(plus my favorite brands!)
Let me ask you a personal question: do you clean your masks? A few months ago, I started stocking up on re-usable masks but would wear them over and over again. After all, they were reusable! The point was to reuse them! But I was completley missing the point. Reusable masks are still meant to be cleaned – and often. In this post I’ll break down why masks need to be cleaned, how we do it and end by sharing some of my current favorite face coverings.
Why you should clean your masks
Let’s consider the most obvious reason: the exterior of a mask is exposed to the germs and air droplets of others. When removing masks, it’s really important not to touch the outside! On top of that though, there’s a second reason why mask cleaning is important: the interior is filled with your own bacteria and sweat, and is constantly touching delicate facial skin. Similar to washclothes and pillowcases, masks can be a hotbed for bacteria from your own face and can ultimately act as a breeding ground for things like acne, irritation and dryness. Yuck.
According to the CDC and most medical professionals, you should clean your mask after every use. Sound like a lot? I hear you. But that’s why it’s important to have plenty of masks on hand! We have several so after (almost) every wear, we toss them in a dirty mask bin after and wash them weekly. Once we started this system it has become less of a chore and more of a habit!
Personally, because we have shared laundry machines, I prefer to hand wash our masks and dry them in the sun. We wear masks a lot and with my sensitive, acne prone skin, I’d rather not put them in the washer and dryer where other people use harsh detergents, bleach and fabric softeners (these factors in and of themselves can cause acne!). That being said, if you have your own washer and dryer then bandanas and cotton masks can be cleaned along with your regular laundry. I recommend placing them in a delicates bag, using fragrance free detergent and drying them on high heat.
What I use to clean my masks
In our home, I choose to launder our masks by hand! It’s super easy and takes all of 15 minutes. I use our normal Branch Basics laundry solution for our masks too (more on our clean laundry faves here). Branch Basics is fragrance free, super gentle and incredibly effective at cleaning fabrics. It’s the perfect option for delicate and sensitive facial skin and is a big reason why I don’t find my masks as irritating. *get $10 off your Branch Basics order with this link!
How I clean my masks
- Throughout the week, I place all of my masks in our washing bin.
- On Sundays, I check each one for sweat and makeup stains and treat them accordingly. if I have noticeable stains I’ll start by using a targeted spot treatments from the Laundress. The wash and stain bar is my first line of defense: I lather masks with a bit of water and work the soap into stained area.
- After treating, I fill the bin with hot water and add 1/2 a cap of our Branch Basics detergent. I work the detergent into the masks for a few minutes, making sure everything gets really sudsy. Then I let them soak for 10-15 minutes.
- Finally, I remove each mask from the bin, rinse it in the sink and lay it flat to dry in the sun. Is this as ideal as high heat? Probably not, but after thoroughly cleaning (versus sanitizing – you can learn about the difference here) I feel more than comfortable with the result!
My favorite masks so far
With all this talk about masks, I figured I’d share my favorites. Overall the CDC says that the best options have two or more layers, a filter (or an option for a filter) and are washable. That being said, it’s also nice when masks are comfortable, breathable and – dare I say – aesthetically pleasing. But let’s be honest, it’s hard to find ones that fit every single bill. The bottom line? The best type of mask is one that you will wear and not fuss with.
Here’s a roundup of what I’ve tried so far and my honest thoughts:
Tory Burch – These are my favorite masks BY FAR. They are super soft, cover a lot of surface area, have pockets and a nose strap and are washable. They are also a crazy good price for what they are (5 for $35) and are by far my favorite masks right now. A big thanks to Emily for the rec!
Nordstrom – these masks are really soft and cover a HUGE surface area. They are two layers, come in lots of colors and patterns and have been great for sweaty walks and even runs! I don’t love that they don’t have a filter pocket though.
J.Crew – these cotton masks are thicker (2 layers) than I expected and have a pocket for a filter, which is great. They fit well on my (smaller) face and are really easy to clean. They were really nice for summer!
Etsy – I’ve snagged a few decent options from Etsy! I love supporting small businesses and artisans but I will say Etsy masks tend to be pretty pricey for what they are. I’ve tried three and while all have advantages, none of them meet all of my criteria. This one has two layers and is well fitting (and the print is perfect for fall), this one also has two layers and has a nose tab, and this one is only one (thick) layer but is great if you’re wearing makeup because it doesn’t rub as much. I don’t use it often because of the lack of layers and filter. I’m actually in the market for a safer silk mask (more on that below).
Fanatics – C is obsessed with these from Fanatics! He likes that they have two layers, are super soft and allow him to represent his teams with pride. Also he has a really big head and they still work!
Next on my list? These triple layer protected versions (I already added to cart) and this silk option that Meghan recommended! Also my bestie who is a runner recomended these for running (more on this soon) and I’m looking into these because they have three layers and meet all of my requirements!
SHOP MASKS
And let’s not forget about mask accessories! I am a huge fan of moakies (mask croakies) which are basically eyeglass chains that I purchase and use as mask straps. They are incredibly handy for socially distant meet ups and walks because you don’t have to wad up your mask in your pocket or purse or car (yuck yuck yuck). The pearl one is gorgeous and so much cheaper than some designer options.
SHOP MOAKIES
Bruce says: paw-lease wear a mask! It’s the least we can do to keep ourselves and our neighbors safe and healthy 🙂
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