FAQ

Silver Lining Super Mask has the following new features:
- Antibacterial fabric infused with silver compounds backed by lab-tested 99.7-99.9% antibacterial results to prevent cross-contamination.
- Nose guard: For a more secure fit around the nose area to fit all nose and cheek shapes. Underwire beneath fabric for better aesthetics.
- Close-loop adjustable ear straps: super easy to adjust to fit different head sizes and never hurt your ears.
- It comes in a re-sealable bag: for safe storage between wear.
- It has our HH logo elegantly embroidered on the upper right corner. 

Bacteria and viruses) are microscopic. They disintegrate when they are killed.  There are no visible remains.

Silver ions perform their deadly work by punching holes in bacterial membranes and wreaking havoc once inside. They bind to essential cell components like DNA, preventing the bacteria from performing even their most basic functions. There are studies show that up to 99.99% of bacteria are killed by contact wit silver. (source: sciencemag.org)

Silver has been used for centuries as an antimicrobial to kill harmful bacteria. Ancient civilizations applied the metal to open wounds. Ship captains tossed silver coins into storage barrels to keep drinking water fresh. Romans, Egyptians, and Greeks dropped silver coins into fountains and stored drinking water and food in silver vessels. Silver was a popular antimicrobial material into the 20th century. One of its most widespread uses was silver nitrate drops placed in the eyes of newborns to prevent infections that commonly caused blindness.

With the discovery of antibiotics in the mid-1900s, silver became less commonly used as a remedy for infection, although In hospitals today, silver is used in bandages to treat burn victims, destroy pathogenic microbes on catheters, and combat dangerous "superbugs" that have grown resistant to traditional antibiotic drugs. Today, in the face of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, silver is re-emerging as an important antimicrobial agent in the field of infection prevention.

Unlike antibiotics that kill specific micro-organisms, silver ions simultaneously attack up to 10 sites in the cell which stop reproduction and cause cell death. Mutated pathogens do not survive. As a result, there are no known silver resistant micro-organisms among medically relevant strains. This property has caused infection disease doctors and wound care specialists to select silver technology for medical devices and to prevent diseases.

Silver ions kill a broad-spectrum of medically relevant micro-organisms that include bacteria, fungi (molds and yeasts) and deactivate viruses. Some research also shows that silver even kills the deadly, drug-resistant MRSA pathogen, now responsible for up to 94,000 life-threatening infections. 

The mineral silver is has the amazing ability to fight and destroy antibiotic-resistant super-pathogens.  While employed at UCLA Medical School in the 1980s, Larry C. Ford, MD, documented that silver can actually kill over 650 bacteria, fungi, parasites, molds and fungi that have the potential to sprout diseases. At the same time the tests established that silver has no known side effects.  You can actually find silver supplements in many health food stores these days for its immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory benefits. 

A study published in the International Forum for Allergy and Rhinology in 2015 says that silver can help sinus infections. Studies also found that hidden infections by pathogens could be a cause of respiratory inflammation associated with common allergies and asthma. Silver destroys Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, which may be the reason why airborne allergy sufferers experience excellent results from using silver. 

PPM stands for "parts per million" and it is about the density of particles in the airs, not about the size of the particles.  When they say 2.5 ppm, it is really for anti-dust or air pollution, not for blocking viruses. 

What you should care about in terms of blocking viruses is PM.  PM stands for "particulate matter". It is an air suspended mixture of solid and liquid particles. PM 2.5 is a fine particle that is 1-2.5 micrometer. PM 1.0 is ultra fine particle that is less than 1 micrometer. And coronavirus is 0.1 micrometer. So these PM 2.5 or PM 1.0 masks can’t really stop coronavirus since coronaviruses are much smaller than them. 

This is why you need triple layered masks that will try to block the viruses and deter them at least 3 times every time a virus tries to enter and penetrate through your mask.

We recommend you always wash cloth mask before every use, including the first time.  Wash it right after each use to avoid cross contamination. If you can't wash them right away, store them in isolated area to avoid the spread. 

Hand wash it in cold water with mild detergent.  Detergent alone will kill bacteria and viruses so no need to use hot water.  Hang dry.  No ironing. No machine dry.

Because Silver Lining Super Masks has a metal underwire nose guard, we recommend you take extra caution when cleaning them.

Organic Beauty is the formulation of cosmetic products using organically farmed ingredients. These ingredients are grown without the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GM), herbicides, synthetic fertilizers and more.

When you buy certified organic products, you are choosing to say:

- NO animal testing

- NO GM (genetic modification)

- NO controversial chemicals

- NO parabens and phthalates

- NO synthetic colors, dyes or fragrances

- NO nano particles

And more importantly, says:

- YES to sustainably sourced organic ingredients

- YES to transparent manufacturing processes

- YES to biodegradable ingredients

- YES to minimal packaging with maxi mum recycled content

- YES to protecting wildlife and biodiversity

It contains 75% of organic alcohol distilled from organic wheat. It is well above the minimum level recommended by US CDC (Center of Disease Control). We formulated it based on the latest studies published in February 2020 on Coronavirus, which indicated that disinfectant with 75% of alcohol is recommended to prevent transmission of Coronavirus.

Some water is necessary because proteins are not denatured easily in the absence of water. To unravel the pathogen’s proteins, some water in the hand sanitizer is helpful, so 100 percent alcohol isn’t a good option.

Our essential oils were carefully selected for their delightful aroma and hydrating benefits, as well as for their antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial and antifungal functions.

Our product contains ZERO synthetic fragrance.  The scent you smell in our product is natural from the organic essential oils we carefully selected, many of which have antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.  

In international markets, you may see our product label listing "perfume" as one of our ingredients because we have to follow the International labeling law for cosmetics (INCI) in non-US markets, which requires all fragrances including natural ones to be listed as "perfume" or "parfum".

No! You should not drink this product under any circumstances. It is not designed to be ingested and should never be taken orally. It must be kept away from reach of Children at all times.

We've never tested on animals and we never will.  Period.

We currently don't ship hand sanitizers internationally due to the high alcohol content that prohibits shipping by air. 
For international orders of face masks, please send us an email at sales@hygiene-hero.com.  Thanks!

There are a lot of false statements out there about how hand sanitizers can only kill bacteria. That has been corrected by both CDC and WHO, which is why both organizations strongly encourages everyone to use alcohol-based hand sanitizers to help combat coronavirus.

Our product contains 75% alcohol, the exact level recommended by the study published in February 2020.

- https://www.factcheck.org/2020/03/contrary-to-false-posts-sanitizer-helpful-against-coronavirus/

- see English study summary: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12519-020-00343-7#Sec36

- see original announcement by national health center of China http://www.nhc.gov.cn/xcs/nwwd/202002/a8310f522fd44895afcfb731dce1ef64.shtml

This announcement said that 75% alcohol is recommended to prevent coronavirus. However, our product has NOT been specifically tested again coronavirus.

To combat coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention instructs people to use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.

“Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing,” the CDC says. “If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.”

Likewise, the World Health Organization says that “washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.”

Many experts have agreed that hand sanitizers work, too — because the alcohol disrupts the outer membrane layer, or envelope, of viral particles.

https://www.newsweek.com/this-why-soap-so-effective-stopping-spread-coronavirus-1491203

Benhar Lee, a professor of microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai said, “Alcohol-based hand-sanitizers DO work against coronaviruses; this is what is universally recommended by hospital infection control to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS0CoV-2. However, alcohol-based hand-sanitizers complement but do not replace proper hand-washing with soap and water.”

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-washing-your-hands-so-important-anyway-180974355/

While soap physically dismantles the envelope using brute force, alcohol changes the envelope’s chemical properties, making it less stable and more permeable to the outside world, says Dr. Benhur Lee. (Note that “alcohol” here means a chemical like ethanol or isopropyl alcohol—not a beverage like vodka, which contains only some ethanol.)

Alcohol also can penetrate deep into the pathogen’s interior, wreaking havoc on proteins throughout the virus.

Hand sanitizers made without alcohol—like some marketed as “baby-safe” or “natural”—won’t have the same effect.

Coronaviruses are often carried through liquid droplets in air.  Unlike regular cloth masks or other non-waterproof masks, masks made of waterproof materials can help prevent viruses from penetrating through the fabric. 

The outer layer of the three layers in Hygiene Hero Super Mask was made of waterproof fabric exactly for that reason.  

Here is a step-by-step guideline for cloth mask wearing for maximum protection:

Cloth face masks should be worn in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, such as in grocery stores, post office, etc. 

1. Before putting on a mask, clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

2. Cover mouth and nose with mask and make sure it is snug and there are no gaps between your face and the mask.

3. Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. 

4. Remove the mask by untying it or lifting off the ear loops (Don't touch the front of the mask or your face).

5. Wash your hands immediately after removing your mask.

6. Put the used mask in a plastic bag that doesn't have contact with other objects until you wash it.  Wash the mask after each use, so it is a good idea to have at least 2-3 masks to rotate throughout the week.

7. Hand wash Hygiene Hero Super Mask with non-bleach detergent and cold water after each use and hang dry; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.  

8. Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand sanitizers or soap and water. 

Yes, face masks combined with other preventive measures, such as frequent hand-washing and social distancing, help slow the spread of the disease, according to Center of Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), Mayo Clinic and most credible medical experts and organizations. 

While surgical and N95 masks are in short supply and must be reserved for health care providers, cloth masks are easy to find and can be washed and reused.

Asking everyone to wear cloth masks can help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by people who have the disease but don't realize it. And countries that required face masks, testing, isolation and social distancing early in the pandemic seem to have had some success slowing the disease's spread.

At that time, experts didn't yet know the extent to which people with COVID-19 could spread the virus before symptoms appeared. Nor was it known that some people have COVID-19 but don't have any symptoms. Both groups can unknowingly spread the virus to others.

These discoveries led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to update its position on face masks. The CDC updated its guidance to recommend widespread use of simple cloth face coverings to help prevent transmission of COVID-19 by people who have the virus but don't know it.

Some public health groups argue that masks should be reserved for health care providers and point to the critical shortage of surgical masks and N95 masks. The CDC acknowledged this concern when it recommended cloth masks for the public and not the surgical and N95 masks needed by health care providers.

- Don't put masks on anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious or otherwise unable to remove the mask without help.

- Don't put masks on children under 2 years of age.

- Don't use face masks as a substitute for social distancing.

All children under age of 6 must be under supervision during use. Hygiene Hero Super Mist contains 75% alcohol. It is for external use only and should never be ingested. The product must be kept away from the reach of children.

Because of high alcohol content, all hand sanitizers are extremely flammable. They must always be stored in cool temperature, not exceeding 104ºF (40ºC) and should not be stored under direct sun. Temperature in cars can escalate very quickly after being closed for more than few minutes, so we do NOT recommend keeping any alcohol-based hand sanitizers in the car.

So if you can only carry one product with you, it's better to have a hand sanitizer in spray form with you so you can use on your hands and on the surfaces around you as well. 

It is safe to apply our hand sanitizer to most surfaces such as desk and tables, though the disinfectant effect may be slightly different when applied on surfaces vs. on skin. The antibacterial lab test that our product went through was specifically for use as a hand sanitizer. Therefore, it is safe to say it’s safe to spray this product on surfaces generally speaking (but we can’t tell you all surfaces such as leathers or your fancy furniture since it contains a high level of alcohol).

However, this does not apply the other way around. Surface disinfectants like household antibacterial cleaning spray, even if they are EPA-registered, are not recommended to be used as hand sanitizers as they may not be safe for use on skin (i.e., may cause burns).

Hygiene Hero Super Mist is designed and tested as a hand sanitizer. While you can spray into the air for some antibacterial benefits but the test results of eliminating 99.99% bacteria for Hygiene Hero Super Mist refer specifically for the use as a hand sanitizer. However, because this is a highly flammable product, caution must be taken during use. When spraying into hair, onto skin or anywhere, it MUST be far away from flames and fire.

Many caution against this DIY approach, as the end products can’t be quality controlled for effectiveness, uniformity or safety, says Eric Rubin, an infectious disease researcher at Harvard’s School of Public Health. “On average, one would imagine that [a homemade sanitizer] would not work as well, so it would be a mistake to rely on it,” he says. Many people have tried to use alcoholic beverages to make hand sanitizers but CDC recommends 60% and WTO recommends 75% alcohol, which most alcohol beverages won’t be sufficient.

Spray enough amount until both hands are wet and rub both hands thoroughly until dry. According to independent lab tests, this product eliminates 99.99% of bacteria within 30 seconds. 

Do NOT put face masks on children under age of 2 due to risks of suffocation.  

- Don't put masks on anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious or otherwise unable to remove the mask without help.

- Don't put masks on children under 2 years of age.

- Don't use face masks as a substitute for social distancing.