Should you use a cloth mask which makes it easy to breathe and washable option, or go with the disposable masks which will cost more in the long run?
Personally, it depends on your purpose for wearing the mask in the first place. If it Is for health reasons, then it would be best to go with a good quality mask.
Masks may all look the same, but the qualities are all different (hence the price). For a 3 ply medical mask, the middle layer is the most important to determine the filtration level.
The easiest way to check if the quality of the mask is decent is to put water on it, and if the water does not penetrate through, then it means the filtration level is good.
If you use a handkerchief or a homemade cloth mask, the filtration level will most likely be around 10 – 15%.
Whereas a disposable mask (if used correctly) :
FFP1 – approximate fitration 80% (leakage in 22%)
FFP2 – approximate filtration 94% (leakage in 8%)
FFP3 – approximate filtration 99% (leakage in 2%).
It is important to know that the masks you are buying are certified properly by a government body to make sure its safe to use.