How to make facemasks from household items

Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine on Friday asked all Pennsylvania residents — even those who are healthy or not showing symptoms of the coronavirus — to wear some type of face covering when in public.

This could include a bandanna, T-shirt or other masks that are not medical grade. They should shield the nose and mouth. The goal is to prevent the spread of the disease to others, rather than to protect the wearer.

Earlier this week, some health experts and lawmakers, including U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, urged more Americans to consider wearing masks or face coverings as countries like the Czech Republic made wearing masks in public mandatory.

Even when wearing a mask of any kind, it’s still important to practice good hygiene — wash your hands, don’t touch your face — and to practice social distancing.

Household items like a bandanna, T-shirt or scarf can be used to make an easy, no-sew mask using scissors, rubber bands or hair ties.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has posted tutorials on its website that show how to make a homemade mask.

My mask protects you, your mask protects me.

Homemade masks protect everyone else from droplets created by the wearer. It's important that as many people as possible wear masks when leaving home.

You DON'T need a surgical mask or N95—save those for front line responders. pic.twitter.com/NznRa9FSsG

— PA Department of Health (@PAHealthDept) April 3, 2020

A tutorial from Popular Science shows how a polypropylene reusable grocery bag can be turned into a face mask with pipe cleaners, ribbon and basic sewing skills.

Jo-Ann craft stores has several mask tutorials posted to its website, which also suggest using cotton materials without stretch like denim, or high thread count sheets and pillow cases.

If you’re not sure if a material is suitable for a mask, a tutorial shared by Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin suggests testing it by folding it into two layers. You should not be able to see through the fabric, but should still be able to breath through it.

Donate your masks

High-end fashion designers have pivoted in recent weeks from dressing celebrities to manufacturing protective gear for health care workers. Brooks Brothers converted its U.S. factories to produce medical-grade masks and gowns.

Inspired by those designers, Baldwin High School junior John Sciarretti decided to also take action when he saw what was happening at local senior living centers.

“I saw on the news that they were using coffee filters and rubber bands as face masks,” he said. “I decided it was time for me to help out a little bit.”

Sciarretti, who has been sewing for about 18 months and heads the school’s Fashion Club, enlisted the help of teacher Cheri Foote and some fellow students to take part in the efforts.

His personal goal is to make 300 masks. So far he’s completed and distributed 80 to friends, family, neighbors, local pharmacists and law enforcement officers.

Trinity United Methodist Church in Brackenridge has partnered with Allegheny Health Network to coordinate efforts to sew face masks and fanny packs in which to store them.

Those fabric masks could be used for visitors to the facilities or caregivers who are not involved with direct patient care.

Jamie Martines is a Tribune-Review staff writer (724-850-2867, jmartines@triblive.com or via Twitter @Jamie_Martines). Kristina Serafini is a Tribune-Review staff writer (412-324-1405, kserafini@triblive.com or via Twitter @KristinaS_Trib.