How to Care for Premium and Luxury Masks made of Different Fabrics?

Wearing facemasks can protect you in many ways from a number of invasive particles – from allergens such as dust and pollen to viruses like flu and COVID-19. It is a protective gear that provides some measure of protection; however, it is also an accessory that is invading your fashion sense. In times when it is mandatory to wear one, opting for a premium or luxury mask would somehow compensate with the fashion statement that you are losing.

 So, what is considered a premium mask vs a luxury mask? Premium masks are constructed of premium fabrics such as Ankara Fabric (i.e. Holland Wax) to organic cotton. Luxury masks are made of a variety of fabrics—from cotton to silk! What makes them luxury is the construction of the mask and its embellishments (i.e. Swarovski Stones).

 If you are looking to step up your mask selection and are opting for premium and luxury masks, then this article can help you care and maintain your new fashionable accessory! Now that you know the difference between premium and luxury masks, how can one care for it and maintain its appearance?

Caring for Luxury Masks:

Usually, the go-to method for caring for silk or embellished luxury items is to dry clean it. However, hand washing luxury masks is our recommended mode for cleaning—especially since it is a product that you must place on your face to reduce the risk of COVID-19. Almost all silk can be hand washed (and would not shrink if the silk fabric were pre-shrunk before sewing).

1. If you have hard water, you may wish to first add a spoonful of borax to the washing water. Use lukewarm water and mild, non-alkaline soap (such as Ivory Liquid) or baby shampoo.
2. Soaking silk or embellished fabric for any more than a few minutes should be avoided
3. You can add a few tablespoonfuls of distilled white vinegar to the rinse water to neutralize alkali traces and to dissolve soap residue.
4. Substances containing alcohol will damage silk fabric. Use a soap that is especially good for silk fabric.
5. Do not use chlorine bleach to clean silk or embellished fabric; chlorine will damage the fabric and any embellishments (i.e. metallic)
6. Avoid drying silk in direct sunlight as sunlight for a prolonged period will damage the silk fabric
7. Do not wring or twist; roll in a towel to extract water and hang to dry.

Silk masks may offer a more skin-friendly option as well as a luxurious fashion statement, but this fabric will shrink significantly if you wash it in hot water or place in the dryer. Shrunken masks (in any fabric) won’t do much to protect your nose and mouth!

Caring for Premium Masks

Premium masks are made of blends and most often from 100% cotton. Since these materials are reusable, it is imperative to perform proper care on these masks to maintain its color as well as its efficiency.

Here are some tips for proper washing and maintenance of your premium face masks:

1. It is best to hand wash face masks once a day after use. Keeping that in mind, you must have at least two reusable face masks so that you don’t run out of stock in case the other is washed and hung out to dry.
2. Use a soap or laundry detergent (preferably a hypoallergenic detergent) to ensure all dirt and germs are cleaned thoroughly. Face masks are designed to absorb any kind of dirt, germs, or bacteria to prevent you from inhaling them through your mouth or nose. With that being said, cleaning your mask after reusing it is imperative. Washing it with soap or detergent will definitely do the trick.
3. Use warm water in washing premium masks. Aside from using soap or detergent, the water temperature is also an important part of thoroughly cleaning the mask and making it safe to reuse again. The ideal water temperature, as advised by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), is to maintain the hottest temperature possible in order to fully eradicate any kind of contaminant in the mask. Ideally, that would be around 60 degrees higher.

For those who are working in areas with high air contamination possibilities such as in the kitchen, here are some tips for you to remove grease and its corresponding smell from your beloved clothe masks, according to tipsbulletin.com:

1. Use heavy-duty laundry detergent. They are specially designed and formulated to remove tough stains from fabrics, so this is the safest item to use whenever you need to remove tough grease. If you want to remove the smell further, opt to use detergents with flowery scents to overpower the greasy smell from the face masks.
2. Use bleach for those stubborn stains. Like laundry detergents, bleach can also be used to remove stains. In fact, it is an added item to use in case laundry detergents cannot remove the persistent stains. Use them as you please, on your way to remove stains and even the bad odor from your face masks.
3. Use a soda or cola. An unlikely ingredient in removing a stain is a soda. This drink is acidic in nature and also best in removing stains and grease from many types of fabric. Not only can it clean off the stains and remove the odor but it is also friendly to the environment. Have a go at this to see the wonderful results soda can have on your beloved face masks.
4. Use distilled white vinegar. While rinsing the mask, you can add around a ½ cup of distilled white vinegar to help rinse off the grease stains and the smell.
5. Use ammonia. In the absence of bleach or if you opt not to use it, you can also use ammonia to remove grime and stink as well.
6. Use borax. Add ½ cup of borax into a tub of laundry, and let it work its magic in removing stains. One concern in using borax is that it is deemed dangerous as it can induce a burning sensation on the skin, the eyes, and all around the body as well. So, be careful and follow all washing instructions on the borax label!

Along with the branded items dedicated to clean and remove stains from fabrics, the above can also do the same. It is best to ensure the premium and luxury masks that you love to wear will stay clean, odor-free, and most especially, fit for reuse again.

To find out more about reusable premium and luxury face masks, please feel free to visit www.sonson.com.