ATLANTA — As we get more accustomed to making masks a part of our daily wardrobe, experts say we must also focus on what we do with our face coverings once we remove them.
You’re careful about where you store your clothes and make sure to wash them regularly.
You might not realize how important it is to do the same with your mask.
“One of the ways you can do it a little better is managing how you wear this mask,” says Dr. John Brooks with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Masks block the exchange of germs between you and others. If you leave a reusable mask lying around the house at the end of the day it could potentially turn from a protector into a germ spreader.
"The mask, by blocking and filtering particles, may contain viruses if it's around,” said Dr. Brooks. “You want to make sure nobody else touches the mask for that reason.”
The CDC recommends storing your mask in a paper bag while not in use. If it’s wet, store it in a plastic bag.
“Holding it by the strings, just put it in your bag,” said Brooks. “Part of what you want to do by putting it in a bag is to ensure you’re the only person touching it.”
When it comes to washing a cloth mask, treat it just like anything else you wear.
“If you’re comfortable wearing a t-shirt a couple of days in a row, that’s fine,” said Brooks. “I wouldn’t go more than a few days. You need to clean it to keep it fresh. That both gets the virus off of it, if there’s any, and makes it a little more pleasant to wear.”
Dr. Brooks says it’s important to wash your hands before and after touching your mask.
“Any use of masks is better than no use of masks,” he reminds us.
The message is that we need to treat our masks with care. They’ll likely be a part of our wardrobe for a while.