While buying masks may seem simple, different styles and poorly made masks can result in a mask that doesn’t fit properly, leaves gaps around the nose and sides, and can irritate the ears.

Ideally, you’re looking for a cloth face mask that fits snugly against the side of the face, but is still comfortable. The mask must be secured with either ties or ear loops, and should also allow for breathing without restriction. You must be able to launder and dry the mask without damaging it.

The mask should ideally have 3 layers – two fabric layers sandwiching a filter in the centre. Make sure that the mask is large enough to cover your nose as well as your mouth, and if it has loops rather than ties, it’s important to check that they’re tight enough to keep your mask from slipping off your nose. You can also find masks that have a metal piece on the bridge of the nose that fastens the mask onto your face, and makes wearing glasses a lot easier!

If you’d rather avoid the hassle of finding the perfect masks for your workforce, let fanute help you. With our face-mask rental programme, we both buy and manufacture reusable cloth masks using government and WHO recommended technical designs. Our owned and operated industrial laundries use industry standard technologies and chemicals to kill 99.99% of germs, including Covid-19.

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However, rather than using disposable masks, many have invested in cloth masks, and it’s recommended that these be washed daily, or after every use – whether your mask has visible stains or not, and whether you live in a densely populated city or a sparse area with few Covid cases. Why is this so important and how should you go about washing it?

You are advised to regularly wash your hands for 20 seconds to destroy any of the Covid-19 virus that you might have been exposed to throughout the day. Just as your hands can be carriers of the virus, bringing the virus to your face or into your home or car, so too is your mask. The mask can pick up the virus and then, when you take it off at the end of the day, can spread it to the surfaces in your home or office or to you when you touch your face after touching the mask. That’s why it’s safest to remove your mask by the ear loops, not touching the body of the mask at all, and place directly into either the wash or into a plastic bag to be washed later.

Luckily, it’s not that difficult to wash your mask – the CDC recommends washing your mask in the washing machine, using your everyday washing powder. It’s recommended to use the warmest appropriate water setting, so 60°C or higher would be preferable. If you don’t have a washing machine, John Hopkins Medicine suggests you scrub the mask thoroughly in warm water with regular hand soap.

As the economy opens up, businesses are now required to provide their employees with masks, which your employees will have to wash every day. However, if you would like to avoid the hassle of ensuring each employee has their own clean mask every day, why not use fanute’s services? fanute has expanded its linen rental operations to include masks. Every day, the fanute team will deliver freshly-laundered masks and collect the dirty ones, providing mask that offer you peace of mind.

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