How to make or buy a covid-19 face mask that actually works

What about a balaclava or scarf?

Rachel Noble, a public health microbiologist at UNC at Chapel Hill, tells PopSci that balaclavas and other warm-weather gear designed to cover your nose and mouth are unlikely to be suitable for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Because they’re designed to be as easy to breath through as possible, they tend to be made of loose fabrics.

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“You want to choose a really, really tightly woven fabric,” Noble says. “We’re talking about something that’s approximately the density of the weave of a bandana, or a really high-quality bedsheet.”

Jersey fabrics, towels, and any textiles that stretch when you pull them are likely too loose, she says, as are most sweaters and other knit yarns. So if you really can’t sew or put together a mask with hair ties as described below, covering your nose and mouth with a bandana tied around your face is probably slightly more effective and easier to sanitize than a balaclava or wound-up scarf. But all of these workarounds are mostly only beneficial in that they remind you not to touch your face and shield bystanders from the worst of your coughing and sneezing. If you’re coughing and sneezing, you should really be staying inside.

DIY mask: If you have sewing supplies and a non-woven polypropylene reusable grocery bag

Back before the CDC expanded recommendations, PopSci did a deep dive into the most effective DIY mask design. Our tutorial utilizes a fabric commonly found in free reusable grocery bags and doesn’t require a sewing machine. Based on our reporting, this is about as effective as a DIY, non-medical-grade mask can get.

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