Export thread

Who Wears A Surgical Mask When Mowing?

#1

Z

Zeroturner

I do.

I buy Flents High Filtration Efficiency Ear-Loop Mask, (that's what's printed on the box) in other words a surgical mask.

They come 20 to a box and are very inexpensive at Walmart.

With the massive amount or airborne particulates produced when mowing with a zero turn, I had to find something to keep from inhaling all that crud. I tried the kind of masks for painters and they were uncomfortable and got in the way of my sunglasses. I then tried tying on a bandanna, but couldn't get enough air and they wouldn't stay in place.

But the surgical masks work like a charm and keep me from having a lungful of crud.

Anyone here, besides me, use them?


#2

djdicetn

djdicetn

Zeroturner said:
I do.

I buy Flents High Filtration Efficiency Ear-Loop Mask, (that's what's printed on the box) in other words a surgical mask.

They come 20 to a box and are very inexpensive at Walmart.

With the massive amount or airborne particulates produced when mowing with a zero turn, I had to find something to keep from inhaling all that crud. I tried the kind of masks for painters and they were uncomfortable and got in the way of my sunglasses. I then tried tying on a bandanna, but couldn't get enough air and they wouldn't stay in place.

But the surgical masks work like a charm and keep me from having a lungful of crud.

Anyone here, besides me, use them?
Click to expand...

Nope...I use hearing protection(even though my audiologist said mowing an hour or so a week was no danger to my hearing). I saw a guy mowing on a ZTR yesterday that had his head completely wrapped in a white cloth "turban"(except for his eyes). I gotta say he looked really weird(kinda like a mummy:0)


#3

Z

Zeroturner

djdicetn,

Oh yeah, I wear hearing protection too.

As loud as my 23 Kawasaki is, you betcha!


#4

M

Mad Mackie

I wear a 3M 8511 mask, it has two straps, a metal insert for nose shape adjustment and an exhaust valve. I wear glasses and wear goggles over my glasses, a hat and 3M 30DB hearing protection. check out the pics, this dust mask has only 10 hours of mowing!! Just cleaned the mower deck and replaced the blades on my Scag. I'm experimenting with several different styles of mulching blades, but no matter type, dust blows all over me and the machine, nasty dry summer so far!!
Mad Mackie in CT

Attachments







#5

Z

Zeroturner

Mad Mackie,

That's one of the types of mask I had trouble with.

If you try the ones I use, I think you'll find them a lot more comfortable, and even better at keeping your lungs clean.


#6

M

Mad Mackie

I may have tried them, I had problems with the ear wrap type with my glasses as I had to tighten the hearing protection so much to seal the ear muffs that it was uncomfortable, but I will check this brand out. I don't like ear plugs and haven't found any that had sufficient hearing protection, plus all the dirt in my ears!! Fogging of my glasses and the insides of the goggles was mostly gone when I started wearing the 3M 8511s. I periodically treat the goggles with anti-fog stuff, but not my glasses.


#7

Nwatson99

Nwatson99

Yep sure do when it is really dusty out.


#8

Carscw

Carscw

Tried it one time many years ago. Got about 20 feet threw it on the ground and mulched it.

And they make it hard to smoke and drink my green tea.

And then you have to walk around all day with a round clean spot on your face.


#9

M

Mad Mackie

You should see the looks that I get when I'm not able to wash off at a customers place and stop at the local gas station/store!!!! The woman behind the counter at the gas station will sometimes comment "been mowin again Mac?" Sometimes I'll say that I just got out of bed and I had a bad night, she chuckles and I'll look around at the customers there and smile!!! Must have something to do with my fellow soldiers calling "Mad Mackie", but that was 35 years ago and at 70+ I'm mellowing, somewhat HaHa!!!!!
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::smile::biggrin:


#10

S

SeniorCitizen

Mad Mackie said:
I wear a 3M 8511 mask, it has two straps, a metal insert for nose shape adjustment and an exhaust valve. I wear glasses and wear goggles over my glasses, a hat and 3M 30DB hearing protection. check out the pics, this dust mask has only 10 hours of mowing!! Just cleaned the mower deck and replaced the blades on my Scag. I'm experimenting with several different styles of mulching blades, but no matter type, dust blows all over me and the machine, nasty dry summer so far!!
Mad Mackie in CT
Click to expand...

Does the exhaust valve do a good job of preventing condensation on eye glasses?

I do some woodworking in the winter months, when foggy glasses are more of a problem, and need the dust mask worse then than when mowing. Sawing gives plenty of dust contaminants but sanding is the real killer.

I really don't care how I look mowing or woodworking.

Thanks for your opinion.
SeniorCitizen


#11

M

Mad Mackie

I also do a fair amount of carpentry work in the winter in a cool garage/shop and this is the reason that I went with the 8511 with the exhaust valve and it just happened to work out for me while operating a dusty ZTR as mine has a collection system which makes more dust. I wear the same goggles sometimes while doing woodworking, like you said, sawing and sanding can produce dust that is way more nasty than mowing. Tablesaws have a tendency to throw particles directly at ones face.
The 8511 has a metal insert in the nose area so adjustments can be made to seal the nose area so air doesn't leak toward ones eye glasses. They are $5.00 each if purchased locally, I buy them in a 10 count box on line for 25-30 dollars and I am about to reorder as I am down to only a few. One of my pics is the front of the 10 count box.


#12

Z

Zeroturner

To prevent glass fogging buy some of the liquid applied to the inside of a diving mask.

It's available on the internet and works quite well. That's what I used for many years on the inside of my mask as a scuba diver.

The various brands of this stuff all work equally well in my experience.


#13

reynoldston

reynoldston

Here in upper NY I have never seen a need for a face mask for mowing grass. I have never came across any dust or dirt from cutting grass. As a fact I have never come across anyone wearing one. Maybe in hay fever season?? I do use one in my wood working shop at times.


#14

Z

Zeroturner

reynoldston,

I envy your situation.

If the grass goes two days without rain, my mowing produces so much dust it looks like cattle stampede in three large sections of my yard... and watering it is out of the question.


#15

M

Mad Mackie

There is some sort of coating on my glasses and when I tried an anti-fog application the lenses got streaks on them.
As for dust, I just got home from 3 hours of mowing and I had to stop many times to let the dust settle so I could see where I was going, very dry. Hopefully we will get some rain this weekend!!!
Later
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:


#16

Carscw

Carscw

Mad Mackie said:
There is some sort of coating on my glasses and when I tried an anti-fog application the lenses got streaks on them. As for dust, I just got home from 3 hours of mowing and I had to stop many times to let the dust settle so I could see where I was going, very dry. Hopefully we will get some rain this weekend!!! Later Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:
Click to expand...

When I cut yards this dusty I try to make only left hand turns.


#17

exotion

exotion

I don't wear one while mowing... To hot. Woodworking, bondo work ill wear one tho. Cheapy 3m ones


#18

reynoldston

reynoldston

Zeroturner said:
reynoldston,

I envy your situation.

If the grass goes two days without rain, my mowing produces so much dust it looks like cattle stampede in three large sections of my yard... and watering it is out of the question.
Click to expand...

I live by Lake Ontario. I don't know what a shortage of water is. I do know what bad weather is off the lake is in the winter time. We do get dry weather but it doesn't last long, also we can just use all the water we need. Also as I see it any water we use finds it way back to the lake. Another problem we are having is pollution in our bays and lakes so all this water isn't free and clear.


#19

Mike88se

Mike88se

I don't but I might try that one. I'm tired of coughing and blowing my nose from breathing in dust and co.
I've tried the painter's masks and they're crap.
----
I'm also thinking about safety goggles too. I've been sitting here for two days with a cornea abrasion from flying dust and debris on Wednesday. Not fun :(


#20

exotion

exotion

Mike88se said:
I don't but I might try that one. I'm tired of coughing and blowing my nose from breathing in dust and co.
I've tried the painter's masks and they're crap.
----
I'm also thinking about safety goggles too. I've been sitting here for two days with a cornea abrasion from flying dust and debris on Wednesday. Not fun :(
Click to expand...

Safety glasses are a must....


#21

M

Mad Mackie

We gotta take care of our eyes and lungs!!!:thumbsup:


#22

P

Pumper54

Just spend two days mowing at the farm and I wish I had the 8511 masks, forgot them at the house. Wear them when I have em as the dust and crap the mower kicks up is really bad. I look at the air cleaner on the mower and think about that stuff going into my lung. Nope no way. Plus muff style hearing protection. Do look pretty funny with a clean place around my mouth and nose and dust covering everything else

Tom


#23

exotion

exotion

Mad Mackie said:
We gotta take care of our eyes and lungs!!!:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Our lungs are screwed anyway by all the crap we breathe in all day. I wear ear muffs and sunglasses if I wore a mask to I might as well put on a full has mat suit. That dam sun damage, air damage, eye damage, ear damage. All this is over kill your lungs are designed to filter stuff out its what they do. I west ear muffs because I want to hear when I'm 50 and I wear sunglasses because I don't want to be blind everything else is over kill


#24

Z

Zeroturner

exotion,

I wear sunglasses, ear muffs and the surgical mask, and I'm not at all uncomfortable.

In fact, quite the opposite. The noise of the engine is bearable, the sun doesn't blind me and I can breathe without coughing and hacking.

I do think if I were wearing the painter style mask though, I'd be darn uncomfortable.


#25

Mike88se

Mike88se

exotion said:
Safety glasses are a must....
Click to expand...
exotion said:
Our lungs are screwed anyway by all the crap we breathe in all day. I wear ear muffs and sunglasses if I wore a mask to I might as well put on a full has mat suit. That dam sun damage, air damage, eye damage, ear damage. All this is over kill your lungs are designed to filter stuff out its what they do. I west ear muffs because I want to hear when I'm 50 and I wear sunglasses because I don't want to be blind everything else is over kill
Click to expand...
Not seeing the logic there buddy ;) Ears and eyes are important... breathing not so important? Its not your lungs you need to worry about. Those parts that do the filtering... got to take care of those too... they can only do so much. Bronchial tubes... they filter. You overwork them and you get bronchitis. Go to far and you got chronic bronchitis. They have a fancy new name for that now... COPD. And then there's your sinuses. It all adds up. If the masks are comfortable I'll wear them. And goggles/safety glasses. I've already started wearing a bush hat with a small towel to cover my neck. The heat is brutal down here. Lawncare workers look like outlaws ;) Or terrorists :wink:


#26

Carscw

Carscw

I live in Georgia and we have not had any dust this year. It rains almost every day.

I wear my so I can see glasses. Don't like sun glasses or things over my ears.
As far as being hot ha ha we are setting records for coldest days. Don't think it has got over 92 yet.

Did not know mowers were loud till I saw this post.


#27

Mike88se

Mike88se

Carscw said:
I live in Georgia and we have not had any dust this year. It rains almost every day.

I wear my so I can see glasses. Don't like sun glasses or things over my ears.
As far as being hot ha ha we are setting records for coldest days. Don't think it has got over 92 yet.

Did not know mowers were loud till I saw this post.
Click to expand...
They probably aren't loud to you anymore lol.
I don't like the earmuffs style... way too hot for something like that. They'd fall off from all the sweat anyway. I don't like goggles for the same reasons. I have to do something tho... not sure whether it was dust or debris that scratched my eyeball but I don't want that to happen again ;)


#28

Carscw

Carscw

Mike88se said:
They probably aren't loud to you anymore lol. I don't like the earmuffs style... way too hot for something like that. They'd fall off from all the sweat anyway. I don't like goggles for the same reasons. I have to do something tho... not sure whether it was dust or debris that scratched my eyeball but I don't want that to happen again ;)
Click to expand...



If I did not have to wear glasses I would wear some kind of eye protection.
I carry a eye wash kit in the truck. If my eyes get itchy I use it.

Now I do put cotton in my ears when I race.


#29

S

SeniorCitizen

I have no ID what it takes to filter this gunk but this snow pile covered in black has only been in the parking lot a couple of weeks with very little traffic. It's looking more like we need something 24/7.

Attachments





#30

Mike88se

Mike88se

Carscw said:
If I did not have to wear glasses I would wear some kind of eye protection.
I carry a eye wash kit in the truck. If my eyes get itchy I use it.

Now I do put cotton in my ears when I race.
Click to expand...
I wear glasses and sunglasses but somehow something got past last Wed and scratched the hell out of my eyeball. Its almost healed already (didn't go to the doc) but for 2 days that eye was no use at all and hurt like hell. I'd hate for that to happen again. Felt like the time I got PB Blaster in it. I don't worry too much about my ears unless I'm using the grinder. Too many years playing drums and having Marshall stacks and huge bass rigs blasting into my ears to worry now. I can hear fine except for some high tones that are masked out by a permanent ringing in my ears.
I've been to enough drag and circle track races to know why you use cotton. They sell some great ear plugs now that block most of the damage causing noise but still let you hear well enough. You an find them at musical instrument stores or online. I'm going to get some of those. We use to break off the filter from cigarettes and stuff them in our ears at gigs. Worked pretty well but looked silly ;)
SeniorCitizen said:
I have no ID what it takes to filter this gunk but this snow pile covered in black has only been in the parking lot a couple of weeks with very little traffic. It's looking more like we need something 24/7.
Click to expand...
Snow in OK :O Last winter? I dunno what the black stuff could be unless you have a coal plant nearby. We have coal fired power plants. Stupid to burn coal to make electricity if you ask me. Pollution isn't bad enough even here in Houston to cause that. Down around Pasadena/Deer Park and in the petro complex between the Ship Channel and the coast you don't see much pollution but you can sure smell it. I had a lot of cousins grew up in that area. It's sad how many died from cancer.
I have 4 lawns I need to do today if I can see well enough. If I get em done you can bet I'll be wearing goggles... and those surgical masks if I can find some nearby.


#31

S

SeniorCitizen

Mike88se said:
I wear glasses and sunglasses but somehow something got past last Wed and scratched the hell out of my eyeball. Its almost healed already (didn't go to the doc) but for 2 days that eye was no use at all and hurt like hell. I'd hate for that to happen again. Felt like the time I got PB Blaster in it. I don't worry too much about my ears unless I'm using the grinder. Too many years playing drums and having Marshall stacks and huge bass rigs blasting into my ears to worry now. I can hear fine except for some high tones that are masked out by a permanent ringing in my ears.
I've been to enough drag and circle track races to know why you use cotton. They sell some great ear plugs now that block most of the damage causing noise but still let you hear well enough. You an find them at musical instrument stores or online. I'm going to get some of those. We use to break off the filter from cigarettes and stuff them in our ears at gigs. Worked pretty well but looked silly ;)

Snow in OK :O Last winter? I dunno what the black stuff could be unless you have a coal plant nearby. We have coal fired power plants. Stupid to burn coal to make electricity if you ask me. Pollution isn't bad enough even here in Houston to cause that. Down around Pasadena/Deer Park and in the petro complex between the Ship Channel and the coast you don't see much pollution but you can sure smell it. I had a lot of cousins grew up in that area. It's sad how many died from cancer.
I have 4 lawns I need to do today if I can see well enough. If I get em done you can bet I'll be wearing goggles... and those surgical masks if I can find some nearby.
Click to expand...
That black stuff is car exhaust without a doubt. Snow in OK? I could tell you some snow stories you'd find difficult to believe.

I be ordering some 3M 8511 masks as soon as I determine how many hoops amazon wants me to jump through and I don't jump well at all anymore.

Ear plugs - DeciDamp all the way. So comfortable I forget they be in and my wife raises her voice and says " you could hear me if you take those yellow things out of your ears. "


#32

Carscw

Carscw

$15 on eBay
image-1401042614.jpg


#33

K

kwak

Mike88se said:
Stupid to burn coal to make electricity if you ask me.
Click to expand...
Don't want to hi-jack just thought this was an intresting statement.


#34

LazerZLandscaping

LazerZLandscaping

I would never wear a surgical mask makes it hard to drink my water and plus I have worn a surgical mask and I hate the plastic-y smell.

All I wear is my hat, hearing protection, and sunglasses-- and clothes of course!


#35

Mike88se

Mike88se

Carscw said:
$15 on eBay
View attachment 22505
Click to expand...
Yep, I ordered a box. Didn't feel like messing with wallyworld when I can get them in my mailbox for the same price on ebay... w/o taxes :thumbsup:
kwak said:
Don't want to hi-jack just thought this was an intresting statement.
Click to expand...
Burning one very polluting fuel source to make another fuel source does seem stupid to me. I'm not a dedicated environment crusader... I drive a truck, a Cobra, and use a bunch of small small engines that all contribute to pollution so I'd be a hypocrite to complain. Still seems like a stupid thing to do that just makes pollution worse than it needs to be. But yeah we don't want to jack this thread so lets let that be.


#36

E

edd

i ordered a mask called WOLFSNOUT and you can wear it without fogging up sunglasses......what it was designed for


#37

LazerZLandscaping

LazerZLandscaping

Mike88se said:
Yep, I ordered a box. Didn't feel like messing with wallyworld when I can get them in my mailbox for the same price on ebay... w/o taxes :thumbsup:

Burning one very polluting fuel source to make another fuel source does seem stupid to me. I'm not a dedicated environment crusader... I drive a truck, a Cobra, and use a bunch of small small engines that all contribute to pollution so I'd be a hypocrite to complain. Still seems like a stupid thing to do that just makes pollution worse than it needs to be. But yeah we don't want to jack this thread so lets let that be.
Click to expand...

Wallyworld is low quality too


#38

Mike88se

Mike88se

Got mine today... damn quick shipping. So... they are comfortable compared to the painters masks.


Footer Links 1

Top