Spraying Alcohol On Surgical Masks: Is It Safe?

Spraying alcohol on surgical masks is not advisable as it renders them ineffective. Surgical masks are designed with a white absorbent side and outer layers that are water-repellent, preventing water droplets and fluids from being absorbed into the mask from the outside. Spraying alcohol on the mask dissolves the waterproof coating, allowing water to pass through. This was demonstrated in a video by Taiwanese actor Richard Juan, where a mask that initially retained water started leaking water after being sprayed with 75 percent alcohol.

Is it ok to spray alcohol on surgical masks?

Spraying alcohol on surgical masks can damage the waterproof layer

Surgical masks are designed with a white absorbent side and coloured outer layers that are water-repellent. The water-repellent layer prevents water droplets and fluids from being absorbed into the mask from the outside. However, spraying alcohol on the mask can damage this waterproof coating.

Alcohol is both lipophilic and hydrophilic, meaning it will dissolve in lipids or fats and be attracted to water. As a result, when sprayed on a surgical mask, alcohol will dissolve part of the waterproof coating, creating a "big breach in its defences". This is demonstrated in a video where a woman fills a surgical mask with water. The mask retains the water well, but when sprayed with 75% alcohol, water starts rapidly pouring through the mask.

A chemistry teacher at Taipei's Kainan Vocational High School explained that "many people spray alcohol on their masks to disinfect them, but what they do not realise is that this will damage the waterproof material". The affected areas will become transparent, indicating where the waterproof layer has been destroyed. Even if the mask is quickly dried with a hairdryer, its effectiveness has already been compromised.

Therefore, it is not advisable to spray alcohol on surgical masks as it will render them ineffective by damaging the waterproof layer. If you feel the need to spray your mask with alcohol, it is not clean and should be replaced.

Alcohol is both lipophilic and hydrophilic, which dissolves the waterproof coating

Spraying alcohol on surgical masks is not advisable. Surgical masks are composed of a white absorbent inner layer and coloured outer layers that are water-repellent. The water-repellent outer layers prevent water droplets and fluids from being absorbed into the mask from the outside.

Alcohol is both lipophilic and hydrophilic. Lipophilic substances combine with or dissolve in lipids or fats, while hydrophilic substances are attracted to water. As alcohol exhibits both these properties, it will dissolve the waterproof coating on the outer layer of the surgical mask.

A chemistry teacher at Taipei's Kainan Vocational High School explains:

> "Because of the need to block liquid droplets, the masks have a layer of waterproof coating on the surface. After alcohol is added, as alcohol is both lipophilic (will combine with/dissolve in lipids or fats) and hydrophilic (attracted to water), it will dissolve part of this coating."

By spraying alcohol on a surgical mask, you are removing the barrier that prevents water droplets from passing through the mask. This will render the mask ineffective at blocking liquid droplets.

Therefore, it is not advisable to spray alcohol on surgical masks as it will dissolve the waterproof coating, reducing the mask's effectiveness. Instead, proper hand hygiene, mask removal, and disposal are recommended to maintain the effectiveness of the mask.

A damaged surgical mask becomes ineffective

A surgical mask is composed of a white absorbent inner layer and coloured outer layers that are water-repellent. The inner layer prevents bodily fluids from escaping the mask, while the outer layers prevent water droplets and fluids from being absorbed into the mask from the outside.

Spraying alcohol on a surgical mask will damage its waterproof coating. Alcohol is both lipophilic and hydrophilic, meaning it will dissolve in lipids or fats and be attracted to water. Thus, when alcohol is sprayed on a surgical mask, it will dissolve the waterproof layer, creating a "big breach in its defences".

A video demonstrating this phenomenon shows that a surgical mask filled with water starts leaking water rapidly after alcohol is sprayed on it. The affected areas of the mask also become transparent, indicating that the waterproof layer has been destroyed.

Therefore, spraying alcohol on a surgical mask will damage it and render it ineffective at blocking liquid droplets. If you feel the need to spray your mask with alcohol, it is not clean and should be replaced.

Sterilizing a surgical mask with a rice cooker is a better alternative

Spraying alcohol on surgical masks is not advisable. Surgical masks have a white absorbent side and outer coloured layers that are water-repellent. The water-repellent layer prevents water droplets and fluids from being absorbed into the mask from the outside. If you spray alcohol on a waterproof coating, it dissolves the barrier and lets water pass through.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also commented on the issue, stating that spraying alcohol or high-temperature drying might damage the structure of masks and affect their protective effect.

The use of rice cookers to sterilize masks has been demonstrated by Taiwan's health minister and has been supported by scientists in Ohio and researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This method of sterilization aligns with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on reusing N95 respirators, which lists "moist heat" as a promising method of decontamination.

If you feel the need to spray your mask with alcohol, it isn't clean, so discard it

Surgical masks are designed with a white absorbent side and coloured outer layers that are water-repellent. This prevents water droplets and fluids from being absorbed into the mask from the outside. The absorbent layer also prevents your bodily fluids from escaping the mask.

If you feel the need to spray your mask with alcohol, it is likely that your mask is already contaminated. Alcohol is both lipophilic (it combines with/dissolves in lipids or fats) and hydrophilic (attracted to water). Therefore, spraying alcohol on a surgical mask will dissolve the waterproof coating, creating a "big breach in its defences".

In a video demonstrating why spraying alcohol ruins surgical masks, a woman fills a surgical mask with water. The mask retains the water quite well. However, when an assistant sprays 75 per cent alcohol on the mask, water starts rapidly pouring through the mask.

The World Health Organization reminds us that proper hand hygiene, mask removal, and disposal are important, along with other preventive measures. If you feel the need to spray your mask with alcohol, it is not clean, so discard it and use a new one.

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