It is normal to wash face masks every day, isn’t it?

[Bvop]

Promoted by another thread - but also by a couple of friends who always seem to be wearing the same face mask: what’s normal re washing? I have one mask all day at work but it goes in the laundry basket when I get home, as do the kids’ and if we go out again we get new masks from the basket of clean ones. This is normal, isn’t it, and it’s gross to wear the same mask unwashed for more than one day?

@TheSmallAssassin

Oh I can't be bothered to read all this - how can there be any debate about this? ALL official advice says wash fabric masks after every day's wear. Honestly, it's not that hard.

Handy infographic from WHO

Even if every day’s wear is 3 mins outdoors on the school run?

DD made us a batch in the first lockdown and we have some disposables as back up. Fresh fabric one every day - they do get moist even if only worn for a supermarket trip.

I wear mine at work so they go in the wash after 1 day. I have 5 identical black ones though, so I imagine my colleagues think I wear the same one every day without washing.

I'm not convinced masks make a significant difference to the spread of covid, but the idea of having something covering my face for hours on end without regular washing just seems a bit ick to me. Even my rarely-used emergency mask (kept in the car) gets washed every week.

The only time I really wear a mask is nursery drop off and pick up. I park outside so it's on my face for about 3 mins max once or occasionally twice a day (share nursery runs with DH) so I use the same one all week and it gets washed at the weekend.

If I wear one for longer for any reason (supermarket trip for example) then I do chuck it in the wash when I get home. I don't have a special basket though - they just get dropped on the floor of the utility room next to the washing machine and they go in the next wash. I have half a dozen and DH has a few (his are bigger) and that seems to do us pretty well.

If I had to wear one all day for work or school then yes, a new one every day for definite.

I wear a fresh one each time I go out, I thought this was normal?

So if I'm going out twice in a day where I'd have to wear a mask, I would wear a fresh one each time. They tend to get a bit damp from breath and can cause acne if not cleaned regularly.

I have quite a few though so this isn't an issue for me.

I only wear a mask when I'm shopping so rarely wash them.

On Friday I went into the local town and went in a charity shop. When I came out there was a woman outside, and her dh came out of the shop behind me.

He said, “Why didn’t you come in?” and she replied “ because you’ve got THE mask “

I am still feeling sick......

We have a fresh mask every day (both DS and I are at school). We have a plastic bag to keep them in and the mask goes straight into the washing machine when we get home ready for the next wash. I made about 5 each at the beginning of the pandemic so we've got plenty. The plastic bags go into a box for a couple of days because, if the mask does have covid on it, then the inside of the bag will by logic.

Some get worn and binned, some get picked up off the floor of my car and worn when I go to the supermarket, some are new and worn. I basically grab the first thing in front of me and go.

I absolutely HATE wearing a mask with a passion. I can't wait to rip it off my face and burn it. They do nothing except make you miserable and repressed, so no I don't give a damn whether my mask is washed or not.

The other day a pregnant friend of mine fainted and nearly choked on vomit as she couldn't breathe under these face prisons. If they are not dropped soon I am getting a lanyard that says I am exempt and I won't wear one anymore.

Oh my god. I've just realised how disgusting I am 😂😂😂. I haven't ever washed mine. I have 3 different ones that I wear, and they are covered in foundation etc. Maybe it is time to put them through the wash!!!

I hardly ever need one as I don't really go anywhere that requires one. So I have one in my coat pocket. I dont think its been washed more than a handful of times and then only by accident as it has been in another item of clothing. I wash dps snood thing when he remembers to give it to me or I see it lying around. He only wears it for the school run

@TheSmallAssassin

Oh I can't be bothered to read all this - how can there be any debate about this? ALL official advice says wash fabric masks after every day's wear. Honestly, it's not that hard.

Handy infographic from WHO

Don't read it then. Who said it was hard? I'm just not following it.

@Oblomov21

"Wearing a mask without observing proper hygiene reduces its efficacy significantly. "

Does it?

If one person wears hers for a few minutes whilst doing a shop, and then wears it again the next day for a few minutes, then washes it. How significantly does this affect covid transmission?

Please link to scientific studies, %'s and rates?

My phrasing was 'proper' hygiene measures.

In the scenario that you described, that's likely fine, once hand hygiene when the mask was put on, and taken off, was observed. This is important.

Study: www.pnas.org/content/118/4/e2014564118

Efficacy & hygiene finding:

The preponderance of evidence indicates that mask wearing reduces transmissibility per contact by reducing transmission of infected respiratory particles in both laboratory and clinical contexts. Public mask wearing is most effective at reducing spread of the virus when compliance is high.

And

mask wearing to be positively correlated with other preventative measures, including hand hygiene

There's plenty more in this article - have a read.

It's so irritating when posters go 'evidence?' in this combative way, without even doing a cursory search.

It's really not hard.

Also fullfact.org/ for independent fact checking.

The only time I've washed a face mask is when I put it through the wash in my jeans pocket by accident. I pick up the first one I see lying around and stick it on to go shopping. There's about 3 in rotation in my house. I really don't give a shit about a mask being pristine, I only wear one to make others feel safe. Just bought a reusable one now I'm back at work though, will probably just wash with my uniform every couple days just to avoid pimples as my face gets stuffy under them.

I was merely saying that at THAT TIME, when everyone's stuck at home and only going to the supermarket, they weren't the magic bullet then either.

Do you feel better for being rude Raspberry?

You didn't make this clear on your post. Hence why I asked. 🤷🏻‍♀️

However you are still wrong. Masks were utterly essential in managing numbers of cases back in the time you mention, any time you left the house, as you say, going to a supermarket.

I never said they were a magic bullet. But yes, they were, and will be, an important mitigation tool, when used correctly, which includes washing.

@RaspberryCoulis

I'm off to the supermarket while it's empty and double masking now

ooooh get you with your DOUBLE MASKING! Does that make you doubly virtuous, doubly caring and doubly A-MAY-ZING?

Stop being so horrible.

What do ad hominem attacks achieve?

@LittleBearPad

Not sure why wearing two makes you feel superior...

It is actually recommended, as good practice. Many do it here in Ireland.

I use a fresh mask every day, sometimes twice a day, then it goes into the wash. However, I've got so many re-usable ones, that I usually wash them only every other week.
Fresh ones are kept in a freezer bag in my handbag, used ones in an old Waterstone's bag.

I have 3 cloth ones which I’ve never washed. They’re crumpled up in jacket/coat pockets. We also bought a pack of 20 disposable masks last June and there are 15 left (family of 4 adults) as we’ve been re-using those too. We’re still alive 😬

@Vintagevixen

Realistically there is no proof either way because the studies are so poor

You're wrong.

It's clear that you didn't read the linked article, or the Full Fact links, including to the WHO Myth Busters site.

These are reliable sources, by scientific & public health experts.

You're just spouting off nonsense due to, I can only surmise, laziness. Otherwise, why not read the article?

In that article, it's not only based on evidence re Covid, it looks at behavioural patterns around other public health initiatives and extrapolates accordingly. A known & accepted scientific method

You don't appear to understand research (or science).

@TheSmallAssassin

Oh I can't be bothered to read all this - how can there be any debate about this? ALL official advice says wash fabric masks after every day's wear. Honestly, it's not that hard.

Handy infographic from WHO

Thanks Small.

Nah. If I wore my knickers for 10 minutes I would wear them again the next day.

That's disgusting.

I only wear one to make others feel safe.

Not so they can actually be safe?

Nice.

@EarringsandLipstick

Nah. If I wore my knickers for 10 minutes I would wear them again the next day.

That's disgusting.

Nonsense. Of course it isn’t disgusting.

Washed everyday in non biological power at high temperature in a pan on the hob. Non biological (doesn’t smell as strong) has the optical whiteners in so the darker ones are lightening up a bit but I can whack up the temperature. Biological stuff stops working after 40 degrees. Then squeeze them straight hang them out to dry. We have a weeks worth for Dd so do them in one go. Takes a few minutes. Very easy.
Don’t fancy putting them in a normal washing cycle with the grotty sports stuff and I would never find them.