#Putting an N95 mask in an Instant Pot decontaminates it: study

Last year’s hot kitchen appliance is trendy again — this time, for being a virus killer.

A recent study showed that electric multicookers — often dubbed Crock-Pots, slow cookers or Instant Pots — can decontaminate N95 masks.

In the report published last month in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, researchers from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign discovered the electric multicooker is capable of decontaminating N95 respirators without chemicals and without compromising the equipment’s filtration or fit.

“There are many different ways to sterilize something, but most of them will destroy the filtration or the fit of an N95 respirator,” said Vishal Verma, study author and environmental engineering professor, in a press release. “Any sanitation method would need to decontaminate all surfaces of the respirator, but equally important is maintaining the filtration efficacy and the fit of the respirator to the face of the wearer. Otherwise, it will not offer the right protection.”

Study authors found that one cooking cycle using an electric multicooker struck the perfect balance of decontamination without destruction. After a single 50-minute cooking cycle at 212 degrees they discovered masks were intact and successfully sanitized.

“The respirators maintained their filtration capacity of more than 95% and kept their fit, still properly seated on the wearer’s face, even after 20 cycles of decontamination in the electric cooker,” said Verma.

For the hack to work, it’s important not to add water to the cooker to prevent damage. It’s also vital that the respirator is placed on top of a towel inside the device to prevent the mask from coming into direct contact with its heating element.

To demonstrate the potentially life-saving hack, the scientists made a cooking video explaining their research and decontamination method.

Global demand for N95 masks skyrocketed as a result of the coronavirus. Many supply chains have been unable to keep up with demand, which has put health-care workers’ lives in danger. The DIY trick is clever and possibly an efficient fix for the personal protective equipment shortages which continue to put essential workers at risk.