While the ruling bodies and government across the whole world are trying to make wearing a face mask compulsory, the productivity rate of the face mask is not really being able to keep up with the pace of its needs. From shops, temporary stalls in footpaths to online shopping sites, the demands of face masks has risen everywhere over the past few months.
On the other hand, wearing a face mask continuously without washing it is also unhygienic. Thus you need to buy them in sufficient amounts so that you can wear a clean one and go to work every day. However, even if you are washing it and reusing the masks, after a certain time, you need to change it to a new one.
So it can be acknowledged easily by now that each person needs 3-4 masks for their own safety. And thus, the best solution, in this case, is to buy 2 and besides that, if you can manage to make some from your clean but old clothes, it is going to be an added boon for you. As making a face mask out of fabric is really not that tough.
Steps to make a face mask out of an old t-shirt
Materials Required
A T-shirt, measuring tape, some rubber bands and scissors.
Steps
- Find a suitable t-shirt which you do not wear any longer but make sure it is made of 100 per cent cotton nor is it having any holes in it. Try to choose a t-shirt which is opaque enough and does not have a too-thin texture.
- Put the t-shirt on a flat surface. Use a measuring tape and start measuring from the bottom of the t-shirt up to 7 to 8 inches.
- Cut it both across and sideways according to the measurements you took and it will look like a huge rectangle once you are done with the cutting. This is going to be the main fabric for your mask and thus place aside the rest of the T-shirt.
- Place the rectangular cloth on a flat surface and fold it from the bottom towards the middle and from the top towards the middle.
- Fold it once again from the bottom towards the middle and from the top to towards the middle.
- Next loop a rubber band from 2 inches inwards measuring from the end of the fabric.
- Fold the right side towards the centre and similarly the left side towards the centre making the two ends to meet in the middle.
- Grab your newly homemade face mask by the rubber bands and place it over your face carefully so that it covers the nose and mouth completely. Wrap it around your ear as it needs to be tight enough to keep the mask in the right position.
Tips to put on and take off the mask safely
The steps which you have followed before wearing the mask is equally important for your safety the same as wearing one and going out to buy the groceries.
- Before putting on the mask, wash your hands with alcohol-based soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- And if you are not having the convenience of using soap and water, rub your palms against one another thoroughly with a trusted hand sanitizer.
When you are putting the masks on:
- Avoid touching the fabric even when your hands are clean
- Hold the band and wear it cautiously so that it covers your nose and mouth properly
After putting the masks on and when you are out in public places:
- Make sure to sanitize your hands properly even if you remove the mask for drinking water
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
- Avoid touching the band/strings too without sanitizing your palms
When taking the mask off:
- Wash your hands with soap and water or sanitize your palms with an alcohol-based sanitizer
- Use the band to remove the mask from your face
- Avoid reusing the unwashed mask once you take it off
Tips for taking care of the fabric face mask:
- Wash your mask every time you use it. Wash it in hot water with a good quality detergent. It’s best to dry it in sunlight or else dry it on a high-heat setting.
- Measure the mask properly before cutting the cloth as it needs to cover your face-mouth and nose properly.
- Wear the mask whenever you are out in public. Avoid lifting it up with bare hands. Sanitize your palms thoroughly before touching it for making any adjustments or to secure its position.
- This face mask is not really the substitute of 6 feet social distancing with other people. So maintain that between you and the others whenever you are out in public for your work or to buy anything.
- A person who is experiencing trouble breathing should not wear the mask nor is it safe for children to wear who are younger than 2 years of age.
Within this pandemic, taking appropriate measures to slow down the spread of this deadly Covid-19 disease is all we can do. You can easily make a fabric face mask for yourself with just a few simple items. However, you can also get the best face mask from any of the online stores if it is an emergency and you need them in large numbers. Make sure to wear them whenever you are stepping out of your house. Just follow the guidelines of WHO and try to stay indoors as much as possible.
