When to trash your mask

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, you probably purchased a reusable cloth mask or two and thought that would be plenty. One year later, most of us have full-blown mask collections — different colors, patterns and fabrics galore. You may even have a favorite you wear more than the rest.

But, just like clothing, cloth masks can begin to break down after so many wears and washes, making them less effective at preventing the spread of the coronavirus. How can you tell when your masks need to be replaced?

“If it’s a disposable mask, discard it by the end of the day,” said Vincy Samuel, PhD, MPH, director of Employee Health at Baptist Health. “Cloth masks should be washed every day, so you do have to look at the wear and tear.”

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says masks that fit properly should not be too loose or too tight, and typically you want at least two layers of fabric in your mask,” said Kerry Spann-Caride, MPH, BSN, infection preventionist at Wolfson Children's Hospital and Baptist Health. “If the mask is super thin or worn, it’s not going to protect you as well as it could.”

Here’s how to wash (and when to toss) your reusable masks.

At Baptist Health, we want to help keep our community informed about COVID-19. For more information about COVID-19 vaccines as they become more widely available to the public, visit baptistjax.com/covid19vaccine.