Why You Should Wash Your Yoga Tie Dye Masks Regularly

Due to the rapid spread of the deadly Coronavirus, businesses were forced to close, far too many people have already died, and so many people are still in the process of recovering from this infectious disease.  Governments have implemented preventive measures to limit this virus’s proliferation, like social or physical distancing, extensive lockdowns, wearing of face masks and face shields, and much more. 

Amidst this pandemic, to get a feel of a little bit of normalcy, a lot of yogis are now back on the routine of doing yoga – even if it means wearing a yoga mask. Wearing a yoga mask has now become a part of their new normal. They even tried to pimp up their masks with quirky designs to complement their outfit – just like tie dye masks. 

Many articles have already tackled the proper way to use a yoga face mask, but one crucial thing that is mostly overlooked is how to wash a yoga mask properly and how often it should be done. 

A yoga mask is a piece of cloth that covers the nose and mouth to protect yogis from getting the virus from the surroundings and, at the same time, avoids the spread of the disease if they have it. A mask is a piece of material that you always have to put on if you are outdoors, so you must always wash and clean it in the proper way. In fact, as per the Centers for Disease Control or CDC, yoga tie dye masks, or any mask for that matter, should always be regularly washed, depending upon its frequency of use. 

 

The Importance of Washing Your Yoga Tie Dye Masks

As already repeatedly stated by health experts, face masks, once already used, should already be considered contaminated. And because it is in direct contact with the nose and mouth, there is indeed a risk that any harmful particles on the mask would get into the respiratory system and most likely infect you. You will inevitably touch the mask with your hands, especially when you take it off or put it on. There are times also that you need to take off your mask, and you might put it in a place that has been contaminated with the Coronavirus. Bear in mind that face masks are not ironclad and can also be a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria. Therefore, face masks must be properly washed and cleaned every after use.  

Yoga masks are no different. Experts recommend that you wash and disinfect your yoga face mask regularly, for the same reason you wash the clothes you have already worn.  Not doing this would significantly increase the risk of you getting infected with disease-carrying particles present in the surrounding air (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi). If you do not regularly wash your yoga mask, it could infect other items that you placed it on once you took it off. For instance, if the mask has already been infected with the virus and you put it on the table, for sure, the table would also be contaminated with whatever harmful virus is present on the mask. To put it simply, if the mask has the virus, these deadly particles would, therefore, eventually wind up on the different surfaces of your house.

 

How Often Is “Regularly” When Washing Your Yoga Tie Dye Masks

Though it was not explicitly explained in the guidelines presented by CDC, a justifiable rule to follow is to wash your yoga mask every night. It is highly recommended to wash them every after use, so at the end of the day, you should wash it before you have to use it again the next day. Furthermore, doing yoga or any workout will get you all sweaty. If you were out for the whole day, or if you had been working out, you would have to wash it after use. This way, you will be sure that your face mask is clean and ready to be used the next time you have to leave your house.

This basic rule of thumb applies to all – it does not matter if the place you are located in has the most or the least number of active Covid-19 cases. If your yoga mask is soiled, has sweat all over it, or if you had coughed or sneezed into it, then that would be other examples of why it would be best to wash it once you get home. 

It would also be better to have a yoga mask stash available, not just one. This is to ensure that you will always have a clean one available anytime you will need to change your yoga mask.

 

What If I Do Not Have A Cloth Mask, Only A Disposable One?

There are various types of face masks that people can use whenever they go out — cloth masks, N95 masks, and surgical masks. Cloth masks are the best pick to use when doing physical activities such as working out, running, and yoga.  

Suppose you are using disposable industrial or surgical face masks to work out (though they are not the best ones to use for this sort of activity). In that case, disposing of them after use will be your only way of making sure that it will not contaminate any other surface. They do not have to and cannot be washed. If it becomes too costly to maintain, or it is not practicable because you do not have a considerable stockpile of disposable face masks, then maybe you should make the switch to a cloth mask that you can conveniently wash it at the end of the day.

 

The Recommended Way to Wash Yoga Tie Dye Masks

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stated that the best and quickest way to wash a cloth face mask would be putting it in a washing machine with an antibacterial detergent. In addition, experts recommend using hot water to ensure that they will be thoroughly sanitized.

You could also handwash your yoga mask. Soak it in hot water for at least a minute and then wash and scrub it vigorously with an antibacterial soap (your hand soap will also do). Never wash or spray your yoga mask using a disinfectant solution. You will only end up inhaling toxic substances.