Cleaning a reusable respirator involves disassembling it, washing the parts in warm soapy water no hotter than 110°F, disinfecting with a dilute bleach solution, rinsing thoroughly, and air drying. The entire process takes about 15 minutes and should happen after every use if the respirator is shared, or regularly enough to keep it sanitary if it’s yours alone.
This guide covers reusable elastomeric respirators (half-face and full-face models). Disposable N95s require a completely different approach, covered at the end.
Step 1: Disassemble Everything
Start by removing all filters, cartridges, and canisters from the facepiece. Then take apart the remaining components: the speaking diaphragm, any valve assemblies, hoses, and anything else your manufacturer’s instructions say to remove. Set filters and cartridges aside on a clean surface. They will not go into the water.
While disassembling, inspect each part. Look for cracked or torn rubber, warped plastic, and corroded metal. Pay special attention to the exhalation valve. It must sit flat against its seat with no dirt, fibers, or foreign material trapped underneath. A dirty or deformed valve can leak enough air to compromise your protection. If any part is damaged, replace it before you use the respirator again.
Step 2: Wash With Warm Soapy Water
Fill a basin with warm water and a mild dish detergent. The water temperature must stay at or below 110°F (43°C). Hotter water can warp rubber and silicone seals, ruining the fit of your facepiece. If you can comfortably hold your hand in the water, the temperature is about right.
Submerge the facepiece components and scrub them with a soft-bristle brush (not wire) to loosen sweat, oils, and debris. Get into the crevices around the nose area, the seal edges, and the valve housing. Rinse all components under clean, warm running water and let them drain.
Step 3: Disinfect for Two Minutes
If your detergent doesn’t contain a built-in disinfectant, you need a separate disinfecting soak. The simplest option is a dilute bleach solution: mix about 2 milliliters (roughly half a teaspoon) of regular 5.25% household bleach into one liter of warm water. This creates a sanitizing solution of about 72 parts per million free chlorine. Submerge all facepiece components for two full minutes.
A few important details about this solution:
- Use it within 24 hours. After that, it loses its sanitizing strength.
- Check your bleach concentration. Standard household bleach is typically 5.25% sodium hypochlorite. If yours is a different concentration, the ratio changes. Replace your bleach supply every three months to ensure it hasn’t degraded.
- Bleach can damage respirator materials over time. So can iodine-based solutions and quaternary ammonium cleaners. This is manageable as long as you move to the next step immediately.
Step 4: Rinse Thoroughly
This is the most important step, and it’s easy to rush. Rinse every component under clean, warm running water until you can’t detect any soap or bleach residue. Then rinse again. Detergent or disinfectant left on a facepiece will cause skin irritation or dermatitis where the seal contacts your face. Residual bleach or iodine will also degrade rubber seals and corrode metal parts over time, shortening the life of your respirator.
Step 5: Dry and Reassemble
Pat components dry with a clean, lint-free cloth, or set them on a clean surface to air dry completely. Do not use a hair dryer, heat gun, or compressed air. Do not place parts in direct sunlight or near a heater. Excessive heat and UV exposure break down rubber and silicone.
Once everything is fully dry, reassemble the respirator. Reinstall fresh filters or cartridges if the old ones have reached the end of their service life. Seat the exhalation valve carefully and make sure its cover is properly attached. Do a quick function check: put the respirator on, seal the filters with your palms, and inhale. The facepiece should pull snugly against your face without air leaking in. If air leaks around the seal or through the exhalation valve, something is wrong, and the respirator shouldn’t be used until you identify and fix the problem.
What Not to Use for Cleaning
Avoid isopropyl alcohol and alcohol-based wipes on respirator components, especially anything near filter media. Alcohol vapors strip the electrostatic charge from filter layers, which is the primary mechanism that catches very small particles. Research has shown that even indirect alcohol exposure (like handling a respirator with freshly sanitized hands) can reduce filtration efficiency. In one study, a 30-minute surface cleaning with alcohol-based sanitizer reduced the effective filtration of N95 respirators by nearly 9%.
Avoid solvents, abrasive cleaners, and wire brushes. These can scratch sealing surfaces and create invisible pathways for contaminated air to bypass your filters.
Never Wash Filters or Cartridges
Filters, cartridges, and canisters should never be submerged in water or cleaning solution. Manufacturers explicitly recommend against cleaning or disinfecting filter media. Wetting a particulate filter destroys its ability to trap particles, and submerging a chemical cartridge can wash out or saturate the sorbent material inside. If your filters are visibly dirty, clogged, or have been exposed to contamination, replace them.
How to Store a Clean Respirator
OSHA requires that respirators be stored in a way that protects them from damage, contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, and damaging chemicals. The facepiece and exhalation valve must not be compressed or bent during storage, because even minor deformation can break the seal against your face.
A resealable plastic bag works for short-term storage if you keep it in a clean, temperate location. For longer storage, use a rigid container or the case the respirator came in. Keep it away from tool drawers, chemical cabinets, and car dashboards where heat and fumes can cause damage.
How Often to Clean
If the respirator is assigned to you alone, clean it as often as needed to keep it sanitary. For most people doing regular work in dusty or contaminated environments, that means after each day of use. If the respirator is shared between workers, it must be cleaned and disinfected before a different person puts it on. There’s no exception to this rule.
What About Disposable N95 Respirators?
Disposable respirators are not designed to be washed. Standard soap-and-water cleaning will destroy their filtration and structural integrity. During shortages, NIH research validated a few decontamination methods that kill pathogens while preserving enough structural integrity for limited reuse.
Vaporized hydrogen peroxide performed best, with respirators maintaining their fit and seal through three reuses after 10-minute treatments. Dry heat at 158°F (70°C) and ultraviolet light both worked when applied for at least 60 minutes, but respirators showed fit problems after two reuses. Spraying with 70% ethanol killed the virus but damaged the respirator’s fit after just two rounds, making it unsuitable for decontamination.
These methods were developed for healthcare settings with proper equipment. If you’re reusing a disposable N95 at home, the safest low-tech approach is to rotate between several respirators, letting each one sit unused for at least five days between wearings, and checking the fit and seal every time before putting it on.