How to choose, care for and wash the best cloth mask to protect you from the coronavirus

Yes, even if we are forty degrees in the shade or leave the house ready to play sports, the masks are here to stay because of the coronavirus. If your social life is intense, you will have already noticed that the most economical (and sustainable option for the planet) is to invest in reusable fabric masks (hygienic masks if you want to call them by their technical name). ¿But what do these masks have to be for them to be useful? AND how to take care of them so that they do not lose efficacy? We tell you all about these mouth masks that have become the essential complement to our lives.

How to choose the best fabric mask

To start off on the right foot, it must be understood that reusable cloth masks are not as safe as surgical ones or, of course, as FFP2s. Therefore Its use is recommended for people without symptoms or who do not have chronic diseases that may make them more susceptible to presenting the worst possible picture of coronavirus infection. But it is not superfluous to remember that you wear the mask you wear, the most important thing is to comply with hand hygiene and social distance measures. A good mask by itself is not enough to protect us from the coronavirus or to protect others.

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That said, if you are not a risk population or do not have symptoms, cloth masks can be a good option as long as they comply with the regulations that ensure that they have been made following parameters that guarantee their quality and safety. Therefore before buying you should look closely at its container. Several things must be specified in it:

– It must appear that complies with UNE0065: 2000, which means that it has undergone controls to verify its qualities. And if the laboratory that certifies those qualities seems better than better. If you have doubts about whether the agency that certifies the safety of a mask exists or you cannot write or consult the @Mincoturgob's Twitter.

– A table must appear specifying its sanitary filtration efficiency (which must be above 90%) and its breathability (which must be below 60%).

– Must explain how it is put on, how it is removed and (very important) at what temperature can it be washed and the number of washes it supports.

– Regarding the design, the most important thing is that they do not have a central seam. The pattern of the best cloth face masks copies that of surgical masks, with three folds at the front.

How to wash reusable fabric masks

Each manufacturer You must specify the washing instructions on the packaging, but in general, be wary of those that say they last more than 10 washes, the average is usually five to 10, but there are some masks that hold up to 50 or 60 washes, which sounds strange, to say the least.

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Cloth masks you have to wash them daily, at 60 degrees in a program that does not spin them. If the model they offer you has to wash it below that temperature or by hand, before putting it in the washing machine, spray the mask with a fat remover, although it is recommended to use the washing machine. Only with washes of 60 degrees or more can it be guaranteed that the coronavirus is inactivated and runs dead down the drain.

To store them the best is store them in paper bags once they have completely dried. A paper envelope or a cardboard box where you can store several masks can also serve. Never store them in plastic and never store them after using them, they must be washed before.