By now, face masks are becoming just as much a part of our daily routine as our phones, keys, and wallets. There are tons of face masks to choose from (like the Delish collection or Kraft mac & cheese designs, to name a few) but for those who are still wearing disposable masks and want to sanitize them to improve their longevity, there are quite a few hacks, one of which is as easy as turning on your Instant Pot.
It's important to note that the CDC says that cloth masks are OK for most individuals. Masks like the N95 are meant for medical professionals, but if you happen to be using them and want to be able to get multiple uses out of them, your Instant Pot will come in handy. If you don't have an Instant Pot, any multi-cooker that can reach 149 degrees Fahrenheit for a prolonged period of time will work.
The Department of Homeland Security published a YouTube video that shows a step-by-step tutorial on how to properly sanitize these masks. All you'll need is a multi-cooker, disposable gloves, distilled or boiled water, a paper bag, and either a paperclip or stapler. You'll also need a rack of some sort to keep your mask from touching the water when inside the cooker, though many Instant Pots already come with one.
To start, you'll put the water in the Instant Pot, then place the rack inside. With your gloves on, you'll want to put your N95 mask inside of the paper bag. You can nest up to three masks for sanitization at a time. Once the masks are secured in the bag, you should dispose of your gloves properly and close the paper bag with a stapler or paper clip. Then, you'll put the paper bag in the Instant Pot, making sure the rack is tall enough so the bag and mask doesn't touch the water and get wet.
You'll want to use the sous vide function on the Instant Pot, which doesn't use pressure. Once this function is selected, set the temperature to 149 degrees Fahrenheit on a 30-minute timer. After the time is up, it will take about one hour for the masks to dry and then they'll be ready for use again.
Remember: N95 masks are meant to be single-use, so this process should only be done if you have a mask shortage, and will work up to five separate times. After that, you should dispose of it and get a new mask to use to ensure safety, and of course, give your Instant Pot a proper clean before using it for any cooking.
