Being smarter in 2020: Treat your mask like underwear

Face masks on objects — The iconic Casa Molina bull and matador statue both sported masks on the first full week of the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions in mid-May.
Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star

You know you should wear a mask when out in public, but do you know how to wear it and how to take care of it? A dirty mask could just make things worse.

It’s a good idea to have more than one mask, perhaps even four or five masks per person in your household. That way you can have a clean one every day but only wash every other day, these tips from the World Health Organization indicate.

How to wear your fabric mask

Wash your hands before putting it on.
Make sure the mask isn’t torn or worn out.
The mask should cover your nose, mouth and chin, leaving no gaps on the sides.
Don’t touch the mask while wearing it, or at least try not to touch it.
If your mask gets dirty or wet, change it.
Wash your hands before taking off your mask.
Take off the mask by holding the ear loops instead of touching the front of the mask.
Wash your hands after handling the mask.

One way to remember how to handle your mask is to treat it like underwear, according to tips from Northern Illinois University and other Internet sources.

Don’t share it.
Wash it daily or have enough so that you can wear a clean one daily.
Don’t touch or adjust it, especially in public.
Make sure the fit is tight but comfortable.
Wear the right side out.
If it is damp or dirty, change it.

If this makes you wonder if you should wash your mask daily, that’s probably a good idea, according to WHO tips.

How to wash your mask

Wash fabric masks at least daily with soap or detergent in hot water.
If you don’t have hot water, wash it in room-temperature water and then either boil the mask for one minute or soak it in a chlorine solution (put a teaspoon or two of chlorine bleach in about a gallon of water in a tub or sink) for one minute and then rinse thoroughly with room temperature water. Doing that means you should not have any chlorine residue on the mask.