Can you sterilize a face mask in a baby sterilizer?

Answer 1

According to infectious disease expert Dr. Amesh Adalja, it is unclear whether sterilizing a cloth mask in a microwave works or whether it actually causes the mask to become more permeable to particles. N95 respirators shouldn't be microwaved, either—according to a 2009 study published in the Annals of Occupational Hygiene, they melt in the microwave.

The CDC recommends using a washing machine to clean a cloth mask, but the jury is still out on effective ways to sterilize N95 masks. Those are intended for use by healthcare workers and are designed to be used only once.

A March 2020 report from Stanford University's School of Medicine's COVID-19 Evidence Service suggested that heating N95 masks to 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit) in a kitchen-type of oven for 30 minutes is an effective sterilization method; however, they do not recommend heating masks in your home oven. Another possible solution is exposing masks to hydrogen peroxide vapor for more than two and a half hours, which California hospitals are set to start trying. You can read the CDC guidelines on N95 reuse here.

Answer 2

Face masks are generally sterile until they're unpackaged. By baby sterilizer I assume you mean a baby bottle sterilizer and the answer would be no if it uses steam to sterilize bottles and that steam would probably make the mask useless. If it uses microwaves or UV light then it should sterilize the mask and leave it usable but it won't renew a mask that has been used already. The mask material has tiny pores that fill up with whatever is being filtered out of the air.

Answer 3

Microwave ovens produce radio-frequency waves that cause the water molecules in an object to vibrate. This vibration causes friction, which allows the object to heat up to a temperature that can kill germs.

That's why microwaves are sometimes used to disinfect items such as a household sponge, as they are a hotbed for viruses and bacteria.

However, research has found mixed results on whether a microwave can effectively kill germs on a sponge, or even in food. Here's what you need to know.

Microwaves may be able to kill germs on a sponge

Home microwaves (2.45 GHz) can kill some types of viruses and bacteria within 60 seconds to five minutes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), though more disinfection occurs with higher-powered microwaves.

A 2006 study found that microwaving a sponge at 100% power killed off 99% of the total bacterial count in one to two minutes. The same study concluded that it took 30 seconds to destroy E. coli, a common cause of food poisoning.

In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends wetting your sponge and microwaving it every day for two minutes. Ensure the sponge is wet so it doesn't catch fire and contains no metals so that it doesn't harm your microwave. You should also keep an eye on the sponge so it doesn't melt, or start a fire if all the water evaporates.

However, a 2017 study found that, while microwaving can kill bacteria on the sponge, the few that manage to survive may develop resistance. Thus, the researchers recommend replacing sponges on a weekly basis for optimal hygiene.

So while microwaves may not be the best disinfectants, "in general, they would be effective in things like household sponges," says Tim Landers, an infectious disease expert at Ohio State University College of Nursing.

Microwaves aren't always effective at killing germs

Other public health experts caution against using sponges for cleaning at all, such as D.T. Simmons, the operations manager from the Florida Department of Health in Franklin & Gulf County. "A sponge is not an ideal cleaning medium," Simmons says since it attracts and breeds so many microbes.

Simmons cautions against microwaves to sterilize sponges or food because they don't fully heat through an object. Ever eaten a frozen meal only to find the middle still cold? The cold spot can be an indicator that the food didn't get hot enough to kill germs, which the CDC notes is also an issue when using microwaves to disinfect items.

To ensure your microwave has killed off any harmful microbes, use a thermometer to ensure an evenly hot temperature throughout the food. For example, E. coli dies off at 160°F. You should also be sure to stir and rotate food in the microwave so that it heats more evenly.

Overall, Landers and Simmons note that there are better ways to disinfect a kitchen sponge than using a microwave, "like soaking it in a one to 10 diluted bleach solution," Landers says. "That would be more effective against these kinds of viruses," especially the novel coronavirus.

Landers also notes to regularly disinfect high-contact surfaces and items, which include doorknobs, keyboards, and countertops, in addition to kitchen sponges. "For disinfection, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol, and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective," Simmons says.

Answer 4

Dont know why you think a microwave oven would sterilize anything. It wont! A microwave over is basically a radio tranmiter in a “ cavity” . Its 2.45 GHz frequency will heat water molecules- which may be in a damp or wet mask, but the RF itself wont sanitize in any way Im aware of...sorry. If you are thinking of heating up the mask enough to kill germs, the mask would have to be soaking wet. A dry mask wont likely get very hot, unless it happens to absorbe RF at 2.45GHz...which is doubtful. Running the oven (magnitron) without something to absorb the RF can ruine the magnitron. Your probably better “ steaming” the mask over a pot of hot water and letting it dry out- however that may compromise the fibers or make them swell up.. But desperate times call for desperate measures ... it might be betterthan nothing.

Answer 5

I suggest you use a hair dryer to blow for 30 minutes, the practice of Chinese experts

Answer 6

Hell naw to the no no no no hell to the naw

Answer 7

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Answer 8

More likely to start a fire.

Answer 9

i will see

Answer 10

Used masks are best wrapped in plastic bags and thrown into the "special waste mask" trash can. If you do n’t want to throw away because you ca n’t buy a mask, if you have only worn it for a few hours, and you have n’t been to an epidemic or crowded place (hospital supermarket, etc.), you can keep it and use it again. Putting the mask in the microwave to sterilize it will cause fire because of the wire that holds the nose.

You can read the mask guide here。en.china.cn