How to wash cloth masks
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How to wash cloth masks

Masks have become an essential object of human life. The pandemic caused by the coronavirus has forced us to take extreme safety and hygiene measures. Masks are part of this type of measures and there are several types: cloth, hygienic and surgical.

Cloth masks have some advantages such as reuse, since their washing cycle is unlimited, and even the possibility of customizing their design. The use of filters in these masks provides greater protection, but it is very important to wash them properly so that they maintain a good level of effectiveness. To discover how to wash cloth masks and the basic instructions to follow to achieve it, at FoxWiki we recommend that you continue reading this article.

Wash the cloth mask with water and bleach

It is important to know how to wash masks by hand. It is a slower washing process, but very effective.

The first step of this method is mix water and bleach in a container. Controlling the amounts of water and bleach is essential. For each liter of cold water poured, the bleach to be added is 28 ml as long as it is bleach with active chlorine, that is, the most common. If you use high concentration pure bleach, the distribution of the solution should be 1/50: for each dose of bleach, it must be diluted with 49 doses of water. In practice, for every 10 ml of bleach it must be diluted in 490 ml of cold water. It is very important to measure these quantities and handle them with gloves so that the solution is not harmful to health.

Wash the cloth mask in the washing machine

It should be noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends washing reusable and cloth hygienic masks with conormal wash cycles, using your usual detergent. Keep this in mind whenever you are going to wash them in the washing machine and remember not to use any type of fabric softener.

To wash cloth masks in the washing machine, follow these simple steps:

  1. Select a normal wash cycle at a temperature of 60-90 C
  2. Add the usual detergent.
  3. Dry the masks in a place with good ventilation, preferably in the sun.

Cloth masks have an unlimited washing cycle, but hygienic masks do not. These types can withstand a maximum of 25 washes, so once they reach this figure they should be discarded.

Have you ever wondered if surgical masks can be washed? As they are the most common, doubts about their use and washing are constant. Therefore, it is important to clarify that they cannot be used for more than 4 consecutive hours. Additionally, surgical masks are not reusable or washable, so there is no washing method. Once four hours of use have passed, you should dispose of them as follows: tear off the rubber bands from the ends of the mask, placing them in a plastic or paper envelope. Recycle these masks in the organic waste container.

What should you take into account when buying a mask? In this article we tell you everything you need to know about masks.

Rinse cloth masks

Rinsing cloth masks is another important step in this washing method. You should always do it with plenty of cold water, making sure to remove any traces of detergent and bleach accumulated on the mask material. In addition, it is advisable not to use fabric softeners that can damage the fabric or accumulate traces of bleach and detergent, requiring a much deeper rinse.

Dry cloth masks

Finally, dry the cloth masks laying them in a location with optimal ventilation. Before storing them, check that they are completely dry and place them somewhere isolated from dust, humidity and other external agents. Wondering where to store freshly washed cloth masks? A shoe box or any other cardboard box is an ideal place to deposit them.

Disinfect cloth masks

He alcohol disinfectant spray It is a good resource if you want to know how to wash cloth masks with filters quickly, since its effect is immediate when applied to the masks. For any washing emergency, it is an alternative to consider, since you only have to apply alcohol to the mask, preferably with a spray.

Another option to disinfect cloth masks is to place them in the bucket with water and bleach. They must soak for at least 30 minutes so that the diluted bleach can act by completely disinfecting the fabric and filter. Once the masks have soaked for half an hour, program a short washing cycle in the washing machine with the detergent you normally use. But if you are interested in knowing how to wash cloth masks without a washing machine, you should simply continue washing by hand using gloves that protect your hands from bleach.

And if you also want to know how to disinfect the house from viruses and bacteria, don’t miss this FoxWiki article and keep reading.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to wash cloth masks we recommend that you enter our Home Cleaning category.

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