Officially, KN95 masks are for single-use only and should be disposed of after use. However, . . . for whatever reason you need to reuse your KN95 mask, here’s the easiest way to sanitize it without compromising its effectivity in protecting you.
According to studies, you can use your rice cooker or crockpot to effectively sanitize your mask without damaging its ability to filter out viruses. Researchers at the University of Illinois say that 50 minutes of dry heat in either one of the appliances can kill four types of viruses, including a coronavirus.
Let your appliance heat up for five minutes at 347 °F (175 °C). Then line the inside with a towel before you place your mask in – if you skip this step, you risk melting your mask. Once inside, let your mask heat for 50 minutes. After this, your mask will be sanitized and undamaged by the heat. You can use this method to sanitize your mask up to 20 times; after that, it’s best to discard your mask as its filtration abilities may already be compromised.