According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), cloth masks help reduce the spread of COVID-19 when used with other preventative measures such as social distancing. As more and more cities, counties and states require the use of cloth masks it is important that we know how to take care of our cloth masks. Knowing how to care for them in terms of washing, disinfecting, drying and storing them is important in our ongoing safety precautions. It is important to mention that cloth mask should be washed after each use.
Here are our tips on How to Clean and Care for Cloth Masks:
- Cloth masks can be cleaned in the washing machine using warm or hot water and regular laundry detergent.
- Hand washing is a great way to reduce wear and tear on cloth masks. When hand washing masks the CDC recommends using a bleach solution of 1/3 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water and soaking the masks for 5 minutes before rinsing.
- Cloth masks can be dried by laying them down on a flat surface or placing the mask in a dryer on the highest setting. If you are air drying the mask make sure the fabric is dried thoroughly before you use or store the mask.
- An extra step to ensure the mask is dried properly is to iron it. Set the iron to cotton or linen setting which will be hot enough to kill any residual bacteria. Make sure you don't scorch or burn the mask!
- To keep mask free from bacteria prior to use you can store them inside a small plastic sandwich or plastic snack bag. We picked up a box from our local dollar store but you can find these bags everywhere.
And now for a few don'ts:
- Do not boil or microwave masks as it is not an effective way to kill bacteria
- Do not use fabric softener when washing masks. Fabric softeners leave a residue that helps things to feel softer but they also can irritate the sensitive skin on your face.
- Do not use a detergent with a strong scent. Remember the mask will be on your face and the scents may be irritating.
Maricarmen Chavez-Walker is the Publisher of Macaroni Kid Lakeland - Bartow - Mulberry, FL.
