Masks are effective protection from airborne pollutants such as PM2.5, viruses, bacteria and allergens. In general, there are 2 common types of masks: surgical masks and respirators like N95 and N99 masks. DIY face masks can be used when surgical masks and respirators are not available. Read more to learn if masks actually work, how long masks can be used and how to wash them.
Masks can be incredibly effective tools to protect your health from air pollution and viruses such as COVID. But mask effectiveness and comfort can vary greatly depending on the mask. In this article, we take a look at how to choose the best mask and the factors you should consider …
Can you wear expired face masks? How effective are expired face masks? A study tested 10 year-old 3M N95 masks compared to new masks and this is what they found.
Mask standards can be confusing: N95, KN95, FFP1, FFP2, P2, or surgical mask? This quick run-down of mask specifications covers mask types, mask ratings, and their effectiveness at filtering particles. First off, let’s start with mask types (or certification types). In general, there are 3 types of commonly used, disposable …
Surgical masks are designed to be worn in one direction only. However, it can be difficult to know which way round a medical face mask should go. Should the blue side face out, or in? Some surgical masks are white all over, which way round should these white face masks …
Covid-19 has led to a new surge in interest of how to clean and disinfect masks. Google searches for “wash N95 mask” and “wash KN95 mask” have sky-rocketed. Yet data-backed answers seem to be in short supply. The standard guidelines say to throw masks out and use new ones. I.e. …
KN95 masks are one of the most popular respiratory masks on the market for COVID-19 protection. The CDC states that authentic KN95 masks provide the highest protection against COVID-19. The issue is the CDC stated 60% of KN95 masks on the market do not actually pass KN95 standards. So how …
With such similar-sounding names, it can be confusing to understand the difference between N95 and KN95 masks. What are KN95 masks, and are they the same as N95 masks? This handy chart explains the similarities and differences between N95 and KN95 masks. N95 vs. KN95 Comparison Chart Source: 3M – …
How long can you wear face masks? How often you should replace your surgical or N95 mask depends on who you ask. The WHO recommends changing surgical masks every 4 hours. If that’s true, that means a lot of masks and a lot of waste. To find out how long …
DIY cloth masks to protect against viruses sounds like a crazy idea. Data shows masks work incredibly well, and they’re also really cheap. Surgical masks cost a few pennies, and they’re capable of filtering out 80% of particles down to 0.007 microns (14 times smaller than COVID-19). However, the COVID-19 …
COVID-19 has caused a surge in interest for all types of masks, including Japanese Pitta masks. Smart Air has received a flood of questions about how well they filter COVID-19 and other viruses. The Japanese Pitta masks are sleek and incredibly popular, but there’s little information available on how well …
