How to make your own fabric face mask without touching a sewing machine

If you’re planning to venture outdoors to exercise or to buy groceries, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you wear a fabric face mask to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

With the shortage of surgical masks and N95 respirators across the globe, the CDC says those supplies need to be reserved for health care workers and first responders.

If you do not own a sewing machine, you can easily make a fabric face mask using household items found around your home such as a scarf, bandana or hand towel. Following guidance from the CDC, here is what you’ll need to make your own fabric face mask:

MATERIALS

>> Bandana (or approximately 20-by-20-inch square cotton cloth)

>> Paper coffee filter

>> Two hair ties or rubber bands

TUTORIAL

1. Fold bandana in half.

2. Place paper coffee filter in the center of fabric.

3. Fold bottom fabric up. Fold top fabric down.

4. Place rubber bands or hair ties about 6 inches apart.

5. Fold both sides of fabric to the middle then tuck.

6. Wear fabric face mask outside in public settings.

Don’t forget to wash the face mask after every use to sterilize it. A washing machine with detergent will do.

Watch the video above or visit this link to view it on YouTube.

——

Editor’s Note: Fabric face masks are not guaranteed to filter out viruses such as the coronavirus. The CDC does not recommend cloth face coverings for children under the age of two, anyone who has difficulty breathing or may be unable to remove the mask without assistance.