Stay Safe Look Stylish! The Complete Guide to Homemade Face Masks

Woman with Homemade Face Masks

What can you do to help slow the spread of COVID-19? The United States Government recommends that you wear a face-covering when you are in a public place. This is especially important when social distancing is not easy.

Are you wondering how to make a face-covering that’s safe and stylish? Then check out this guide to a stylish homemade face mask.

Homemade Face Mask or Surgical Mask

There’s an important distinction between homemade masks and the kind of masks health professionals use. A surgical mask or N-95 respirator is used by first responders and healthcare workers. These are supplied by medical device contract manufacturers and are made to high specifications for medical applications.

Homemade face masks or face coverings can be made using household materials or fabric. They are cheap, easy to make, and are intended as a voluntary public health measure.

How Do Face Masks Help?

A homemade face mask can contribute to slowing the spread of COVID-19. How does a simple homemade face-covering do this?

A homemade face mask helps reduce the transmission of COVID-19 by helping people who have the virus from spreading it to people who don’t. If you wear a face mask you are helping protect others. Other people who wear a face mask are helping to protect you.

People who have the virus don’t necessarily know that they have it. It is possible to have the virus and not show any symptoms for some time, if ever. Just because you never develop symptoms doesn’t mean that other people who catch the virus from you won’t be very ill or even die.

A face mask can catch large particles of moisture when you sneeze or cough. It can reduce the particles you spread simply by talking or breathing. The COVID-19 virus can pass from one person to another in these particles.

A face mask can also help remind you not to touch your mouth, nose, or face. Touching your face is one way that you can transfer the infection to your hands and then to other objects or people. Remembering not to touch your face also helps to prevent you from passing the infection you pick up on your hands to your own nose and mouth.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do wash your homemade face mask regularly. Use a washing machine to wash your face coverings to keep them hygienic.

Do wash your hands thoroughly and regularly even though you wear a face mask.

Don’t touch the outside of the face mask when you are wearing it. It may get damp from the moisture from your breath. If you are infectious, this moisture can carry the virus and you can transfer the virus from the mask to other objects.

Don’t touch your eyes, mouth, or eyes when taking off the mask and immediately wash your hands.

Making a Face Mask

You can make a stylish face mask using a bandana or square cotton handkerchief. You will also need two elastic hair ties or elastic bands.

Fold the bandana in half. Put a coffee filter or paper towel in the middle of the bandana and fold the top and bottom to enclose the filter or paper towel.

Place each hair tie a third of the way in from the ends of the bandana. The two hair ties should be about 4 inches apart. Fold the bandana through the hair ties. Tuck the left side into the right side

Replace the paper towel every time you use the face mask and wash the bandana.

Stay Safe

A homemade face mask can contribute to COVID-19 safety. Choose a bright or striking bandana design for extra style points. Where it and stay safe.

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