How to make your own face mask from clothing you already have at home

BRITS are being encouraged to wear face masks by the government in a bid to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

But if you’re struggling to get hold of one, fear not there are plenty of ways you can make your own mask at home with clothing you already have.

Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

Whether you use an old sock or a t-shirt that’s seen better days, experts claim they can be effective when it comes to stopping the spread.

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from household objects are effective in preventing the spread of the virus.

The CDC urges people to remember to clean their mask thoroughly after each use, and recommends chucking them in the washing machine.

Here we reveal simple ways to create your own mask at home.

The t-shirt technique

You will need

• T-shirt
• Scissors

Method

Sock it to ’em

You will need

• Single sock
• Scissors

Method

Clever mum-of-one Safia Aggoune shared a video on TikTok showing her simple process for making the DIY face covering using a sock and thousands have been left highly impressed. 

In the video, Safia, who posts under @safiaaggoune, takes a sock and turns it upside down so the toe end is at the top.

Then she folds the toe end over so it is touching the heel and takes a pair of scissors to cut along the fold. 

She then discards the toe section and cuts all the way down the side of the sock that doesn’t have the heel. 

Next, she opens up the fabric into a rectangular shape and folds the material in half widthways along the section that was the heel. 

This results in you having one long straight side and one with a bump in the middle.

She then turns the fabric so the bump is facing down and then makes two incisions along either of the smaller sides to create straps to go around the ears. 

Then the sock mask is complete!

No-sew bandana mask

You will need

• Bandana (or square cotton cloth approximately 20”x20”)
• Rubber bands (or hair ties)
• Scissors (if you are cutting your own cloth)

Method

Bra face mask

You will need

• An old bra
• Glue gun
• Scissors

Method

While initially made fun of, the bizarre bra mask can help to stop the spread of coronavirus as it covers the mouth and nose to stop droplets from spreading.

A video shared on Facebook sees an unknown woman can be seen snipping the bra in half at the point where the two cups meet.

They then trim away the lower support band leaving just the right strap attached to the cup.

Using a fabric glue, secure the loose end of the strap to the opposite side of the cup so that it acts as a strap.

Then do the same using the second bra strap, gluing it across the lower half of the cup.

In other coronavirus news, women are sharing their lockdown stories and how they are coping behind closed doors.

And Kate Middleton has been showing off her lockdown tan in Zoom calls.

Plus celebs are rocking bikinis with trainers and socks as the latest lockdown trend.