Masks Are Less Effective As We Are Exposed to Alcohol-Based Sanitizers.

Nikki Attkisson | Last Updated : February 26, 2022

Many people spray the masks with sanitizers to keep them clean and use them for a longer duration. However, a new study has shown that this is not a good thing to do as it can reduce the effectiveness of the masks in the long run, especially when you use alcohol-based sanitizers.

Masks Are Less Effective As We Are Exposed to Alcohol-Based Sanitizers.

The performance of professional-grade masks, including N95, can suffer from the regular use of alcohol-based sanitizers. When it comes to disposable masks, the effectiveness is reduced to a large extent after using sanitizer spray on the masks. The effectiveness lasted only for a few hours after exposure to alcohol-based sanitizers.

Masks Are Less Effective As We Are Exposed to Alcohol-Based Sanitizers.

Experts suggest that sanitizers should not be used on masks as they can degrade the masks in a big way. The protection derived from the masks will not be complete when it has degraded due to alcohol-based sanitizers. It can no longer protect you from airborne hazards, and this is not a good thing to do in a pandemic situation.

Disposable masks are a good way to protect ourselves from Covid infection and other airborne particles. However, if you are trying to extend its lifespan by using alcohol-based sanitizers, it may not be a good idea as this can reduce the performance of the masks. The ability of the masks to use an electrostatic charge to trap airborne particles gets reduced drastically due to the alcohol-based sanitizers.

If you are trying to clean the disposable mask using sanitizer, you are making it ineffective. While it is good to use hand sanitizers before wearing masks, applying the same sanitizers on the masks will do no good. In this situation, you should strictly avoid using disposable masks for a second time, and it can offer good protection for a maximum of a few hours.

In general, you can change the disposable mask daily to get complete protection from Covid 19. On the other hand, when you have no other alternative, even a regular cotton mask will provide some protection against the virus. In this case, some amount of protection is better than having no protection against the deadly virus. For this reason, you should always try to use good masks whenever possible. However, you can even use a cotton mask when you do not have any other option.

Many people prefer to use cotton masks as they can be washed and reused, unlike disposable masks. It is cost-effective and convenient for many people as they consider buying masks every day as a useless task. In that situation, you should try to use a clean cotton mask, and it should be washed after using it for one day. The best thing you can do is to have a few masks handy so that you can use a fresh and washed mask every day.

Experts suggest that you can get the best protection by using professional-grade N95 masks. In the early stages of the pandemic, there was a huge shortage of these masks, and it was reserved only for healthcare professionals. However, you can easily get the masks in open markets and use them to get the best protection from Covid infection. It can be reused, and you can expect professional-grade protection by using such masks. They fit well and do not cause inconvenience like the other masks.

The government also provides masks free of cost, and people can take advantage of this initiative. Even though the virus has slowed down in the US, it still makes sense to wear a mask for a few more months to get the best protection from the coronavirus.


Nikki Attkisson

With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, health etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.

Sign Up For Our Daily Dose Of Hot News