Spic-and-span: How to Clean Respirators
Investing in respirators is pointless if you can’t maximize their use. To effectively filter out air contaminants, make sure your respirators are squeaky clean.
As a universal rule, follow the manufacturer’s cleaning recommendations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If unavailable, you can adhere to these general guidelines provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to clean your full face respirator:
- Disassemble the respirator. Remove the canisters, facepiece, filters and cartridges. Look out for distortions, cracks, holes, scratches and tears. If you discover something is faulty, fix or replace it.
- Wash the parts with warm water and a mild detergent. If necessary, use a bristle brush to clean hard-to-reach corners.
- Place the components under warm running water. Rinse thoroughly then drain.
- If your cleanser doesn’t have a disinfectant, submerge the parts for 2 minutes in either a hypochlorite solution or iodine aqueous solution.
- Rinse again under warm running water. Drain. Take note that rinsing well is very important as dried detergent can either give rise to dermatitis or cause the facepiece to deteriorate.
- Air dry the components or wipe them with a clean cloth. You can either leave them on a clean surface or hang them on a horizontal wire. However, it’s better if you dry them inside an electrically heated steel storage cabinet.
- Reassemble the parts and check if everything works properly. Watch out for leaks. Don’t forget to inspect the tightness of the connections.
As with other equipment, improper storage cancels out meticulous cleaning. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, you should store your respirator mask away from extreme temperature, dust, excessive moisture, sunlight, harsh chemicals, and mechanical damage. Leaving your respirator unprotected on workbenches or among heavy tools may damage it.
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Editor’s Note: How do you take care of your respirators? Share your tips with our readers.