How to Clean Your Respirator
Proper respirator cleaning and maintenance ensuresa high level of protection for your face and lungs and will also extend the useful life of your respirators and respirator equipment.
Clean Half-Mask & Full-Face Respirator Masks Properly
It is recommended to clean your respirator mask after each and every use to preserve longevity and safety. Below are some steps to follow for cleaning reusable Full-Face and Half-Mask respirators.
- Remove all cartridges and/or filters that are attached to the respirator face piece
- Use a respirator cleaning wipe and/or immerse the respirator mask in warm water and apply a cleaning solution. Use a soft brush or rag to remove any dust, debris or oils. Do not use water or liquid that is above 120° F, and do not use cleaning solutions that contain lanolin or other oil-based cleaners.
- The face piece can be disinfected by immersing in a quaternary ammonia disinfectant or sodium hypochlorite (1 oz. [30 ML] household bleach in 2 gallons [7.5 L] of water), or other disinfectant solutions.
- After cleaning and/or disinfecting, rinse the respirator facepiece in fresh, warm water and hang to dry in a non-contaminated area.
- It is best practice to store respirator masks in respirator storage bags, boxes or compartmentsto protect them from getting dusty or contaminated.
How to Clean Dust Masks & Disposable Particulate Respirators
Because of their cloth-like design and material, disposable dust masks and particulate respirators are not meant to be washed or cleaned. Furthermore, if they become wet or damaged, disposable respirators should be disposed of and replaced.
A dust mask or disposable particulate respirator is safe to reuse over and over again as long as the inside of the respirator mask is clean, there is no visible or critical damage to the structure of the mask and the wearer is not having any difficulty with breathing. It is also important to store dust masks and disposable particulate respirators in a safe non-contaminated environment to prolong their useful life.
It is strongly recommended to not clean disposable respirator masks with compressed air or detergent cleaning agents, as they can damage the structural integrity of the mask.
