Wearing face masks has become the norm all over the world. These masks have been adopted as a necessity for preventing or slowing down the spread of airborne viral infections.
Reusable fabric face masks are an affordable and practical choice when you are out and about your day to day life. Many people are even using them to express their sense of style. For example, you can match your black face mask with a graphic tee such as the spring tee shirts to make a statement.
While reusable masks are very practical, you need to ensure that you keep them clean to maintain hygiene and ensure they provide the protection they are designed for. The following are some tips to help you do just that.
- Wash your masks regularly: Viruses can survive on fabrics for hours or up to several days. It is, therefore, necessary to wash your face masks regularly. Make a habit of washing the mask after a single use to ensure that it is clean and dry for the next time you need to wear it. You can also invest in several masks to ensure you have a fresh one ready for when you need to wear a mask.
- Disinfect the masks: Your face masks need a little more care than regular clothes. You need to be careful to disinfect your masks. This means washing the masks in high temperatures (60 degrees and over) and using a quality detergent. If you prefer to hand-wash your masks, be sure to soak them in hot water with detergent. Rub them clean with your hands when the water has cooled and rinse them thoroughly. Allow them to air dry. Don’t use bleach on your masks. This will not only destroy the fabric and prints but also leave a smell on the mask that is likely to cause headaches and nausea.
- Dry the masks thoroughly: Ensure the masks dry completely after washing them. You can dry the masks in your dryer at a high temperature to sanitize the masks even further. However, if the masks have a plastic valve or filter, you should avoid using a dryer as this will destroy the plastic parts. These masks should be air-dried instead. Air drying is also an excellent choice for your masks. Sunlight is excellent for sanitizing the masks.
- Iron the masks: Ironing the masks will help ensure that they look great after washing. Ironing also exposes the masks to high temperatures and helps to ensure that any pathogens on the masks are destroyed completely. Depending on the fabric used for the masks, ironing them at 140 degrees Celsius will help to eliminate pathogens.
These tips ought to help you keep your masks in their best condition while ensuring they remain clean. Apply them on your reusable fabric masks for the best results.