Reusable face masks

Primrose

Is anybody washing and reusing face masks which are allegedly "single use"?.
I'm not talking necessarily about these flimsy blue ones but thicker material (often white ones with a metal nose clip) ones which still seem to be sold with single use in mind.
I,ve just tried experimenting with hand washing one  gently in hot soapy water with disinfectant and drying it outdoors  and its texture and consistency seems unimpaired.  I'm wondering if it's still as safe to use as those flimsy blue throwaway ones.
i do have cotton home made washable ones as well but am concerned about the amount of PPE that is perhaps unnecessarily been thrown in rubbish bins when with a little careful washing it could Be reused.
Any scientists on here who would care to venture an opinion on the safety or otherwise of going this route? 

daivid

I thought single use masks were single use because of the risk of bacteria thriving in them after they have been worn thus gettting warm and moist. Wearing a second time would expose the wearer to the bacterial growth. This is not something I have bothered to research and may not be scientifically accurate though I think it is a plausible risk. I don't have any need of a mask yet, but if I do I think I will opt for machine washable fabric. As to wanting to re-use single use masks maybe baking them in a lowish oven? This would dry the masks out and according to WHO the corona virus degrades rapidly at 56 oC. Depending on what the mask is made of, 30 minutes at 60 oC could do the trick.

OrbitHeadache

I have just started working on a Covid testing site recently and the masks are single use and strictly so, the masks don’t look of particularly good quality and look similar to the ones in lidl.

However generally on a day to day basis as a normal MoP the masks should definitely be single use only because the risk of cross contamination is extremely high.

Apodemus

Personally I wouldn’t try to clean and reuse a single-use mask.  But if I was wanting to sterilise a cloth or paper item in a domestic kitchen, I would place the dampened item in the microwave for a short burst, rather than putting it in the oven.  (Actually, 15 mins in a pressure cooker would be the nearest domestic thing to an autoclave, but who has a pressure cooker these days?).

Risteard

The best solution is not to go around wearing stupid gas masks and just breathe normally and freely.

theonlywayisup

Risteard said:

The best solution is not to go around wearing stupid gas masks and just breathe normally and freely.

A bit difficult in shops now.  The best solution if you want to reuse a mask is to buy a reusable one.  We picked some up from M&S which are reusable and were £7.50 for 5. 

Norman_Castle

Risteard said:

The best solution is not to go around wearing stupid gas masks and just breathe normally and freely.

Ignore the advice of qualified people?

Risteard

Norman_Castle said:

Risteard said:

The best solution is not to go around wearing stupid gas masks and just breathe normally and freely.

Ignore the advice of qualified people?

Qualified people state they are useless for those who are not infected, and that asymptomatic transmission is unproven. 

It's simple totalitarianism to mandate people to wear a rag over their face and could never be a lawful requirement. The leaders of these totalitarian regimes around the world (including Western European so-called leaders) will face severe justice for their crimes against humanity soon. Former UK Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption sums it all up well. 

twopenny

I have a pressure cooker but I'm not going to use it for masks.

Washing it will change the integrity of the material. You could place a filter of sorts inside. Suggested were coffee filters and pantyliners and there are patterns online for how to use them. Though the mask itself should still be cleaned.

I purchased cotton ones from roadside stalls for £2.50 that give the money to charity. I've had to adjust the fittings but that was easy. I have tried the pantyliner idea. There are some thin fragarance free ones and I'm not wearing them for long. They absorb the moisture and make the mask more comfortable to wear.

Also helps with the specs steaming up as I was told not to wear contact lenses at this time.

Ectophile

Risteard said:

Norman_Castle said:

Risteard said:

The best solution is not to go around wearing stupid gas masks and just breathe normally and freely.

Ignore the advice of qualified people?

Qualified people state they are useless for those who are not infected, and that asymptomatic transmission is unproven. 

It's simple totalitarianism to mandate people to wear a rag over their face and could never be a lawful requirement. The leaders of these totalitarian regimes around the world (including Western European so-called leaders) will face severe justice for their crimes against humanity soon. Former UK Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption sums it all up well. 

The mask is there to protect other people, not you.  If you ever watch TV footage of streets in Japan, you will often see people walking around in public wearing face masks.  It's considered common courtesy to wear one if you have a cold, to avoid spreading it to other people.  But some people obviously don't have the same sense of public duty.  As for "crimes against humanity", get real.

I can't help but observe that anyone who uses the phrase "so-called" in an argiment is clutching at straws.  They are leaders, elected by the public.  Live with it.

Risteard

Ectophile said:

Risteard said:

Norman_Castle said:

Risteard said:

The best solution is not to go around wearing stupid gas masks and just breathe normally and freely.

Ignore the advice of qualified people?

Qualified people state they are useless for those who are not infected, and that asymptomatic transmission is unproven. 

It's simple totalitarianism to mandate people to wear a rag over their face and could never be a lawful requirement. The leaders of these totalitarian regimes around the world (including Western European so-called leaders) will face severe justice for their crimes against humanity soon. Former UK Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption sums it all up well. 

The mask is there to protect other people, not you.  If you ever watch TV footage of streets in Japan, you will often see people walking around in public wearing face masks.  It's considered common courtesy to wear one if you have a cold, to avoid spreading it to other people.  But some people obviously don't have the same sense of public duty.  As for "crimes against humanity", get real.

I can't help but observe that anyone who uses the phrase "so-called" in an argiment is clutching at straws.  They are leaders, elected by the public.  Live with it.

Unlike you I have never been of the opinion that any government is entitled to unlimited authority and control over me. I stand by referring to such totalitarianism as criminal. I expect and demand that they be severely punished for it. This sort of thing has typically led to the public execution of those responsible when their time comes to an end.