Guidelines on Homemade Cloth Face Masks
Are you wondering if homemade cloth face masks are a good idea? The CDC recommends that homemade cloth masks—when combined with good hand hygiene and social distancing—can help slow the spread of COVID-19 in a community. Masks can limit the spread of germs from the mask wearer to others by helping block large droplets from coughs and sneezes. (See “Recommendation Regarding the Use of Cloth Face Coverings, Especially in Areas of Significant Community-Based Transmission.”)
Latter-day Saint Charities is proud to partner with Intermountain Health Care and University of Utah Health to provide the global community with informational resources as we work together to stem the spread of COVID-19.
As partners, we have developed informational guides regarding homemade cloth face masks as well as a pattern for how to make a face mask. These PDFs can be downloaded below:
- “Uses and Considerations for Different Face Masks”: Learn the differences between types of face masks and how they should be used.
- “How to Use a Face Mask”: It’s important to understand how to properly wear, remove, and clean homemade cloth face masks in order to help keep yourself and others safe.
- “Homemade Cloth Face Mask FAQs, Assembly Guide, and Patterns”: If you would like to make a homemade cloth face mask, this PDF provides answers to commonly asked questions and patterns for making cloth face masks in different sizes.
Face Mask Dos and Don’ts
- Don’t hoard clinical masks. Our healthcare workers need clinical masks to help take care of our community.
- Don’t stop social distancing. A face mask will not completely protect you from the coronavirus. However, a homemade cloth face masks can provide light protection and remind you not to touch your face. It also helps prevent the spread of germs from you to others.
- Do wear a face mask if you have symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever, shortness of breath, a new cough, and muscle aches.
- Do wear a face mask if you are in a high-concentration area of COVID-19 cases.
- Do wear a face mask to remind yourself not to touch your face and to help prevent spread of germs from droplets.
- Do follow all the guidelines for proper use of a face mask detailed in “How to Use a Face Mask.”
- Do wash your hands. Cleaning your hands is still your best protection against COVID-19.
We encourage all community members to engage in social distancing, practice good hand hygiene, and stay home if they are sick. Properly wearing homemade cloth face masks is another way community members can help support global health. As we work together as a community, we can help prevent the spread of COVID-19.