How are the masks washed? Precautions to avoid contagion

Now that Spain is beginning to have greater freedom of movement, it is necessary to take measures, since the main protection measure, social distance, is no longer guaranteed.

As sad as it may sound, staying with family and friends increases the chances of being infected with the virus. Fortunately, the widespread use of masks helps reduce the risk of contagion, provided they meet the proper requirements.

Next we will learn how masks are washed, which ones can be washed, why and the importance of good hygiene in these preventive instruments.

• Related article: "The 5 types of viruses, and how they work"

How are the masks washed to disinfect them?

Right now in Spain we have areas that are in phase 1 or phase 2. There is greater freedom of movement, being able to go out for a longer time and do activities that until a few weeks ago were prohibited, such as going to bars or seeing family and friends.

Although it is a relief to be able to go out a little and try to lead a normal life, the truth is that there are also greater chances of getting infected, given that with more people on the streets there are no longer guarantees of respecting the main anti-contagion measure of COVID-19: the social distance of 2 meters. This is especially difficult when we see family and friends.

It is for all this that the use of the mask has been made mandatory, with the clear intention of reducing infections in case the social distance cannot be respected, which, at the moment, is almost always. By using it all over the world, those who are infected unknowingly will be less likely to transmit the virus to others, while others will be less likely to catch it. However, not transmitting it or not getting COVID-19 does not depend solely on whether we use a mask or not, but on its quality and the responsible use we make of this protection.

Masks have a shelf life. There are some that are for single use and some that can be cleaned several times to reuse themIn addition to the fact that the quality of their materials make them have different effectiveness. For this reason, health and risk personnel should preferably wear PPE protective masks (N95, FFP2 or FFP3), while the rest of the population should be responsible to health professionals and wear surgical or hygienic masks, “more than Street".

Homemade masks are highly contraindicated, since there is no guarantee that they protect against anything and, in fact, they could contribute to being spread more easily due to their high perspiration. They are not safe nor can they be considered hygienic, in addition to entailing more risks than benefits, reasons for which the WHO has advised against their use at all times.

Washable masks are the "reusable hygienic masks". These must indicate that they comply with the UNE 0065: 2020 specification, which indicates that they can withstand at least five washing cycles. In case they last more than five washes, they will have to specify how many exactly. This means that they have shown that after that number of washes, the minimum filtration and breathability required by the standard are maintained.

It is very important to understand that non-reusable surgical or hygienic masks, as the name suggests, are not reusable: they cannot be washed.

Ways to wash them

As we have seen, reusable hygienic masks are those that can be washed, complying with the UNE 0065: 2020 specification. The Ministry of Health, Consumption and Welfare has indicated three methods with which these masks can be disinfected.

Method 1. Washing in a normal washing machine cycle

The first is to wash and disinfect this type of barrier protection with normal detergent and water, at a temperature between 60 and 90 ºC, which would correspond to the normal cycle of the washing machine.

As it is a protection that goes to the face, a high temperature is recommended to destroy all possible pathogens. It is washed just like bedding or towels. The detergent is the one that is responsible for eliminating the coronavirus, as normal when we wash our hands with soap, eliminating its protection

Method 2. Immersion in a cold water bleach solution

The second option is immerse the masks in a dilution of bleach (20 ml of bleach, 980 ml of water or 30 ml per liter) with warm water for 30 minutes, inactivating the coronavirus by contact. Subsequently, wash with soap and water, rinsing to remove any residual bleach.

Method 3. Use of virucidal

The last option is similar to method 2, which consists of treat the mask with any virucidal authorized by the Ministry of Health for textile and environmental use, always following the manufacturer's instructions.

This third option has been considered by the Ministry of Health given the exceptional nature of the health crisis and the urgency of having disinfectant products with virucidal activity for the disinfection of hygienic masks reusable.

Precautions

It is very important to take into account in these last two methods that It should be rinsed with plenty of water and / or washed with soap to remove any remaining product. This will prevent skin damage from cleaning product residues. Also in both cases, the masks should be left to dry in the ambient air, not in the dryer.

These instruments should not be disinfected in the oven, microwave or steamed., since as sanitary instruments they require a specific disinfectant treatment, they should not be cooked as if they were pastries. Any of these methods can generate aerosols that carry viruses that can be inhaled, in addition to contaminating kitchen utensils and compromising the integrity of the mask.

• You may be interested: "The 4 types of pathogens (and their characteristics)"

What is mask filtration and breathability?

The differences between the masks, of whatever type, are due to their filtration capacity and breathability., which depend directly on the materials with which they have been made. Among non-reusable masks, that is, hygienic and surgical, it is the latter that have the best degree of breathability and filtration.

Filtration

The Bacterial Leakage Assay (BFE) is a process by which it is determined how many aerosol particles a bacterial inoculum contains Staphylococcus aureus go through the masks. These bacteria are used in place of the virus because the size of the aerosols in which both pathogens travel are similar.

In the case of surgical masks, the tissue with which they are made must retain at least 95% of the aerosols, while in hygienic the criteria is a little less strict, of at least 90%.

Breathability

The breathability test determines the inlet and outlet air pressure difference. This is measured in units of pressure per surface (Pa / cm2)

The material of surgical masks should be less than 40 Pa / cm2, while in hygienic masks it should be less than 60 Pa / cm2. This means that with surgical masks you breathe better.

Masks are no longer useful if we are not responsible

Although the hygienic, surgical and protective PPE masks are designed to reduce the chances of contagion, it is important to understand that their use is of little use if they are not used with due responsibility. These instruments should not be fiddled with, worn as a necklace or beard cover, put on backwards, and not cleaned or worn for longer than it should. Although it is sometimes difficult to breathe with them, they must cover the chin, mouth and nose, especially if a distance of two meters cannot be respected.

Taking these recommendations lightly, no matter how reusable and disinfected the masks are, makes us susceptible to becoming infected. The virus can lodge on the outside of the mask. If we constantly fondle it, lower it and touch our nostrils for a thousandth of a second, we will have caught COVID-19. Also It is possible to get a mask in poor condition, homemade or more used than the account. Let's be responsible and don't let our guard down, for our own good and that of others.

Bibliographic references:

• Ministry of Consumption (2020). What should you keep in mind when buying a mask? Ministry of Health, Consumption and Welfare. Extated from https://www.mscbs.gob.es/en/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov-China/documentos/030520_GUIA_COMPRA_MASCARILLAS.pdf
• Ministry of Health (2020). Cleaning and disinfection of reusable hygienic masks. Ministry of Health, Consumption and Welfare. Extated from https://www.mscbs.gob.es/profesionales/saludPublica/ccayes/alertasActual/nCov-China/documentos/Limpieza_y_Desinfeccion_mascarillas_higienicas_reutilizables_pdf.pdf