# How Do You Know Your Mask Is Made Properly?



## fmdog44 (Jul 28, 2020)

There are standards for everything manufactured from nuts and bolts to medicine, to NASA. So to what national standard are the masks being made? I see that goof SHAM WOW is back on the air pushing masks as well. There are countless ads for masks now and they all seem to cost the same. So what grade of material are they using? How are the masks tested for preventing entry through them? We saw at first four layers was the minimum but layers of what? I have yet to see the number of layers given in most ads. I have now about six different masks searching for the one easiest to breathe through. Only two are satisfactory for ease of breathing. So the question is in view of the soaring cases, do they work?


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## JustBonee (Jul 28, 2020)

Don't know..  All I do  know is that  I paid a bunch for  four  copper infused masks.   They are very breathable,  and soft and comfortable.  
That will have to do for me  I guess.


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 28, 2020)

I bought two cloth masks online and a cheap one at the supermarket.  Besides those, I have two homemade ones from a bandana made with rubber bands.  I don't worry too much about the masks since I'm not in the medical profession or around Covid sufferers. 

 All the ones I bought have two layers of cloth that I feel comfortable wearing.  In my opinion, anything covering the nose and mouth is helpful in not spreading the virus to others, and has small benefit of protecting the wearer.  Any mask is better than no mask.


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## Ruthanne (Jul 28, 2020)

I don't know how safe all of my masks are but one set I have has 4 layers and I think the more layers the better.  Yet, I'm never sure about these masks.  I wear them to protect myself and others.  I keep seeing one on TV that they say is the best and the only one that protects from covid19-It's the KN95 and I have one.  It is very uncomfortable, though.


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## Rosemarie (Jul 28, 2020)

I'm wondering about what to do when it's raining. Are the masks still effective when wet?


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## win231 (Jul 28, 2020)

Rosemarie said:


> I'm wondering about what to do when it's raining. Are the masks still effective when wet?


Yes.  Coronas drown because they never learned to swim.


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## Keesha (Jul 29, 2020)

Ruthanne said:


> I don't know how safe all of my masks are but one set I have has 4 layers and I think the more layers the better.  Yet, I'm never sure about these masks.  I wear them to protect myself and others.  I keep seeing one on TV that they say is the best and the only one that protects from covid19-It's the KN95 and I have one.  It is very uncomfortable, though.


KN95’s aren’t the best and they aren’t very comfortable. There is this one which is a P100 and protects almost 100%. The filters can be changed but it’s even more uncomfortable than the N95’s Its great for woodworking. Some woods have some dangerous toxins in them. Especially some rare and imported ones so face / breathing protection is a must. Not something I wish to wear out and about. 
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...asks/74167-elipse-low-profile-dust-respirator


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## Keesha (Jul 29, 2020)

Rosemarie said:


> I'm wondering about what to do when it's raining. Are the masks still effective when wet?


Moisture / liquid breaks down the fibers which is why they should never be washed or sprayed with disinfectant. It’s best if they are replaced if they get too dirty. They can be sterilized by placing them in direct sunlight.


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## win231 (Jul 29, 2020)

Keesha said:


> Moisture / liquid breaks down the fibers which is why they should never be washed or sprayed with disinfectant. It’s best if they are replaced if they get too dirty. They can be sterilized by placing them in direct sunlight.


I use those blue & yellow masks I got from the dispensers at hospitals.  The material feels like paper.  I've been spraying them with alcohol after each use.  So far, none of them have broken down.


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## Keesha (Jul 29, 2020)

win231 said:


> I use those blue & yellow masks I got from the dispensers at hospitals.  The material feels like paper.  I've been spraying them with alcohol after each use.  So far, none of them have broken down.


So far none of them have broken down that you can see.


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## Sunny (Jul 29, 2020)

I wash my cotton cloth masks. I've seen instructions to do that many times. So I don't know about breaking down fibers, etc.  Until I hear some serious reason not to wash them, I'll continue doing so. Those masks are right up against our nose and mouth, sometimes for hours. They must be loaded with germs.


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## StarSong (Jul 29, 2020)

Keesha said:


> Moisture / liquid breaks down the fibers which is why they should never be washed or sprayed with disinfectant. It’s best if they are replaced if they get too dirty. They can be sterilized by placing them in direct sunlight.


True about N95s and surgical masks.  However, it's widely recommended that cloth masks be washed.  I have 3 bowls of cloth masks - my husband's clean masks, my clean masks, and masks that have been worn and need to be laundered.  We have enough masks in rotation to not run out.

Our small stash of N95s is reserved for public encounters like grocery shopping. After use, we put them in separate paper lunch bags, and wait at least a week between wearings. Time and heat disinfect the masks. No laundering, spraying or chemical disinfectants.


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## fmdog44 (Jul 29, 2020)

Ironically, last night I saw an add by Bell & Howell stated their masks are tested in their QA lab. That is a first. I would like to know how they are tested.


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## fmdog44 (Jul 29, 2020)

Keesha said:


> Moisture / liquid breaks down the fibers which is why they should never be washed or sprayed with disinfectant. It’s best if they are replaced if they get too dirty. They can be sterilized by placing them in direct sunlight.


Sterilized by sunlight?


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## JustBonee (Jul 29, 2020)

Rosemarie said:


> I'm wondering about what to do when it's raining. Are the masks still effective when wet?



Mine are washable and reusable


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## fmdog44 (Jul 29, 2020)

Bonnie said:


> Don't know..  All I do  know is that  I paid a bunch for  four  copper infused masks.   They are very breathable,  and soft and comfortable.
> That will have to do for me  I guess.


I don't buy in to this copper infused thing which seems to be the cure for everything. Seems like snake oil to me. Just my opinion.


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## macgeek (Jul 29, 2020)

their made in China I think? same place where the virus came from. all our hand sanitizer also comes from China. how convenient.


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 29, 2020)

macgeek said:


> their made in China I think? same place where the virus came from. all our hand sanitizer also comes from China. how convenient.


Not all, my sanitizer is from Canada and bought in a local supermarket.


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## Sunny (Jul 29, 2020)

MacGeek, practically everything comes from China.  When was the last time you bought an article of clothing that was made anywhere else?


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## Don M. (Jul 29, 2020)

My wife has made literally dozens of cloth masks, in recent weeks...enough to supply everyone in the family with at least 8 masks.  She is using a "fusible interfacing" cloth...Pellon 906F...between the inner/outer layers of cloth, and that seems to allow for a mask that is fairly comfortable to wear and breathe through, yet is dense enough to control any "moisture"...and they are washable.


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## win231 (Jul 29, 2020)

Keesha said:


> So far none of them have broken down that you can see.


That's OK with me because I only wear a mask when shopping because I have to; not because I think it protects me or others.


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