Reusable masks are great for anyone who hates spending money, which is why 99.9% of Singaporeans love them.
But unlike surgical masks which we can simply dispose of after we return home, reusable masks need to be washed before they are reused.
And now it turns out that we may need to wash them more frequently.
Study Indicates That Masks That Are Worn Repeatedly & for Long Periods Must be Washed Often
Your reusable mask may not be as clean as you think, according to a study by testing laboratory Eurofins.
The experiment concluded that masks that are worn repeatedly and for lengthy periods need to be washed frequently.
Why?
Well, when a mask had been worn for a longer period of time, more bacteria, yeast, and mould tended to accumulate on it.
In the experiment, researchers tested disposable and reusable masks that were worn for six hours and 12 hours.
They were then tested for bacteria, yeast, mould, as well as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause infections and rashes respectively.
While neither S. aureus nor P. aeruginosa were present in any of the mask samples tested, greater amounts of yeast, mould, and bacteria were found on the masks that had been worn for 12 hours.
On the whole, the reusable masks also contained more microbes than the disposable ones.
Not all microbes are harmful, however, and further tests will need to be conducted to determine if the bacteria found can cause diseases or skin conditions.
Experts recommend that we wash our reusable masks at least once a day to prevent potential infections.
Nevertheless, one question remains:
How Long Can We Use Our Reusable Masks?
Well, the simple answer is that you can use it for a long period of time, but it may not be as effective as when you first got it.
According to ST, when the free reusable masks we received – apart from the most recent one – are used on a “wear one, wash one” cycle daily, each mask should last for two months.
You can still use it beyond that, but their anti-microbial effectiveness and filtration are less effective.
After 30 washes, a reusable mask’s effectiveness could drop between 10% and 15%
How to Wash Masks Properly
While you can wash your masks along with your dirty laundry in the washing machine, gentle soap and lukewarm water solution should be used.
The masks can also be soaked in water for a longer period of time to wash off stains.
However, you should never use antiseptic detergent or bleach to clean your masks.
Featured Image: Shutterstock.com / Damian Lugowski
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