I'm keen NOT to wash my face masks - would this work??

[loveyouradvice]

Hi

I don't go out much and probably need to use a face mask 2-3 times a week.

Given the virus dies off in a few days, would it work just to use them once a week without washing? They are pretty and easy to wear and I think will look better if I don't need to wash them

And of course if I needed to wear one more often I can use a disposable

I won’t be washing my mask when wearing it for all of an hour or two every week, I’ll give it a good spray with 90% alcohol on both sides and hang it on the line.

Not washing mine every time OP. Maybe give them a spray but I’ll wash every few days/week.

Gross. No that won't work. How hard is it to hand wash a few masks and leave them to dry?

Eurgh, lazy people not washing masks! How much effort is it to shove in with your laundry?

I love how people are literally incapable of following guidelines. Covid is basically a social experiment of people that think they know better.

I either chuck them in the machine or soak them in Milton tabs.

Have to admit I wore one for about 10 mins yesterday to drop my car off for servicing, then left it on the back seat of my husband's car in the sun, then wore it again to pick my car up in the evening

Disclaimer, I handwash between full day usage!

There's a big difference between wearing one all day and wearing one for 20 minutes. I freely admit I do not care to wash it after 20 minutes. It is highly unlikely I've been anywhere near the virus and no it is not 'soggy' after such a short period.

I’ve been thinking about this. I get that people might be thinking the mask is covered in Covid on one side so better wash it, but in terms of personal hygiene do the same people wash their pillow case every day? IMO thats been slept on with potentially Covid covered hair (if you’ve bern outside and been near Covid particles, you’ve probably dribbled on pillow case, bacteria from face rubbed on. Etc.

I get that it’s not been exposed to loads of potential Covid, that’s not my point. I’m asking for those who had such an issue with the simple hygiene/been on face euwww posters.

Not very pretty but these look good. I'm waiting for ours to arrive.

www.breathe-happy.com/

An alternative for home made masks is using HEPA Hoover bags as filters in masks.

I get the train to work everyday so have a to wear a mask and have to to wear one in public work areas. I wear one a day but I take my mask on/off multiple times in that day.

I understand that as soon as I’ve worn it it’s potentially contaminated and therefore won’t protect me from COVID. However, the reason we wear masks isn’t to protect ourselves but to protect others. Therefore, the mask is protected others the same amount as long as I wash or disinfect my hands after touching it.

I put my mask in the washing basket at the end of the day and wash them at the end of the week with all my other washing. I don’t think it would be realistic to have a new mask every time I put one on/off because that could be over 5 or 6 a day. I also wouldn’t want to use that many disposable masks because it’s so bad for the environment.

I think that if you’re just wearing it for 20mins you should be fine to re-wear to protect others but just to be aware you won’t be protecting yourself.

@Wallywobbles

Not very pretty but these look good. I'm waiting for ours to arrive.

www.breathe-happy.com/

An alternative for home made masks is using HEPA Hoover bags as filters in masks.

Can you report back when you get these @Wallywobbles. I am struggling with face masks, and have bought a variety to try. I have a small face and wear glasses, so none of them form a seal, and my glasses steam up. They also make my nose run. This means I am constantly fiddling with it which defeats the objective of wearing one.

I'm with you OP. I haven't washed mine yet. I might try to get in the habit of handwashing it daily.

If you pop to a shop a couple of times a week your chances of coming in contact with covid are minimal and the chances of it being on your mask are tiny.

I will have one shoved in my glove box and handbag for emergencies and will only wash it when I’ve worn it consistently for 30 min plus. 5 mins here and there, no.

Well, most people on holiday are not going to be faffing about washing umpteen cloth masks especially if they are camping and it is a bit damp or do you just buy loads for a clean one each time, I have got disposable ones myself as they are less bother especially on holiday

I've been reusing a couple of disposable ones. As OP, I wear one for a short time period one or twice a week.

When I take them off I fold them up and leave them without touching for at least 3 days. I'm happy, that while they still look presentable and the virus is gone after 72 hours, the risk is fine. I only have them because I've been given them at appointments where they were required and I can't believe it's considered sensible to throw them away after 20 mins wear. If we have to keep using the underwear analogy, who changes their knickers after 20 min?

If I had washable ones, I would wash them though

I will just hang mine from the rear view mirror to air if I am out and about it will be the new version of a furry dice

@TeddyIsaHe

Eurgh, lazy people not washing masks! How much effort is it to shove in with your laundry?

I love how people are literally incapable of following guidelines. Covid is basically a social experiment of people that think they know better.

Mine will go in the washing basket with everything else and go in the weekly wash unless I've only worn it for 2 minutes in the corner shop! No way am I doing extra washes just for masks!

Wash your face coverings after every wear. Three coverings will be enough for many people.
Launder like your lingerie, 40 degrees is fine.

I think it was JIlly Cooper who said the definition of a slut is someone who irons their knickers in preference to washing them.

When you get home wash your hands and face covering, it takes moments to hand wash something so small.

Mouths are full of bacteria.

The human mouth contains around 500 to 1,000 different types of bacteria with various functions as part of the human flora and oral microbiology. About 100 to 200 species may live in them at any given time. Individuals that practice oral hygiene have 1,000 to 100,000 bacteria living on each tooth surface, while less clean mouths can have between 100 million and 1 billion bacteria on each tooth. While some of the bacteria in our mouths are harmful and can cause serious illness, much of our oral bacteria are actually beneficial in preventing disease. Streptococci make up a large part of oral bacteria.

The concept of face coverings is to slow the spread of coronavirus, not to speed up self infection by other agents.

TeddyIsaHe You're right, Covid had been an amazing experiment in how easy it is to get people to blindly follow the rules without question and report/judge their neighbours.

If covid survives on surfaces, worst case 72 hours, there is surley absolutely no additional risk in wearing the same mask once a week.

The whole point of the masks it to protect others and make them feel safe not yourself, if it was to protect yourself, they would not say just make one out of an old t shirt, you would buy a proper mask, so washing them or not isn’t going to make much difference.

I probably won't wash my mask (or knickers) after 20 mins either. I also don't wash towels each day, and bedding hmmmm, can't remember when I washed that.

Most people don’t do endless washes and quite a few don’t wash much at all, I can’t see that these folks are suddenly going to be buying loads of masks and laundering daily, a mask will be something stuffed in a pocket like an old snotty hanky, only on MN do people do umpteen daily washes

You can microwave them if you make them a bit wet first

@Bercows

Haven't they said masks should be triple layer? By they I mean the WHO? In that case surely most fabric ones being sold or made are not going to be effective? I'm trying to think where I read it now but probably bbc news a couple of days ago.

Fabric masks can be triple layer!