You can sanitize your N95 respirator mask in an Instant Pot like rice cooker, study finds

WARNING: DO NOT use the oven or microwave to clean masks. It is a fire hazard.

If you are an Instant Pot, a rice cooker or another electric cooker, you now have a way to sanitize your N95 respirator mask.

According to a study by the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, if you apply 50 minutes of dry heat to your mask in an electric cooker, the N95 mask will be decontaminated inside and out while maintaining filtration and fit.

Researchers said that this method of sanitation could allow N95 mask wearers to safely use respirators that were originally intended for single use.

N95 respirator masks are one of the most effective masks in preventing the spread of COVID-19 drops and particles, according to U of I researchers.

“A cloth mask or surgical mask protects others from droplets that may expel the wearer, but a respirator mask protects the wearer by filtering out smaller particles that may carry the virus,” said U of I Professor Thanh “Helen” Nguyen in a statement.

RELATED: How to clean your COVID-19 face mask safely?

If you use this method to sanitize your N95 respirator mask, the study suggests placing a towel in the cooker before placing your mask inside to separate it from the heat source at the bottom of the cooker.

One cooking cycle in the electric cooker at about 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes will decontaminate the mask from four different classes of viruses, including coronaviruses, researchers said.

Watch an instructional video from the University of Illinois explaining how to deal with decontamination with an electric cooker:

The study was supported by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

DO NOT use a microwave oven or oven to sanitize a face mask, as it can be a serious fire hazard.

Click here for more information on the study.

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