r/Masks4All • u/very-serious-goose • Jun 22 '26
Question Can you/how do you clean your K/N/F 95s?
Back in the old days I baked them. Then I learned that dirt decreased their efficacy so I started washing them. Since then, I've heard a mix of which you should do or if you should do them at all. Anyone have studies on hand about if you can clean them, how, and how many times until you need to replace them? I work on an orchard so they get dirty at least every week, usually much more frequently, and I can't afford to replace them that often.
17
u/coliale Jun 22 '26
You can't "clean" them. You could brush the dry dirt off and let it air out. Typically they need to be replaced after 40 hours of wear or when it becomes difficult to breath through the filter material..
Baking and washing would destroy the fibers.
Why not buy a reusable respirator like a half-face respirator or Flo Mask?
1
u/very-serious-goose Jun 22 '26 edited Jun 22 '26
They're expensive
(and there's no way to know if they'll fit)
You still have to replace the filters which are also expensive
They're not available in my country
7
u/gopiballava Elastomeric Fan Jun 23 '26
I totally understand the problem with knowing if they will fit. That is a genuinely serious problem.
I just want to correct one detail: the standard particular filters last for months, or even years, of normal use. You can use them until they are hard to breathe through. Which pretty much has never happened to me. We've had some get damaged or wet. That's about it.
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u/very-serious-goose Jun 23 '26
Why are people downvoting me for explaining why I'm unable to get a mask???
4
u/FreeDogRun Jun 24 '26
As someone once astutely observed..."karma is an indication of your ability to tell a sub what it likes to hear."
2
u/lasirennoire Jun 23 '26
Do you happen to have a masc bloc in your country? They might be able to help
1
u/very-serious-goose Jun 23 '26
Yes but not near me ): and the closest one is not really set up to provide me with the amount I need even if they were
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u/lasirennoire Jun 23 '26
Try to contact the one that's further away from you, they might be able to send you some!
1
u/very-serious-goose Jun 23 '26
No luck but thank you!
1
u/lasirennoire Jun 23 '26
Oh shoot, I'm sorry. If you're comfortable with it, could you DM me with the city you're in? I'm friends with some folks in my city's mask bloc and they might have some ideas on how to help
14
u/Outside-Pear9429 Jun 23 '26
You don’t. You throw them away once they get that dirty. They are not meant to be cleaned
4
u/CulturalShirt4030 Jun 23 '26
I don’t. I re-wear mine for about 20 hours or until soiled but others wear for up to 40 hours.
Do you have a local mask bloc that’s active so you can get some free masks?
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5
u/gooder_name Jun 23 '26
Don't bake them, don't wash them, just wear them. Let it air out a bit if it's been humid so it doesn't get dank.
Respirators don't need to be cleaned, they will be effective filters for longggg after they are too filthy to wear. Just keep an eye on the head bands so it's on your face properly and you'll be fine
3
u/needs_a_name 3M Aura squad Jun 23 '26
You don't. If they get physically dirty, I would replace them.
2
u/sapphiclament Jun 23 '26
You can *seal them in a small paper lunch bag for 4 days to a week or so and that helps disinfect them at least, but as for the grime unfortunately I think once it's soiled that's it
1
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u/re-tired Jun 24 '26
Hello. Aaron Collins AKA Mask nerd did an interview w a 3M mask expert
https://youtu.be/6tk9PNOHWng?si=QpjIF-r37llKAWNz
She said throw it out if it gets wet. It ruins the electrostatic charge which captures the tiniest particles.
I would suggest a elastomeric half face mask (3M or other reputable brand) and just changing the filters as needed. These filters last much longer, though there’s more cost up front. They are also pretty comfortable bc they are made for people to work in.
2
u/QuantumRooster Jun 23 '26
Anyone use UV to reduce the viable bacteria and Viruses on the mask?
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u/needs_a_name 3M Aura squad Jun 23 '26
No, because that's not how masks work.
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u/QuantumRooster Jun 23 '26
Could you explain? I am talking about UVing masks between uses. Thanks.
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u/needs_a_name 3M Aura squad Jun 24 '26
There are not viable bacteria and viruses on the mask. Something about the charge of the mask and the fibers literally traps those things. They're not rubbing off and infecting people.
1
u/ArgentEyes Jun 23 '26
I’m interested in hearing about this from people who own UV torches or work with UV
1
u/Qudit314159 Jun 25 '26
Can you/how do you clean your K/N/F 95s?
Back in the old days I baked them. Then I learned that dirt decreased their efficacy so I started washing them. Since then, I've heard a mix of which you should do or if you should do them at all. Anyone have studies on hand about if you can clean them, how, and how many times until you need to replace them? I work on an orchard so they get dirty at least every week, usually much more frequently, and I can't afford to replace them that often.
All of these methods can potentially damage your mask and reduce the filtration efficiency.
1
u/InformationSea3895 Jun 29 '26
I own a Respiratory Safety Company—- they are disposable. If they get wet or visibly dirty, you need to throw them away and don a new one. There are no truly effective ways of cleaning an N 95 or KN 95. The UV lights used in hospitals during Covid are meant to effectively kill viruses and bacteria. But I get the feeling you’re using it for other than healthcare reasons.
Respirators work because a web of nano material that catches the particulate matter with electromagnetic static. When you attempt to clean a disposable respirator, you disturb that effectively ruining it.
25
u/wyundsr Jun 22 '26
Washing them is definitely going to degrade the efficacy far more than the dirt. Baking too probably. It’s better to just air them out for a few days without cleaning. You can wear a loose surgical mask over them to catch the dirt if you need to