The Dirt On Dust Masks

Much DIY work produces dust and/or fumes. It’s essential to protect your lungs from both; there’s no amount of dust or vapor that’s good for your lungs. And the harm is cumulative. The more work you do without protection, the more damage you’re doing. So if you’re producing dust or using finishes or solvents, use the proper mask.

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Certified Filter Ratings

A mask’s certification denotes its filtering efficiency and what it’s capable of filtering. There are three letter ratings—N, R and P—pertaining to a mask’s effectiveness at removing airborne oils or vapors found in solvents and finishes.

N = Not resistant to oils

R = Somewhat resistant to oils

P = Strongly resistant to oils