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Wearing a cloth face mask or covering is not some shabby ineffective option of preventing the spread of Covid-19 because it's preventing the particles that comes out from a person's mouth when a person coughs out in the open into the general public. In that situation, a cloth mask is as efficient as any medical grade mask. Especially now when disposable surgical masks or N95 masks is currently short on availability. If cloth masks are worn universally by the general public, this will dramatically reduce asymptomatic spread of the virus as well as provide adequate protection against virus inhalation.
With the increased use of your reusable mask, how often and how should you wash it?
With the increased use of your reusable mask, how often and how should you wash it?
All face coverings — DIY or otherwise — should meet the following requirements:
- Fits snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
- Be secured with ties or ear loops
- Includes multiple layers of fabric
- Allows for breathing without restriction
- Can be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
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You can wash your masks, along with your clothes, in the washing machine even without special antibacterial laundry soap. Dr Raymond Fong, the chief and senior consultant at Changi General Hospital's Infectious Diseases department said "Washing with clean, warm water and soap should suffice." Just use the hottest setting on your washing machine to neutralise the microbes, then let heat drying – be it direct sun or the dryer – eradicate any remaining pathogens on the mask.
You can wash your masks, along with your clothes, in the washing machine even without special antibacterial laundry soap. Dr Raymond Fong, the chief and senior consultant at Changi General Hospital's Infectious Diseases department said "Washing with clean, warm water and soap should suffice." Just use the hottest setting on your washing machine to neutralise the microbes, then let heat drying – be it direct sun or the dryer – eradicate any remaining pathogens on the mask.
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You may hand wash your fabric mask in hot water
If you’re concerned with the mask’s dye ruining your clothes in the washing machine – as some netizens have experienced – then you better hand-wash it. Wash your mask with warm, soapy water for at least one minute and dry it, preferably in the sun. Regular cleaning, especially after a day’s use or when the mask is visibly soiled or moist is most important.
You may use heat treatment to kill the virus and germs on your mask
Whether you choose to machine or hand wash your reusable fabric mask, drying it properly equally important as the washing. Studies suggest that the duration of sun exposure required to reduce contamination of some viruses by 90 per cent is over an hour of direct exposure to midday sun. On cloudy or rainy days, when there is not enough sun exposure, the dryer can be used. You could also iron or put your mask in a clean oven for 20 minutes at about 70 degrees Celsius. Be careful not to burn it though.
Once in a while, you may boil it in water
Boil your mask in water for five minutes, recommended Professor Rachel Noble, a microbiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, on Pop Science. However, the downside to this method is, your fabric mask quality may deteriorate after a few rounds of boiling.
If you’re concerned with the mask’s dye ruining your clothes in the washing machine – as some netizens have experienced – then you better hand-wash it. Wash your mask with warm, soapy water for at least one minute and dry it, preferably in the sun. Regular cleaning, especially after a day’s use or when the mask is visibly soiled or moist is most important.
You may use heat treatment to kill the virus and germs on your mask
Whether you choose to machine or hand wash your reusable fabric mask, drying it properly equally important as the washing. Studies suggest that the duration of sun exposure required to reduce contamination of some viruses by 90 per cent is over an hour of direct exposure to midday sun. On cloudy or rainy days, when there is not enough sun exposure, the dryer can be used. You could also iron or put your mask in a clean oven for 20 minutes at about 70 degrees Celsius. Be careful not to burn it though.
Once in a while, you may boil it in water
Boil your mask in water for five minutes, recommended Professor Rachel Noble, a microbiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, on Pop Science. However, the downside to this method is, your fabric mask quality may deteriorate after a few rounds of boiling.
Article edited from CNA Lifestyle
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This video above is really really worth watching if you are really interested in growing store bought vegetables. There are 14 store bought vegetables that you can grow on your own as shown below:
Ginger - Pull apart the ginger you bought from the store and plant it one inch below the soil and water it. Within 1 month, shoots can be seen.
Spring Onions - Cut bottom part of the green onion around 1 inch and put it in the soil with a thin layer of topsoil covering it.
Garlic - Pull out the larger cloves (more ideal for planting than the smaller cloves) & put 1 inch into soil.
Ginger - Pull apart the ginger you bought from the store and plant it one inch below the soil and water it. Within 1 month, shoots can be seen.
Spring Onions - Cut bottom part of the green onion around 1 inch and put it in the soil with a thin layer of topsoil covering it.
Garlic - Pull out the larger cloves (more ideal for planting than the smaller cloves) & put 1 inch into soil.
Easily grow your own onions, ginger, garlic and spring onion at home
Potatoes - When the potatoes grow eyes, dig hole in your garden bed and place the potatoes with the eyes facing upwards. Cover it with soil and the plant will grow and produce lots of small potatoes.
Carrots - Cut the top of the carrot by about 1 inch and plant the carrots facing down with the stem side up leaving the stem side slightly exposed above the soil. After about 1 week, leaves will grow. After 1 month, the leaves will grow big, the plants will not grow more carrots but you can harvest the leaves.
Lettuce - Cut the bottom part of lettuce about 1.5 inches, plant lettuce the flat end down and completely covering the bottom part of the lettuce with soil. Some may die, but around half will survive.
Carrots - Cut the top of the carrot by about 1 inch and plant the carrots facing down with the stem side up leaving the stem side slightly exposed above the soil. After about 1 week, leaves will grow. After 1 month, the leaves will grow big, the plants will not grow more carrots but you can harvest the leaves.
Lettuce - Cut the bottom part of lettuce about 1.5 inches, plant lettuce the flat end down and completely covering the bottom part of the lettuce with soil. Some may die, but around half will survive.
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Easily grow carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce and radishes at home
Leeks - Make sure the leeks you choose have healthy roots. Cut the bottom part of leeks around 1/2 inch and plant with the roots in soil leaving the top part exposed above the soil. After 2 weeks, leaves will start to grow above the exposed part of leek.
Celery - Celery regrows easily. Cut off the bottom part of the celery around 1/2 inch and put the celery in soil with the cutoff exposed part facing upwards above the soil. After 2 weeks, celery will start growing.
Celery - Celery regrows easily. Cut off the bottom part of the celery around 1/2 inch and put the celery in soil with the cutoff exposed part facing upwards above the soil. After 2 weeks, celery will start growing.
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Below are herbs which can be grown from a cutting:
Basil - Cut off a branch and remove all the lower leaves and put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow and you need to transfer the roots into a pot of soil.
Mint - Cut off a branch and remove all the lower leaves and put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow and you need to transfer the roots into a pot of soil. Mint grows like a weed so plant it in a confined area.
Rosemary - When choosing a stem of Rosemary, make sure the end of the stem is strong and not soft. The stem must have green color and remove all the lower leaves. Put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow and you need to transfer the roots into a pot of soil. Rosemary does not require a lot of water.
Oregano - When choosing a stem of Oregano, make sure you cut at 45 degree angle at the end of the stem and remove all the lower leaves. Put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow and you need to transfer the roots into a pot of soil.
Sage - When choosing a stem of Sage, make sure you cut at 45 degree angle at the end of the stem and remove all the lower leaves. Put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow and you need to transfer the roots into a pot of soil.
Thyme - When choosing a stem of Thyme, make sure you choose a stem that is green in color and not brown. Cut at 45 degree angle at the end of the stem and remove all the lower leaves. Put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow & transfer the roots into a pot of soil.
Basil - Cut off a branch and remove all the lower leaves and put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow and you need to transfer the roots into a pot of soil.
Mint - Cut off a branch and remove all the lower leaves and put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow and you need to transfer the roots into a pot of soil. Mint grows like a weed so plant it in a confined area.
Rosemary - When choosing a stem of Rosemary, make sure the end of the stem is strong and not soft. The stem must have green color and remove all the lower leaves. Put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow and you need to transfer the roots into a pot of soil. Rosemary does not require a lot of water.
Oregano - When choosing a stem of Oregano, make sure you cut at 45 degree angle at the end of the stem and remove all the lower leaves. Put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow and you need to transfer the roots into a pot of soil.
Sage - When choosing a stem of Sage, make sure you cut at 45 degree angle at the end of the stem and remove all the lower leaves. Put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow and you need to transfer the roots into a pot of soil.
Thyme - When choosing a stem of Thyme, make sure you choose a stem that is green in color and not brown. Cut at 45 degree angle at the end of the stem and remove all the lower leaves. Put the stem with the top larger leaves in a bottle of water. If the water is chlorinated, leave the water outside for a while before pouring into bottle. in 2 weeks, the roots will grow & transfer the roots into a pot of soil.