To guard yourself against the ongoing coronavirus infections, you have the dual options of face masks and the cloth face covering to leverage. Many people are often confused as to which may suit their needs. Particularly, they want to know which of the two is the more efficient.
We want to help you to solve these twin issues. To do that, we have identified the differences between these two pieces of protective attire and have examined their differences here for you. Following these shall be explanations and fair comparisons about their efficacy and the one that may mostly suit your needs.
Below are the common differences between these two kinds of masks and how they measure up in terms of efficiency:
Table of Contents
Scope or Extent of the Coverage
From their name, it is clear that the face mask only covers the critical face features like the nose and the mouth. It does not extend to those other critical areas that may also act as channels within which the infections may trickle into the body of the wearer.
The cloth face covering on the other hand does extend to the whole face completely. It is as such great and important for conferring wholesome protection to all the facial features. Thus, it is more suitable and prepared for the purpose of conferring adequate protection from the COVID-19 germs.
Settings Applicable
You will find the face mask largely applicable in areas that have fewer people and also less likely to experience heavier levels of infections. These include the classroom settings, offices, and homes. Such areas are really not that much risky to walk around in.
As for the cloth face covering, it is generally awesome and relevant at such times and places that have a higher flow of traffic. These include the public parks and settings in which the risks of getting infected are pretty much high. Its suitability for the said role is demonstrated by the fact that it is more protective.
Particles Protected
A face mask is only capable of offering protection against non-toxic particles like pollen, dust, fumes, and aerosols. It is largely incapable of providing protection against the heavier particles that are more likely to bring about higher levels of infection and contaminations of the hosts.
You will need a full cloth face covering if you want to stay away from the heaviest debris and other heavier particles. These include dust, lead, paint, and the coronavirus. From this, it is clear that the face mask is more likely to provide you with the highest levels of protection from all germs and contaminants.
Care and Maintenance
Most face masks we have are easier to handle and care for. They are disposable and hence do not require extreme care and maintenance from you. For this reason, they are suitable for people who lack the luxury of time to handle the cleanliness and the maintenance of these masks every now and then.
The cloth face covering on the other hand requires some extreme care and maintenance from you. That is because they are largely reusable and hence will have to be washed to revert them to their original states. If you lack the necessary time and manpower, you may find them a little bit too strenuous to handle and work with.
Applications and Handling
With a face mask, you can do no more than protecting your nostrils from the dust particles and the mild contaminants we have around. The same might not be said of the cloth face covering. The latter is pretty comprehensive and well able to confer to you numerous other benefits.
These include the matters of décor, aesthetics, and the trapping of warmth when it is too cold outside. It hence goes that you stand to enjoy so much more with these kinds of masks as opposed to those that can only offer cover to the facial features alone.
Longevity
A typical face mask has a somewhat shorter lifespan. It only survives one cycle of use and has to be disposed of almost immediately it is used. This means you have to purchase a new one every now and then each time you want to make do with one.
Generally, a cloth face covering is long-lasting and well able to manage many cycles of use. This stems from the fact that it may be washed and reused a couple of times. Other than the lower consists of handling and engagement, these coverings are pretty convenient to make use of.
Levels of Comfort
When all factors are put into consideration, the face mask is less comfortable to work with. The kinds of materials that are used to make it up are not really soft and warm enough. They also do not contour firmly to the unique shapes and features of the facial features.
The cloth face covering is very comfortable on the other hand. Not only are the materials used to make them up very strong but also do they cuddle and wrap themselves well on the facial features. Then comes the ability to trap the warmth and also give off some aesthetic appeals.
Sum total Benefits
All factors considered, you can only do so few with a face mask. Apart from merely covering your facial features and blocking out the mild dust particles, there is almost nothing else you can do with this kind of item. For this reason, it is really not that much profitable to make do with.
The same might never be said of the cloth face covering. It provides warmth to the wearers, exudes some aesthetics, blocks out even the heavier particles, and also lasts many spates of uses. You hence stand to reap so much more if and when you eventually opt for it.
Conclusion
…and the winner is CLOTH FACE COVERING! It beats its face mask counterpart in almost all parameters except the fact that it is more expensive to come by. Want to start out a purchase? Click this link 4inbandana to embark on a suitable purchase and access more information. As always, we wish you the very best in your search.
