AIBU to wash disposable masks?

[CrotchBurn]

Threw a load of masks on the wash and by mistake there was a disposable one that got added in.

I would have expected it to kind of fritter the way tissue does but it came out perfectly clean and crisp with the wire still in tact and everything!!!

Will it still be effective?

I’d use them.

It explicitly says on the box that they are single use, so no do not use them again.

There were tests done by what I think is the French version of Which? about washing surgical style disposable masks, which found you could wash at 60 and reuse multiple times at no lowered protection.

Though won't have been through the highest standard of scientific tests! So am not recommending or anything. Not done it myself.

@LizzieSiddal

It explicitly says on the box that they are single use, so no do not use them again.

Well, yeah ...

Shampoo bottles used to say lather, rinse, repeat. Took me ages to see who benefitted most from that.

I don't know - and wish someone would tell me, if disposable masks lose any effectiveness if washed. But I do know that an awful lot of people are getting rich out of this pandemic.

Poule So you are comparing washing your hair to a washing a mask which is used to stop you catching and spreading a fatal disease?

I'm just impressed at how it looks and feels completely brand new. It had that same starchy feel you get when you have a new one. 🤷‍♀️ Hard to see how it couldn't be as effective, it's not like they put special chemicals in them to kill germs or anything, its protective function is simply physical, right?

Here in France our equivalent of Which has tested washing surgical type masks and they still filter well after 10 washes at 60C.

I put them in a mesh bag and wash them with my regular loads.

They're fuck all use anyway. A GP told me as much. But yes YABU as it's not Full Compliance and the mask people wouldn't make any money if we all did that.

A surgical disposable mask offers much more protection than a cotton cut up T-shirt style mask, even after it’s been washed.

the French article mentioned

Going by the daily figures I think we have to start being honest and saying masks are not working so go ahead and use it again. What difference is it between that and a single layer piece of material that most people are using?

Thanks for your opinions everyone. Personally I find the surgical ones much easier to breathe in and "forget" about so ill be washing and reusing them from now on!

As others have said, in France we were told they could be washed up to 10 times. In reality I find they get itchy before 10, but I still get a lot more use out of them than before.

They come out of the tumble dryer fine too btw. (Accidental experiment...)

I think it’s dangerous to suggest masks are not working as that may encourage people to not bother with them.

My friends in social work are all using nhs ppe. And it does seem to be working in their work area. If it wasn’t they’d all have covid by now surely, as would a load of other medical professionals!

The caveat on the disposable masks may be there only because you should not use it more than once without washing properly, as there will be bacteria on it from your breath etc and perhaps viral particles on the other side too.

It could be they are fine to use again if you do wash them, like people are saying. Who knows.