BOISE — The CDC recommends wearing face coverings to help stop the spread of COVID-19, but when they are reused multiple times these masks harbor a lot of bacteria and viruses.
“My wife came home one day she is a healthcare worker and she was using these PPE masks, the N95 masks and I thought wow I can’t be the only one who would think about how gross these masks are after one use,” said the Owner of Obtainium Science and Industrial Surplus, John Schiff.
Masks are designed for sinlge-uses or to be thrown away after a few hours, but since COVID-19 that hasn't been the case.
“As masks are being used and worn many little saliva particles become lodged in the facemasks," said Dr. Uwe Reischl. "Those liquid particles contain viruses and bacteria and since the environment in the mask is warm and moist it becomes an incubator of bacteria and viruses.”
That's why they teamed up to create a simple solution to this public health concern that anyone can do at home.
The simple ozone sterilizer can be done using a battery-powered ozone generator and a 7-gallon sealable plastic storage bin, which can all be purchased on Amazon for less than $100.
The process is as simple as putting your mask in the tub, placing the ozone generator in the tub, turning it on, closing the lid. After 30 minutes the ozone generator will turn itself off, and the concentration of bacteria and viruses on the mask will be eliminated.
“Up to 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses are inactivated at fairly low concentrations between 7 to 9 parts per million, and are enclosure reaches 18 parts per million," said Reischl.
The dilution of the ozone in the air once the lid is open is so quick that it's not harmful, but it's still important to do this in a well-ventilated area.
If you'd like more information on the simple ozone sterilization process and why it's effective, click on this link.
