The masks are not going anywhere anytime soon.
If you wear a cloth variety mask, it is imperative to keep it clean. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that reusable face masks and fabric linings be washed routinely.
Many masks can be thrown into the washing machine in warm / hot water. Project Runway winner and Houston fashion designer Chloe Dao recommends washing your hands to keep them lasting. She recently posted an instructional video on Instagram. She said she researched the best techniques to clean the masks without damaging the style of the masks and uses dishwashing detergent.
Noreen Khan-Mayberry, toxicologist and medical scientist, recommends that the masks be cleaned or disinfected after each use.
“Every time you wear a mask, you put a combination of droplets, chemicals, and germs on the fabric. You don’t want to continue to reuse a mask that has been contaminated with that combination, “he said.
When you wash your mask, he said, be sure to rub both sides to wipe off your own drops, along with the polluted air you were exposed to.
And if you don’t have time to clean the mask, Khan-Mayberrry said you can spray both sides with a disinfectant, such as Lysol or alcohol, and let it dry for at least an hour. You can also use hand sanitizer.
