Can KN95 and N95 masks be reused?

Yes! But it must be done safely. Dr. Kaitlin Sundling recommends air drying your N95 or KN95 masks for 5 days and you can reuse them again.

Dr. Sundling rotates between 5-7 masks. She keeps her high filtration masks in separate brown paper bags after each use. Potential virus contamination dies off in over 5 days. Rotate your masks so that you have one available for each day.

Replace your masks if the straps break, the fit is poor, they look dirty or smell bad. In non-healthcare settings, you can safely reuse your mask for at least 40 hours of wear time.

Here is what NOT to do: Don't spray your N95 or KN95 with anything, including alcohol. Don’t wash it. Don’t bake it. Don’t do anything that will degrade the respirator filter which can capture over 95% of the particles from the air that passes through it.