user very well on long train journeys, for example in 50 minutes every day. This takes nothing away from medical personnel and is well protected even in risky situations https://t.co/iQvWFXzpSz
– Karl Lauterbach (@Karl_Lauterbach) August 6, 2020
FFP2 masks do not lose performance after disinfection
A German study conducted by the NMI Medical and Natural Sciences Institute at the University of Tübingen also showed: After several sterilization programs, the material structure of the FFP2 and FFP3 protective masks does not change significantly. An examination of the fleece used in the masks under the scanning electron microscope showed that the FFP masks can be reused after disinfection without losing filter performance, according to the medical specialist portal dzw. (jg) *Merkur.de is part of the national network of Ippen-Digital publishers.
More sources: https://www.bfarm.de/SharedDocs/Risikoinformationen/Medizinprodukte/DE/schutzmasken.html; https://www.krankenhaushygiene.de/pdfdata/presse/2020_05_01_spiegel_interview_walger.pdf; https://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/112501/Sterilisierung-von-FFP2-Schutzmasken-erfordert-hohe-Temperaturen
Not just delicious rice!
With the WMF Steamer Rice Cooker (commercial link) you can cook all common types of rice, quinoa, lentils, chickpeas and vegetables so gently that they contain important nutrients. You can also misuse the kitchen helper and use it to sanitize FFP2 masks.
Survey on the topic of corona vaccination
keep reading: Effective protection against the crown: should we wear two masks one on top of the other?
Everyday masks and the question of materials
Everyday masks and the question of materials
List of rubrics lists: © Sven Hoppe / dpa
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