Where are you obtaining masks?

[Bayard]

Now that they've finally decided that--yes we should be wearing masks, there are none to be had. I don't want to take anything from our medical personnel, and I am definitely self-isolating. But if this thing goes on as long as expected, I will have to pry myself out at some point.

I have asthma, and over 60 yrs. old. There's a ton for sale on Amazon, but looks like none are N95, and all come from China. Is it worth buying those as better than nothing?

All I have on hand are dust masks from the hardware store.

[zackymilly]

1. Check the rating on your dust masks from hardware store.

I have an old box I use for sanding and they are marked N95.

[SheltieLover]

2. I bought small supply 2.5 mos ago

Clueless where to buy them now, sorry. 😢

[greenjar_01]

3. Some dust masks are N-95

One of my hobbies involves spray paint, so I had a box of about 20 "painter" masks - I use these when spray painting, especially in the relatively close space of my garage. They are all N-95 masks. A lot of stuff is not medical grade but it's good enough for the particulate matter size.

[underpants]

4. Hard to find but I have found some in grocery stores

Usually on the mops aisle. At the end they tend to have sink filters, locks, etc.

These are painters masks but it’s better than nothing.

Turns out my “survival bag” in my trunk that my wife put together years ago has 3 more heavy duty masks in it.

[drray23]

5. this morning going to my workshop, I found a 3 pack of N95 masks .

We are going (my wife and myself) to keep those at hand and reuse them if we have to go out get groceries.

[neeksgeek]

6. I do a lot of aluminum and plastic cutting

Turns out the masks I have for that are N-95.

[LAS14]

9. You should donate them to your local hospital or maybe nursing home.

Actually, ask your local health authority where the need is greatest. Use surgical masks for ordinary situations.

[neeksgeek]

21. I'm not sure that'll work...

I appreciate the thought, but I’ve actually worn all three of them. I mean for projects. I’ve got one in my generic toolbox, one with my drill, and one with my Dremel tool. Along with safety glasses in each toolkit. Had a lot of this safety-consciousness drilled into me (bad pun, sorry) when I worked in the printing industry, and in commercial kitchens. So I have the appropriate PPE with the tools, out of habit.

I’m sure they’re fine, but is a hospital or clinic really going to want three masks that have been worn?

I’m just glad I have a few if they become necessary for outings.

[Marrah_Goodman]

7. I am making masks

Right now working on a bunch to send to my parents, children, and those friends who are essential workers on Monday.

If you know someone who sews, reach out to them.

[LAS14]

8. Surgical masks (non- N95) are what are recommended for civilians out and about, not N95.

I expect the Chinese ones are basically the only available except for start ups here since the pandemic.

[DenverJared]

10. Make your own masks from handkerchiefs and rubber bands

Youtube has videos

[Mike 03]

11. Check your masks because I thought I had a box of 20 "dust masks" in my emergency backpacks

for wildfires, and they turned out to be 3M N95s. In fact, I was so sure they weren't anything special that it was only about ten days ago I even bothered to take them out and look at them.

Like other posters have written, they don't need to be N95s to do some good. Good luck!

[snort]

12. You'll have to pry my P100 from my cold dead face.

Use it for welding and such. I never thought that I would consider myself lucky to have the mask, its usually just a pain in the ass. Now its my new best friend. Instead of looking for N95s, you might try to hunt down a P100 mid-face mask. Good luck and stay home!

[Withywindle]

13. Lots of people are making cloth masks at home

They're not medical grade or close to it, but better than nothing and OK for doing curbside-pickup type errands.

[MrsMatt]

15. I read somewhere that if you use

the materials from the non-woven reusable grocery bags as a filter (non woven polypropylene), it's better than just cloth for filtering.

[Vinca]

19. I tried making one of the pleated ones with elastic and it didn't go well for me.

The mask part was fine, but I had the wrong size elastic and it kept flipping off my ears. Oh, well. I might try again and make cloth ties instead. Or I'll just use some masks we bought for doing drywall work. Not the N95 ones, the less effective ones.

[phylny]

14. I don't sew but there are do-it-yourself

videos and web pages for non-sewing options. I’m going to wrap some cloth around an old vacuum filter bag.

[customerserviceguy]

16. We have a few

surgical style masks left over from my lady's abdominal surgery in November.

I'm wondering where the home mask makers are selling their stuff online.

[Totally Tunsie]

17. Be cautious buying masks online these days.

Last edited Wed Apr 1, 2020, 05:54 PM - Edit history (1)

There are many scammers out there, and Amazon, despite their efforts, have not yet removed them all. They're going after the price gougers effectively, but the "bait and switchers" are still lurking. Then you have the hassle of trying to reclaim through the credit card companies.

How do I know? I'm about to submit a second round of paperwork to both Bank of America and Discover to prove my claims, since they're having difficulty resolving them. The company I purchased from was able to show I received the orders; the problem is that what I received is a far cry from the N95s I ordered. (I had placed two orders in early February - the second after a price reduction- on separate cards, to be able to easily distinguish between them if there was a problem.) It's turning out to be a real pain.

[NightWatcher]

18. I'm wearing Lucha Libre masks instead.

People see me coming down the frozen food aisle and run in terror from me.



Distance is better than a mask in some instances.

[displacedtexan]

20. We got Miele Vacuum cleaner HEPA filters from Amazon

We watched a YouTube video on how to cut them to fit the hardware store masks we already had. Now we're making mask frames with the 3D printer for our neighbors.