respirator question

When I wore one at work, we would test them by putting them on and try to smell something really strong, but not toxic like banana oil, under a hood of some type. If you can't breathe, or can detect the odor, the mask isn't working properly.

If you spent 20 bucks on a paint respirator, you should have gotten a cartridge with a prefilter. Sometimes you get what's called a combination cartridge that contains both a dust prefilter and organic vapor cartridge in one unit. The cartridge is full of activated charcoal and designed to remove organic vapors through the process of adsorption. The paint prefilter is designed to handle paint pigments and dust. The organic vapor cartridge will NOT remove dust particles; likewise, the prefilter will not handle any of the vapors produced during painting operations.
If you got the cartridge or prefilter wet when you washed the mask, throw them away and get new cartridges. Vacuuming the cartridges will not help. If you have washed the respirator and re-installed the cartridges, try this:
1. Inspect the respirator. Make sure the inhalation and exhalation valves seat well against their mounts, and ensure there is no dirt between the valve and seat.
2. Put the neckstrap on first, then the head strap. (BTW, you should not be wearing a respirator if you have a beard or other facial hair that interferes with the facepiece seal).
3. With the respirator adjusted to your face, cover both the respirator cartridge inlets with your hands. If your hands are too small, try a small plastic bag in each hand that will cover the inlet. Breathe in. The respirator should collpase slightly on your face. If there are any leaks around the facepiece, readjust the respirator, and try again. When you can take a breath and hold it for about 10 seconds without a leak, you have a good seal. This is called a negative pressure fit test.
4. Next, cover the exhalation valve and breathe out slightly. The facepiece should expand on your face, but air should not escape from around the seal. This is a positive pressure fit test.
5. Breathe normally. If you can't breathe, or if you encounter difficulty getting air through the respirator moreso than normal, the prefilter side of the cartidge is full and should be replaced prior to your next job.
6. Try spraying a little paint from a spray can in a fairly unventilated area. Assuming you still have a good face-to-facepiece seal, if you can detect any of the odors from the paint vapors, the organic vapor portion of the cartridge has reached the end of its service life, and needs to be replaced. If not, the cartridge still has some life remaining.
Let me know how it goes. If you have specific questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me.
Gip Winecoff

That's excellent info, Gip
I'm going to go down and test mine before I use it again.
(i'll bet I'm not the only one)
Thanks!

Styrene, the respirator I got was brand new. But my father needed to scrape some concrete so HE is the one that used it first. He wore the mask for dust protection. He got the dust everywhere on the mask itself. The respirator is brand new but it has dust everyone on it. The mask is made up of 3 components. The thing that you wear over your face (the body), and 2 cartridges (identical cartridges, one on each side). The cartridges has charcoal inside for chemical protection and a prefilture for dust/particles. I only took the plastic mask body (with the cartridge removed) and rinsed it with water. For the cartridge, I only vacuumed it to get the obvious dust off its surface. I did those air pressure test u did, the fit is superb. No air leaks. But I haven't used my new respirator with paints yet...I don't think wetting the plastic face mask will damage anything since there is nothing to damage. I also doubt vacuuming the 2 cartridges slightly from the outside will make the inside less effective. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I agree with styrene about the levels of protection. Test the unit before you use it to paint. If you have something like oil of wintergreen around the house, you can get a pretty good indication on whether your getting adequate protection by detecting no smell or taste in the mask. If either of these occur, pitch the cartridges and buy new ones. One additonal piece of advice. When your done with painting, place the mask in a plastic sealable bag. If left out in the open, the cartridges will absorb any fumes, odors, etc that are present in the room and will reduce the active life of the cartridges. Good luck. Don't forget to include adequate ventilation in the room where you're painting. The mask is only one level of protection. - Ed

Go to a drug store and get several packages of alcohol wipes. After use wipe the inside with the wipes, especially around the inlet and outlet valves. This will help prolong the life of the respirator.

The wipes can also be used on the outside rubber or plastic areas.

hou_ge2000
Washing the respirator is a smart thing to do when it gets dirty. Washing will not harm the facepiece. Vacuuming off the cartridge is OK, but it won't pull any of the particulates from the interior of the filter. Make sure when you wash it, use warm soap and water (nothing harsh), and allow it to air dry.

berny13,
Alcohol wipes used to be great for wiping down respirators after use, but with the advent of silicone rubber, which makes respirators softer and more pliable, alcohol tends to degrade the rubber more rapidly. A simple wipe down with water, or the use of a disinfectant wipe would be more beneficial than alcohol.
Gip Winecoff