With the new CDC guidance regarding masks, you may have upgraded from a cloth masks to an N95, or KN95 type respirator mask to gain more protection from COVID. But, these masks are more expensive than cloth and cannot be washed. For a family, this can be a significant cost concern.
So the question is, can you safely reuse a N95 or other disposable type mask? The short answer is, yes! CDC and multiple experts say that after storing your mask in a paper bag for a couple of days that it is safe to re-wear it. Coronavirus has an expected survival time of 72 hours so waiting a number of days should be enough time for the virus to be inactive. Try only touching the elastic straps and always wash your hands after.
Remember, you should not try to wash or disinfect your disposable masks with water, bleach, alcohol or other chemicals. These processes reduce the integrity of your mask and therefore affect the filtration process. Same with UV Light or heat. These also degrade the integrity of your mask.
Eventually, you will have to throw your disposable mask away. But when? While there is no hard rule, if the elastic no longer creates a tight fit, it may be time to toss. Also, if you haver been in a high virus exposure situation, it also may be a good idea to toss.
Woodworker Express carries a large selection of PPE products for your home or business including KN95 Masks and a highly effective hand Sanitizer called Lemyn that is 99.9999% effective against many illness-causing germs.
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