Time also works, just simply storing the mask for a period of time kills
the virus. My daughter works front-line in the ER, I bought some Silica
"kitty litter" to dry stored masks when they started rationing masks to one
per day. I thought it's probably a good idea to start saving all the "used"
but serviceable masks for the day the mask supply runs out. If that day
never happens, then simply throw them away latter. The kitty litter silica
came a little bit wet from the store, so it needs drying before use. I
don't think she is using the idea. But, it's useful for drying out some wet
3-d printer filament.
On Wed, Apr 8, 2020 at 2:41 PM DH Barr <dhbarr@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On n95 masks specifically, VHP is reported to reduce their efficacy due to
compromising the electrostatic treatment.
My understanding is that dry heating is the currently-preferred method if
reuse is absolutely needed.
On Wednesday, April 8, 2020, Henry Spencer <hspencer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Wed, 8 Apr 2020, James Fackert wrote:the advantage that it's mostly water and doesn't evaporate too quickly or
... 3% peroxide and even 1/2% are shown to be effective antivirals with
smell bad.
fewWhen sprayed on fabric mask and left to dry, the moisture leaves in a
decompose,hours, but what happens to the peroxide? Will it also evaporate,
it wouldn't evaporate. More importantly, almost everything catalyzesor accumulate after repeated applications, with possible fire or health
hazard, and if so how could this be mitigated?
Peroxide's vapor pressure is lower than water's, but not so much so that
peroxide decomposition to some degree, so it's unlikely to stick around
waiting to evaporate!
liberated by peroxide decomposition) and the fabric. The reason why it's a
The one possible issue is reactions between the peroxide (or the oxygen
disinfectant is that it attacks organic materials in general, including the
components of bacteria and viruses. Applied repeatedly, for sure it will
bleach the fabric -- bleaching is a major commercial use of peroxide -- and
over time it's likely to weaken it. I don't *think* it should do anything
else to the fabric, but I've never gone looking for details (the bleaching
folks have surely explored this).
Henry
