How to make a mask from toilet paper in 1 minute

A toilet paper mask is a popular solution among those who, during the coronavirus pandemic, are unable to buy a real mask or respirator. It may look no worse than its prototype, but few people think about its protective properties. Today we’ll talk about whether it’s worth spending the “quarantine deficit” on making such products.

How to make a mask from napkins or toilet paper?

You can make disposable masks from toilet paper or paper napkins (both table and hygienic). This will take a few minutes, and all you need is consumables, rubber bands or thin and wide hair elastic bands, and a stapler.

This mask is made as follows:

1. Stack several napkins on top of each other. The required amount depends on the initial density. On average this is 5–10 pieces. Since the paper is narrower, it is layered in “steps”.
   
2. Gather the side edges with an accordion.
   
3. Take an elastic band and thread an accordion through it.
4. Bend the edge so that the elastic is inside and secure the paper with a stapler.
   
5. Repeat the same steps on the other side.
   

How to make a mask from paper towels?

To make a mask out of towels with your own hands, prepare:

• roll towels;
• thin double-sided tape;
• scissors and ruler;
• linen elastic.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Cut a rectangle 32 cm wide from the roll (it can be smaller or larger - the size depends on the individual parameters of the face).
2. Fold it in half (parallel to the tear line) so that the fold is clearly marked. Open the resulting “book” and stick tape on the inside along the perimeter of one of the halves.
3. Remove the protective layer of tape and glue both parts of the rectangle together.
4. Apply tape again along one of the wider sides, remove the protective layer and make one fold. This will be the top part of the mask. If you have a thin wire, put it under the tape - it will create a bend in the shape of the nose.
5. Starting on the other wide side, make three folds on the rectangle, carefully ironing the folds.
6. Apply tape to both short edges, perpendicular to the folds.
7. Remove the protective layer of tape and fasten the folds together.
8. Prepare two elastic bands of the required length (usually 25 cm). Tie the ends of each of them with a knot.
9. Thread one short edge through the elastic and fold over the part of the paper where the sticky layer is. Repeat the same action on the other edge.

Useful life hack: if you don’t have double-sided tape, use a stapler instead to secure folds and elastic bands. You can glue the edges of towels with PVA stationery glue - it is non-toxic and has no pronounced odor after drying.

Do paper masks help against coronavirus?

The main function of a medical mask is to trap microdrops of saliva and phlegm that are released when talking, coughing or sneezing. To a greater extent, it protects not the person it is wearing, but those around them.

A paper mask also performs a protective function. The same microdrops of biological fluids settle on the outside if a person without a mask sneezes or coughs nearby.

However, to perform a barrier or protective function, the mask must meet the following requirements:

• fit to the face, leaving no gaps on the sides, on the chin and near the nose;
• be dense enough so that microdrops do not penetrate through the thickness of the material;
• dry quickly (heat and moisture released during breathing are an excellent breeding ground for bacteria that are not related to coronavirus, but cause respiratory diseases).

Honey. masks are made from non-woven materials - three-layer spunbond or SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond combination). Paper is not used in industrial production because:

• does not have sufficient strength;
• either filters the air poorly, or poorly passes it through (the first makes the mask pointless, the second does not allow a person to breathe normally);
• quickly gets wet from the moisture that is released when exhaling;
• does not provide the necessary electrostatic charge that is needed for viruses to “attach” to the material rather than penetrate through it.

A paper mask provides extremely low protection against viruses. It cannot fully replace medical (surgical) protective equipment.

A paper product is a last resort. Due to its low effectiveness, it should not be used in areas where large numbers of people with symptoms of respiratory infections congregate. You should also not walk in it for a long time. At the first opportunity, try to get high-quality medical masks.