Fire officials in Louisiana: Do not microwave your face mask

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Microwaving face masks will result in fire. Viral social media posts advise people to zap their cloth face coverings in the microwave “for two to three minutes” to sanitize them.

Many of these masks contain a metal nose strip and the combination of the fabric and the metal creates a significant threat of fire.

DO NOT place any face mask in the microwave for any amount of time. There is no evidence this will properly sanitize the mask. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a hot spin in the washing machine is the best way to clean and sanitize cloth face masks. Officials also recommend washing with a high-grade detergent and a small amount of bleach to disinfect the masks of any germs.

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