How to clean and reuse an N95 mask

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Reusing your mask isn't ideal, but neither is the current supply of masks.

You're not supposed to reuse the common N95 filtering facepiece respirator mask. But given that they're almost impossible to find (or impossible to afford) amid the coronavirus pandemic, here are some acceptable methods to decontaminate and reuse common N95 masks.

We've gathered advice from three credible sources:

N95 guidelines for healthcare professionals from the CDC

A 2009 paper in the Annals of Occupational Hygiene

An article by Dr. Peter Tsai, a designer of the modern N95 mask

-more-

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-clean-and-reuse-an-n95-mask/?ftag=CAD3c77551&bhid=24447454298893839703959737945916&mid=12781866

There' also a video at the link which is in a format that can't be embedded here.

[XRubicon]

1. Good info thanks

[BigmanPigman]

2. Cool, thanks!!!!!

I have decided to rotate wearing my mask every 2-3 weeks since no one is sure of anything about this virus.

[Disaffected]

3. Thanks, I have two N95s

(bought last summer for sawdust protection) and plan to use them if/when the OK is given here (use outside a medical setting is still a subject of considerable debate).

Putting the mask in a 70C (160F) oven seems the simplest method but it cautions against using an oven used for food prep due to possible cross contamination. I don't quite understand this concern as the interior of the oven would be sterilized as well as the mask and, the temperature could be turned further up for a while afterward to further ensure sterilization. I guess one would never-the-less have to be careful about touching the outside of the oven when the mask is inserted but that should be pretty easy to accomplish and, the oven door handle etc could also be cleaned afterward.

I still have not seen any credible info however on using a microwave oven for sterilization. It seems to me this could work especially well (& quickly) with either the mask dry or sprayed with water.