How often do you REALLY wash your masks?

[MamaLema]

The idea of a damp, grody cloth mask really grosses me out. I only use the disposable kind; a new one after each wearing. Luckily disposable non-medical grade masks are not hard to come by any more and my company provides them in unlimited quantities for the use of employees and our family members, customers and our sub-trades.

Here in Alberta the government also provides them free-of-charge to anyone and they're distributed through fast-food drive-thru places. They gave away 20 million in the first round and have apparently re-stocked an additional 20 million that are available now. Masks have not been mandated here yet but are strongly encouraged.
https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/would-yo...in-available-at-alberta-drive-thrus-1.5011502

Yes it is kind of gross. I’m just mad at my work because they had meetings with the city and begged to open. The city gave them a 20 page guideline to follow. They must have 2 weeks of PPE for staff. This is just a show because when the city comes to inspect they can show them they have it, but the city won’t know that my work doesn’t want to give it to us.

 

[pigletto]

Every time we use them. We generally do as much of our shopping and errands as we can in one outing and then wash them when we come home. We both work from home so they aren’t getting a lot of use , but we wear them every time we are out.

 

[ronandannette]

Yes it is kind of gross. I’m just mad at my work because they had meetings with the city and begged to open. The city gave them a 20 page guideline to follow. They must have 2 weeks of PPE for staff. This is just a show because when the city comes to inspect they can show them they have it, but the city won’t know that my work doesn’t want to give it to us.

That is maddening. Are the non-surgical disposable masks hard to find at retail outlets where you are? Although I mentioned not having to pay for them, I would if I had to - they're worth it IMO.

 

[Simba's Mom]

For those of you who use disposable masks, where did you get them? I have yet to find any place (pharmacies, Walmart, etc.) that has disposable masks for sale.

 

[disneychrista]

I was them once per week. But I only wear each mask for one day.

 

[Meriweather]

For those of you who use disposable masks, where did you get them? I have yet to find any place (pharmacies, Walmart, etc.) that has disposable masks for sale.

Costco has them.
Our Fry's grocery store has them
I ordered some from Walmart

 

[PrincessShmoo]

For those of you who use disposable masks, where did you get them? I have yet to find any place (pharmacies, Walmart, etc.) that has disposable masks for sale.

We got ours at Sam's Club.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

I’ve yet to wash mine, it’s my germs inside.
I throw it on the dash to get disinfected by the sun

 

[TLSnell1981]

I use procedure masks. I toss them depending on how long they are used. Cloth masks are awful. IMO

 

[ronandannette]

For those of you who use disposable masks, where did you get them? I have yet to find any place (pharmacies, Walmart, etc.) that has disposable masks for sale.

I get mine from work; I work for a huge national corporation and they bought in bulk and distribute them through the Safety Officers of each of the business units across the country. We're in the construction industry and it is highly regulated, especially in regards to safety and PPE is a requirement for remaining open.

Here in Alberta, our provincial government also distributes them for free through every location of McDonald's, Tim Horton's and A&W in the province. Just drive through and pick up a 4-pack, no purchase necessary. Besides that though, they seem readily available at retail places, even gas stations sell them, albeit at quite a price. Costco is $28 for a 50-count.

 

[ORD2KOA]

. What are you doing?

I made a pile of masks for DH and myself and for my sister in another state. Wear it once, when we come home the mask goes into a mesh wash bag, when the bag is full it gets tossed into the washing machine.

 

[JenBush]

Since I have to wear a mask all day at work i wash my masks after every wear.

 

[violina]

I don't go out as much as my husband does so I do wash my mask after every use. My husband's.... well, I haven't seen his go into the laundry since I first washed it...

 

[kaytieeldr]

One thing I've noted: I prefer the masks with two different colors on the two sides. Why? Once I went out to run a couple errands, and -- in between -- I took the mask off in the car. Later I realized in horror I'd worn the "pink side" for my first errand and the "blue side" for my second. That kinda ruins the whole point of having the mask. I realized then that I can't tell "which side is which" on my dark blue masks. I'm trying to figure out some sort of "marker" to put on one side.

If it's any relief, after six months there's still no evidence that the virus survives on fabric for any length of time at all. Now, whether that's because it truly doesn't, or because nobody is working on that, I don't know.

For your dark blue masks, see a button or applique on the outside, or put a dab of fabric paint on the inside.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Our cloth masks get washed after every use. We keep a bag of clean masks in the car, so that we always have spares on hand. Dirty masks get put in the "dirty" bag to be laundered when we get home. (DH had an unplanned meeting with someone at work today. Because it was unplanned, the other guy didn't have a mask. DH was able to give him a clean one from the car.) Disposable masks -- it depends on how long they were used and what for. Might get tossed after one use or might get hung up for several days/a week to be used once or twice more.

 

[amusa]

We have boxes of disposable one (Husband works for the Hospital) and also my husband have a N95 and a 3M 6200 that he keeps in his SUV.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

OK so I haven't yet.I have like several of them. All of the ones I have are not what I would think is "high quality material" and I didn't know if they would hold up to the washing machine/dryer. I have never worn one for more than probably 30 minutes a stretch. They already told me the ones they provided for us at work will shrink in the laundry.

 

[J'aime Paris]

For those of you who use disposable masks, where did you get them? I have yet to find any place (pharmacies, Walmart, etc.) that has disposable masks for sale.

I've recently seen 50 pack disposable masks at Costco and Home Depot.

 

[Suger Mag]

yesterday... because y'all are making me feel really ooky about my gross masks

 

[PollyannaMom]

For those of you who use disposable masks, where did you get them? I have yet to find any place (pharmacies, Walmart, etc.) that has disposable masks for sale.

I ordered a pack from Amazon a while ago, but I have recently seen them at Walgreens and Home Depot.

Mostly, I wear cloth ones, though. (I’ve enjoyed the creative aspect of making them, and have a pretty good supply now.) I generally only wear them for one outing, and then they go in a mesh laundry bag that hangs by the door when I get home.

I machine wash a bunch at once, usually re-iron the pleats after they come out of the dryer, and then I hang them up. - I put a row of tacks across the bottom of a bulletin board, which makes it very easy to see how many are clean and grab the one I want.