Question: Coronavirus & home sewn masks?

@cyclamen

Interesting they say that kitchen paper can act as a filter inside the mask. The article I linked up thread didn’t test actually kitchen paper, although it tested various other textiles.

Linking it again:
https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-materials-make-diy-face-mask-virus/

I wonder how much efficiency adding the paper actually adds to cloth masks?

The beauty of using only cloth is that you can take the masks straight off, bag them and later wash them, with very little contact with anything contaminated.

With an added filter there would be considerably more handling of the contaminated mask and filter, prior to it going in the washing machine (as you couldn’t wash the kitchen paper without the paper disintegrating).

I wonder would this angle make the addition of filter paper counter productive to the whole exercise?
 
Keela Too said:
@cyclamen

Interesting they say that kitchen paper can act as a filter inside the mask. The article I linked up thread didn’t test actually kitchen paper, although it tested various other textiles.

Linking it again:
https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-materials-make-diy-face-mask-virus/

I wonder how much efficiency adding the paper actually adds to cloth masks?

The beauty of using only cloth is that you can take the masks straight off, bag them and later wash them, with very little contact with anything contaminated.

With an added filter there would be considerably more handling of the contaminated mask and filter, prior to it going in the washing machine (as you couldn’t wash the kitchen paper without the paper disintegrating).

I wonder would this angle make the addition of filter paper counter productive to the whole exercise?
Click to expand...
The other issue is that the harder it is to breathe through the more air will simply be sucked in around the gaps at the sides as I think you mentioned earlier (or someone did). So I cant see the point, unless you can make the thing airtight around the edges, & then you wouldn't be able to breathe. The N95 masks are not easy to breathe through but they do have an airtight seal when worn correctly so the air has to be sucked in through the filter. With the homemade kind if you make a strong filter at the front the air will just be sucked in from around the sides - same as if you cup your hand over your nose/mouth. So I think your design without them is better @Keela Too
 
Agree @JemPD - only change I have now made is to add a little green garden wire to the nose area of my masks. I’ve curled the ends of the wire over with pliers so there are no sharp edges. This gives a better fit round the nose, and the rest is as good as cloth gets. :)

Edit: I have distributed half a dozen so far, and have another dozen available so far.
 
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I don’t know anything about sewing but how about adding a pocket that vacuum filter or kitchen roll could be placed in and then removed to be binned before the mask is washed?
 
NelliePledge said:
I don’t know anything about sewing but how about adding a pocket that vacuum filter or kitchen roll could be placed in and then removed to be binned before the mask is washed?
Click to expand...

Two problems with that:
1) The vacuum filter would be difficult to breathe through, so instead air would be pushed out, or sucked in, round the sides of the mask, meaning the air wouldn’t go through any filter not even cloth.
2) These masks are washable. Once used they should be taken off into a plastic bag, and then emptied directly into the washing machine. Removing a non-washable filter would likely increase the chance of contamination through the handling involved.

These are not aimed to replace high spec masks, but rather to provide a barrier to reduce (rather than entirely block) the movement of viral particles.

They could potentially catch coughs from infected individuals wearing them thus reducing spread, or could lower the wearer’s inhalation of droplets containing viral particles when some infected person happens to cough nearby.

To be useful they would no doubt need replaced fairly frequently, but because they are washable there is no waste in changing often. Just keep the washing machine going on a hot wash!

Certainly, if I had to venture out somewhere I’d prefer some protection to zero protection.
 
@Keela Too, thank you so much for all the advice and info -- very helpful and much appreciated :)

About the elastic, what width do you all prefer? Do you choose a wider elastic if you want to wear it around the back of your head/neck (as opposed to round your ears)?

ETA: Has anyone tried using strap elastic (the kind you use for bra straps) with rings and sliders to make them adjustable?

ETA2: Or, what about adjustable elastic cord, using a simple cord stopper? Prym's plastic stoppers seem to be washable only up to 40 degrees C, so maybe metal would be better?
 
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Having spent a week handsewing my masks (sewing machine is a bit broke), I now discover that I've made them too big and they don't fit very well (unless the wearer has a very large face!). :( The original one was OK, so I'm not sure what's gone wrong.

I tried making a close-fitting one, like the ones @Keela Too is making, but found it too claustrophobic (and it makes my glasses steam up). I think I'm going to have to go back to experimenting.
Maybe I'll try Plague Doctor stylee next...
 
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