Your face mask only protects you if you do this every day


At this stage of the coronavirus epidemic, it is clear that wearing a mask, social distance and regular hand washing are important in preventing the spread of COVID-19. But just because you cover your face every time you go out in public doesn’t mean you’re completely safe. According to new research, Your cloth face mask only protects you if you wash it every day. Read on to find out more and for a special guide on this, the CDC says you probably don’t wash your face mask.

This discovery comes from a recent meta-analysis that was published BMJ Open, Which analyzes data from a 2015 study of the effectiveness of cloth facial ingots against seasonal flu, a cold virus known as rhinovirus, and a genetically identical coronavirus. The original study found that cloth masks “are not as effective as surgical masks in hospital settings and potentially increased the risk of infection compared to not wearing masks.” But the latest team of researchers from the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales in Sydney believes that the way clothes masks are washed in the original study infects the person wearing them.

“Both cloth masks and surgical masks should be considered ‘contaminated’ after use.” Raina Mkintere, The study’s PhD said in a statement. “Unlike surgical masks, which are disposed of after use, cloth masks are reused. When the same mask can be used for several days in a row, or it can be attracted to quick hand washing or cleaning, our research suggests. That increases the risk of contamination. “

The study also found that there is no statistical difference in the protection of healthcare workers who wear cloth masks instead of surgical masks. “We found that if the cloth masks were washed in the hospital laundry, they were as effective as the surgical masks.”

“While none of the ordinary people wearing cloth masks are likely to be exposed to the same pathogens as health care workers in high-risk wards, we would recommend washing cloth masks daily in the community.”

For more on mask maintenance errors you’re still making, read on. And if you think you’ve caught a virus, know that if you can’t smell these 2 things, you can COVID.

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You do not wash your mask with hot water.

Black mask in metal wash basin
Black mask in metal wash basin

Save cold water for your delicacy. Unless the washing instructions for your cloth mask say otherwise, you should clean it with warm water. “We know that, if immersed in water temperature of at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, immersion of hot water alone is possible.” To kill coronavirus, Rand McLean, DC, Chief Medical Officer of LCR Health, said earlier The best life. And for more on when you need your PPE, one of the situations here is you are not wearing your mask, but you should be.

2

You are forgetting to use detergent.

Putting detergent in the washing machine
Putting detergent in the washing machine

If you are using baking soda or any other non-detergent laundry additives due to allergies or sensitive skin, it does not cut. “Soap is capable of breaking down cospinates (cell walls) of coronavirus, effectively killing them,” McClean explains. “Just follow the typical instructions on the other shingle machine as you wash your other clothes.”

McClean notes that while regular detergent should be enough to keep your mask clean, using oxyclin or other products with hydrogen peroxide can get your mask closer to complete sterilization. And for more behaviors that put you at risk, familiarize yourself with the things you are doing every day that puts you at risk for COVID.

3

You are using bleach.

Bottles of great value bleach at Walmart
A bottle of great value bleach at Walmart

Even though it’s a cleaning powerhouse, it’s not ideal to go full force with bleach when it comes to washing your mask. The New York Times Reports say that harsh chemicals, such as bleach and hydrogen peroxide, can degrade fabric fibers in your mask over time, making them less effective at accommodating viral particles.

4

You are microwaving your mask to cleanse it.

Microwave white hand opening door
Microwave white hand opening door

Sure, it can be great for cleaning your sponges, but using your home microwave to wipe off your mask is not a good disinfectant strategy. In fact, if your mask has metal wires on the nostrils, doing so can also pose a fire risk.

The good news, however, is that there are other options besides throwing them in the washing machine, including baking them in the oven at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or holding them on boiling water for 10 minutes, McClain says. And to get acquainted with the other signs, this is a “crazy” symptom which means you are not flu, but covid.