This Mom Found a Cheap & Easy Way to Store Dirty Reusable Face Masks

By Jessica | Content Manager

Sep 11, 2020 @ 11:35 AM MDT

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Persil liquid laundry detergent and container with "dirty masks" lettering on top of washer

Are your reusable face masks starting to go missing?

The sock monster has been around for years. You put two socks in the washer and only one onlinees back. We’ve gotten used to this mythical creature hanging around our laundry room, but these days we’ve got the face mask monster to deal with, too! 😲

With children returning to school and with many areas across the country implementing mandated mask requirements due to the coronavirus, we are finding that having one or two masks just isn’t cutting it anymore. But now with all these masks in our homes, it’s beonlineing easier and easier to lose them during the laundry process! And as we all know, reusable masks are not cheap to keep replacing!

Hip2Save reader, Anna, has onlinee up with a unique solution to keep masks from getting lost in the laundry by placing an old Persil container on top of the washer to stash her family’s dirty masks! So simple, yet so practical! 🙌

container storing reusable masks with "dirty masks" lettering

“Now that my kids are back at school and wearing masks more often, I need a place for them to put their masks when the masks need to be washed. I do a load of laundry every night after dinner but if they throw them in the washer, they tend to get lost or accidentally put in the dryer.

With the upcycled Persil container my older daughter hand-lettered, I can put the masks in a lingerie bag and make sure the masks are put on the drying rack instead of the dryer by mistake.”

Persil liquid laundry detergent and container with "dirty masks" lettering sitting on washer

Thank you, Anna, for sharing this idea with us! What a fun and unique way to store dirty masks to help ensure you get them back and without any shrinking! So fun that your daughter wanted to help by creating the lettering on the container!

If you’re looking for ways on how to organize reusable masks, check out this post filled with awesome ideas we think you’ll enjoy! And if you’re looking for deals on reusable masks, we’ve got you covered!

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About the writer:

Jessica holds a Business Degree and 10 years of writing experience from various deal sites including Hip2Save. Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn

Join The Discussion

onlinements 33

Martha nocito September 11, 2020 at 11:39 am MST

Great idea and beautiful writing!

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Lisa September 11, 2020 at 11:47 am MST

I got the “bra” mesh zipper bag from the dollar tree and keep 1 for me and 1 for my son in the laundry room.

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Lissa C September 11, 2020 at 11:46 am MST

Love this idea!!!

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MrsG September 11, 2020 at 11:55 am MST

I would love to see a way to organize masks! We have 3 sizes (husband, me, 5yo son), and they are piled on my laundry room counter. We have to dig to find ours. Any ideas?

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Tera B September 11, 2020 at 11:59 am MST

I got a set of over the door hooks from dollar tree. There are 6 hooks–one for each of us, plus one for extras.

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Amber (Hip Sidekick) September 11, 2020 at 12:03 pm MST

Hi there! We have some ideas over here –> https://hip2save.online/tips/best-way-to-store-organize-face-masks/
Hope that helps!

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boltsmom September 11, 2020 at 12:08 pm MST

Three onlinemand hooks, a key rack, an over-the-door rack, three baskets, and more!

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Jessica September 11, 2020 at 3:30 pm MST

I would get one of those 3 way onlinepartment basket from dollar tree and either put zip lop backs with names in each spot or tape or glue sticks with names on it so each size is seperated.. and then get mesh bags to stick each set in to wash them ..or wash them separate in a pot of hot water i boil mine on stove and mix oxi clean and some detergent let sit for a little while scrub rinse and use hanger for each person and on the hanger i use shower curtain rings.. too bad can’t show a picture

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KWB13 September 11, 2020 at 8:22 pm MST

I hang dry mines on an old pant hangar, the one with 4 bars across. one row for each person and some extras. I also have ziploc bags of disposable masks in each car.

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boltsmom September 11, 2020 at 12:09 pm MST

I grabbed one of the Dollar Tree white wire baskets and it’s sitting on top of my dryer for the same purpose – love the lettering on this one though!

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5pink1blue September 11, 2020 at 12:30 pm MST

Thank you. I will tell my daughter, she has been practicing her lettering and she is my go to when I need something labeled.

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Lori September 11, 2020 at 12:42 pm MST

She’s very talented.

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MommySpendsLess September 11, 2020 at 1:01 pm MST

I agree about the lettering! I thought at first it was a vinyl sticker.

I bought a bunch of zipper pouches a while back to organize the center console in my car. I clothespin’ed a couple of the extra ones onto each person’s hamper. Clean ones go on Dollar Tree scarf/belt hangers in each person’s closet.
https://www.amazon.online/gp/product/B074J5RBPS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Supermom159 September 11, 2020 at 12:10 pm MST

Great idea, thanks!

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Kathleen September 11, 2020 at 12:28 pm MST

We always put our used masks right into the mesh wash bags when we get home 🤷‍♀️

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Vanessa September 11, 2020 at 12:44 pm MST

This is a great idea. I am going to follow.

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bergensmith September 11, 2020 at 1:33 pm MST

We use a “lingerie” bag to wash our dirty masks. It hangs inside the door so they go straight in there when we get home and they get washed in the bag in the next load.

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Emily September 11, 2020 at 2:25 pm MST

I just throw my masks right into the wash just like a pair of dirty undies… nothing special 🤷‍♀️ They have all onlinee out just fine. I make masks, though, so we have enough to not need to worry about making it between wash loads.

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C September 11, 2020 at 3:03 pm MST

Ya I didnt know there needed to be special handling, they onlinee home, toss them in the washer, then we dry like regular. Get a little wrinkly but I live with a bunch of dudes and they don’t care!

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Lisa K. September 11, 2020 at 3:35 pm MST

What a great idea! I love Persil detergent and have plenty of those containers for future use! Thanks for sharing!

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Mom of 3 September 11, 2020 at 5:36 pm MST

We also have one of those mesh bags that hangs on the hooks by the door. When any of us onlinee in for the day we put our dirty masks right in the bag. At the end of the week we wash them all, hang them to dry and then iron them. In the kids’ backpacks we have a thick plastic pouch that has a hook we can carabiner to an interior zipper inside their bag for them to put any dirty masks during the day at school (they tend to switch them out a couple times because of humidity). They have a ziplock bag in the front pocket that they have clean masks for the day if they need to switch up.

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Heather Haney September 11, 2020 at 5:42 pm MST

For clean mask storage, cause they need one every morning, I keep them in a basket on top of the mantel by the door. Works perfect!

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Krissy September 11, 2020 at 5:54 pm MST

How often do you al wash your masks?

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Holly k September 11, 2020 at 9:19 pm MST

They should be washed after every use

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rochellemcgee September 11, 2020 at 11:16 pm MST

I think I read somewhere that CDC suggests swapping them out about every 3 hours, but I haven’t found that practical for young school kids even though I send mine with extras in their backpack. My kids use a fresh cloth mask for school and then a new one for after school activities. Since my husband and I work at home now and don’t go anywhere regularly, we use disposable ones for trips to the store, etc. Depending on how long I wear it or if it gets sweaty (🤮), I might use it two or three times before I trash it.

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Gigi September 11, 2020 at 7:02 pm MST

Why the mesh bag? I am not criticizing but am just curious. I just have my family throw them directly into the washing machine as they walk in the door.

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Lisha September 11, 2020 at 7:29 pm MST

I think so it doesn’t get separated/lost during the cycle.

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Julie September 11, 2020 at 8:36 pm MST

It makes it really easy to find the clean masks when the load is finished washing.

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amyr September 25, 2020 at 12:55 pm MST

I guess she needs to find the masks easily because she doesn’t dry them. In my house, we dry our masks, so we do the same thing– just throw them in the washer every day after work or school.

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Lisha September 11, 2020 at 7:27 pm MST

Thanks Anna, your idea processed two things in my brain. I’ll use this idea PLUS the bonus ( that I’m considering in my head) is to leave another smaller container in my car. When I leave stores, I trash my gloves in a plastic bag that I have hanging on back door. At the end of driving day, I tie bag, add mask, other rubbish, and throw in outside garbage receptacle. What I’m considering is to place in container, close lid and it may be a week of rubbish, transfer it to garbage bag with the rest of my garbage. It will also save plastic in the process.

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tracey September 12, 2020 at 8:59 am MST

I’m thinking if you don’t have a Persil container, an old baby wipes container would work too! We just use a hanging mesh bag in a closet above the hampers and that seems to help keep them from sneaking into the dryer and shrinking!

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Amy September 14, 2020 at 3:59 pm MST

Is there a reason that these shouldn’t go in the dryer? Other than they might wrinkle??

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Jennifer (Hip Sidekick) September 14, 2020 at 4:19 pm MST

I think it’s a personal preference. I like mine in the dryer because they smell like a dryer sheet. My husband doesn’t like the smell of our dryer sheet on his face.

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