How to make a quick DIY no-sew face mask at home – 3 ways!

If you’re looking for an easy way to make a DIY no-sew face mask at home in case of emergency, here are 3 easy tutorials with step by step pictures. Stay safe!

Hello my beautiful friends! As many countries all over the world are on lockdown, the use of a face mask in public spaces is becoming mandatory in many places. So much so that California County will be fining residents $1,000 for not wearing a face mask in public.

And yet there’s a global shortage of face masks, starting in hospitals unfortunately.
So even if you’re just venturing out to do some harmless grocery shopping, chances are you’ll be required to wear a face mask even when there’s none to buy in pharmacies.
But rest assured, it’s easy to make your own quick DIY no-sew face mask at home in less than a minute!

Here I’ll show you 3 easy ways depending on what material you have at hand: a bandana, an old cotton t-shirt or perhaps one of those lonely socks whose twin went missing in the wash, or simply some paper towels.

Related: How to Make Hand Sanitizer At Home

Please note: these DIY face mask that you can make in less than 1 minute (no sewing required) have not been designed specifically against Coronavirus or any viruses for that matter.  DIY masks will not work the same as N95 masks – but let’s leave those for the medical and first aid teams  who desperately need them for protection as they work to save lives.
These emergency masks that you can make at home without a sewing machine obviously are NOT like the medical-grade ones, so the best tactic is still to stay home as much as you can, maintain social distancing when you do have to go out, avoid touching your face, and always wash your hands when you get back home.
But still, doctors say that DIY face masks can help reduce our exposure during those limited trips to the pharmacy or the supermarket (and remember – think of others when you buy: please don’t stockpile, just buy some pantry essentials and you’ll be fine).

CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) [source] 

So if you’re ready to make your own “better than nothing” DIY face mask, follow one of these easy tutorials and you’ll be good to go ♥

DIY no-sew face mask with a bandana

Materials needed:
❥ a bandana – laundered and completely clean
❥ 2 hair ties
❥ optional but recommended for extra protection: a paper towel, coffee filter, piece of parchment paper

Fold the bandana in half. Proceed to fold towards the center by folding your bottom upwards and folding the top downward.

When you’ve folded all the way to the middle, you can add a third layer in the center under the folds (paper towel, parchment paper, etc.) to provide extra filtration.

Now slide a hair tie on both ends (should look like a giant candy), and fold the bandana towards the center.

For extra security, fold the edges of one end inside the edges of the other end.

Gently pull the hair ties, place over your ears, adjust on your face making sure the mask fits firmly over your nose and under your chin.
Voilà! A quick DIY no-sew face mask in less than a minute.

Remember: it’s important to machine wash the mask at 60°C after every use.

DIY no-sew face mask with a sock, an old cotton t-shirt

Materials needed:
❥ an old cotton t-shirt or any other tightly woven fabric – laundered and completely clean
❥ scissors
❥ ruler (optional, or you can roughly measure with your hand span)
❥ optional but recommended for extra protection: a paper towel, coffee filter, piece of parchment paper

Measure the distance from under your eyes to under your chin, and cut a strip double that size from a tightly woven cotton material of your choice: your old t-shirt, an old pillow case, etc. As for me, I’ll be recycling one of those socks that mysteriously lost their twin in the wash (tell me this doesn’t happen only to me!). For a sock, cut the extremities out.

Fold in half. Now cut a vertical opening on both ends, big enough for your ear to fit into it.

You can add an extra layer in the middle (paper towel, coffee filter, parchment paper, etc.) to provide extra filtration. It will be kept in place by the tension in the mask itself.

Twist the openings once if needed, for a better fit/adherence and place over your ears.
Adjust your face covering making sure the mask fits firmly over your nose and under your chin.
Voilà! A quick DIY no-sew face mask in less than 2 minutes.

Remember: it’s important to machine wash the mask at 60°C after every use.

DIY no-sew face mask with paper towels

Materials needed:
❥ paper towels
❥ 2 elastics
❥ a stapler

Take an adequate length of paper towels (3 or 4).
Fold 1 inch on one side, then turn and fold the other side: an accordion fold.

Proceed until all the paper towel has been folded.

Now place one elastic on one edge, staple it in place making sure to staple all the layers/folds as well.
Repeat on the other side.

Place the elastics over your ears, adjust your face covering making sure the mask fits firmly over your nose and under your chin.
Voilà! A quick DIY no-sew face mask in less than a minute.

Please note: this face covering must be discarded after one use. I know, not eco-friendly but this is for emergency cases only!
But do keep the elastics for further use, don’t just throw them out.

One more option: frames to make your own DIY face mask

As seen in my best viral outbreak essentials to have on hand, the Garden Tower Project is manufacturing durable injection molded DIY face mask frames for heath care providers, elderly individuals, and those with greatest need. This 6-pack features two of each size: Large for the average male adult, Medium for the average female adult, and small for children. Just add your own filter media (numerous options) to build an improvised face mask.

Get your Face Mask Frames: Family 6-Pack for only $9.00 here!

To finish this off, if you don’t think these quick and easy DIY no-sew face masks are any good, here’s a video from the official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) YouTube channel where Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, shared an easy way to create your own face covering in a few easy steps:

 

 

I hope these easy DIY no-sew mask tutorials will be helpful for all of you. If you have more viral outbreak tips and tutorials let me know down in the comments.

And don’t forget to pin this post to share the love ♥
I wish you a love-filled day, stay safe xoxo