PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-631
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 631
JUNE 2005
Of course, if your mask is really
caked with sand the best option is to
wash it. Remove the hood, outserts, out-
let valve cover, second skin, outlet valve
disk and canister. Dip a clean cheese-
cloth in clean water and wring it almost
dry. Then use the cloth to clean out all
dirt inside and outside the facepiece.
Wipe the mask dry with a dry cloth.
Make sure the mask is completely dry
before you put it back in the carrier.
If the mask is really filthy, mix liquid soap, NSN 8520-00-228-0598, in the water.
After cleaning with the soap-water mixture, wipe out the mask with a clean cloth
that's been dipped in water. Then wipe out the moisture with a dry cloth.
Second skin and face-
piece.
Check both the skin
and facepiece for cracking or
sticky or soft areas. Pay spe-
cial attention to the parts of
the skin where it is stretched,
such as around the canister,
the voicemitter, and eyelenses.
Outserts.
Use them.
They protect the eyelenses
from blowing sand that
will scratch up the lenses
and make it difficult for
you to see. Scratched out-
serts can be replaced
quickly. Scratched eye-
lenses mean you need a
new facepiece.
Water only.
If you drink
anything other than water
through the drink tube cou-
pling, the coupling will
gunk up. That doesn't
make for a pleasant drink-
ing experience. And keep
the drink tube coupling
stored in the outlet valve
cover at all times to help it
stay clean.
PS 631
JUN 05
56
M40-, M42-Series Masks…
M
any soldiers have already found out how difficult the sand and heat of the deserts
of Southwest Asia make it for most Army equipment to do their jobs. The desert is
no picnic for your M40- or M42-series mask either. Sand can plug airways and heat
and the desert sun can shorten the life of some mask parts. This advice, though, can
provide your mask an oasis in the desert:
Keep it clean.
The fine sand of Southwest
Asia will penetrate every part of your mask,
which could lead to poor breathing or seeing.
The only ways to fight sand are to keep your
mask in its carrier as much as possible and to
clean the mask often.
Areas you want to pay special attention to
when cleaning are around the outlet valve
disc, the inside of lenses, the canister's air
intake, and in the mask's inner lining. You
can shake out much of the sand and use a dry,
clean cloth to wipe out the rest.
Wipe mask often in desert
Check
second
skin and
facepiece
for cracks
and sticky
spots
Use outserts.
They protect
eyelenses
I think I need
a good wash!
your mask
needs
extra
attention in
the desert.
tell ‘em,
half-mast!
then we
can
both
breathe
easier!
water
only,
everyone!
good grief!
this
stuff will
turn my drink tube
into
scum city!
631.56-57(C)
4/29/05
3:07 PM
Page 1
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