You may know how to properly wear a face mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but do you know how often you should wash it? If you have a reusable cloth for your nose and mouth, the CDC says it should be washed after each use.
Coronavirus etiquette: face masks, working from home and more
Okay, but how? You can incorporate your mask into your regular laundry using regular detergent and the warmest appropriate setting for the fabric used to make the mask, but since people don’t load the laundry exactly every day, there are other options.
Gallery: 15 Surprising Things You Should Never Flush (Best Life)
According to the CDC, when washing by hand, use bleach, but check the label that it is for disinfection and contains 5.25% to 8.25% sodium hypochlorite. Do not use the product if the percentage is not in that range or not specified. Also, don’t use it if it expires.
Before you mix your solution, make sure you have adequate ventilation. Open the window, door or go out if necessary. Next, prepare a solution by adding 5 teaspoons (or cups) of bleach per gallon of water at room temperature or 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of water at room temperature.
Soak the mixture in the mask for five minutes and then drain the bleach solution down the drain and rinse the mask well with water at room or room temperature. Make sure to let it dry completely before you use it again. To do this, you can throw it in the dryer using the highest heat setting or if possible lay the air dry from the flat in direct sunlight.
If you don’t have the resources to wash your cloth face mask every day, be sure to wash it at least regularly. And don’t forget about your sheets, which should be cleaned Every week. If you didn’t know that, wait until you know how often you should wash your jeans and everything else in your life.
Continue reading