Daily disposal of clinical masks and gowns in a coronavirus context has created acute shortage worldwide. United Kingdom United States Canada France España Nederlands Deutschland Danmark Ceská Republika Korea Italia Hungary Polska Schweiz (Deutsch) Suisse (Français) Global leader in safe, high performance waterproofing, cleaning and conditioning for outdoor gear Why Nikwax Products Systems Environment WebQuiz Stockists Blog Contact Us Repurposing disposable masks and gowns The 2020 Coronavirus crisis has massively increased the demand for PPE, worldwide. In most countries, masks and gowns are largely disposable items. Clearly, if medical practitioners were able to use their gowns more than once, the supply problems would be divided by the number of uses. Could disposable masks and gowns be re-used more safely? Reference Library Click here for a list of relevant PDFs and links we have collected together whilst doing our research. 5 Key Questions: Breaking it down, we need answers to the following: 1. What do disposable masks and gowns actually deliver and how? 2. How could performance be compromised by cleaning and why? 3. How can we avoid damaging performance whilst extending life and ensuring safety? 4. How can we achieve life extension of disposable masks and gowns practically with the tools easily to hand? 5. What are the risks and benefits of applying a cleaning process to make the re-use of disposable masks or gowns safer? QUESTION SHORT ANSWERS Standards and Processes: Masks Standards: Gowns Nikwax Papers 1. What do disposable masks and gowns actually deliver and how? Bodily Fluid Resistance, Water-repellency, Particulate Filtration, Microdroplet Filtration, Physical barrier to infection EN 149:2001 + A1:2009 Respiratory protective devices EN 14683:2019 Medical face mask EN 13795 -Drapes and Gowns Nikwax Single Use Gown Testing 2. How could performance be compromised by cleaning and why? Increased Air Permeability, Higher liquid (water) absorbency, Reduced particulate filtration, Compromised fit, Residual cleaning chemical BS EN 14476:2013+A2:2019 BS EN 14476:2013+A2:2019 Nikwax Single Use Mask Testing 3. How can we avoid damaging performance whilst extending life? Wash Cold, Dry Cool, Avoid persistant wetting agents, Avoid abrasion EN 149:2001 + A1:2009 Respiratory protective devices EN 14683:2019 Medical face mask EN 13795 -Drapes and Gowns As above 4. How can we achieve life extension of disposable masks and gowns practically with the tools easily to hand? Established re-waterproofing technology, Dedicated cold wash-cycle, Known cold temperature broad spectrum disinfectant that does not compromise repellency ISO 18184:2019 Textiles- Determination of antiviral activity of textile products ISO 18184:2019 Textiles- Determination of antiviral activity of textile products As above 5. What are the risks and benefits of applying a cleaning process to make the re-use of disposable masks or gowns safer? Risks: Poor Quality Control, Inadvertent application of standard cleaning protocols Benefits: Improved protection during PPE supply shortage Not applicable Not applicable As above 6. How could this knowledge be applied practically by people in the field? Recommended wash cycles, recommended drying routines, recommended cleaning agents In progress In progress As above How to contact us | Term and conditions | Privacy policy | Ingredients | Cookie policy | Stockists | Trade area | Commercial Laundries Nikwax Ltd. UK VAT no: 235315975, Austria VAT no: ATU63692089 Registered in England & Wales No. 3101664. Registered Office: Unit F, Durgates Industrial Estate, Wadhurst, East Sussex, TN5 6DF E: info@nikwax.com Statistic Cookies On Off Statistic cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously Marketing Cookies On Off Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers