Single-use surgical masks can actually be washed and reused according to a UFC-Que Choisir test.

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REX / SIPA

Not so disposable after all.

According to UFC-Que Choisir, surgical masks are reusable many times.

"Our express test on 3 models purchased in supermarkets and drugstores shows that after 10 machine washes at 60 ° C, surgical masks, theoretically disposable, retain excellent filtration capacities", reports the association of consumers.

Despite the high temperature washes, UFC-Que Choisir notes that the masks remain "well above the minimum requirements for fabric masks carrying the official Afnor / DGA filtration guarantee", which serves as a reference.

According to the test, after ten washes at 60 ° C, the masks would not lose 0 to 8% of their capacity to filter particles.

Even after drying and ironing

Tumble drying and gentle ironing at the lowest iron setting of the masks will not deteriorate the filtering quality either.

“Despite a slight felting, washed surgical masks are therefore on par, and beyond, with the most efficient fabric masks bearing the Afnor / DGA guarantee.

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“The masks also remain sufficiently breathable to be worn for several hours without too much discomfort,” adds the association.

It therefore concludes that, contrary to official instructions, but jointly with what researchers had already discovered without publishing the results of their experiments, "the reuse of surgical masks for non-medical use is therefore possible without compromising their performance".

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The study was carried out on EN14683 type 1 surgical masks from Auchan, EN14683 type 1 from Leclerc and on comfort masks sold in pharmacies.

The resistance to penetration was measured on particles larger than 3 µm.

New masks were washed 10 times at 60 ° C.

After each wash, the masks were tumble dried and then ironed with a soft iron.

The correct holding of the flanges was checked at each cycle.

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