can anyone HONESTLY say they are doing this mask thing properly?

[RaspberryCoulis]

Yes it's another mask one, sorry.

Most people where I live are complying with the compulsory face coverings, in settings where they are mandatory.

But nobody I know is doing it "properly" according to the government guidance.

Disposables - clean hands before putting it on, put it on, don't touch it, clean hands before taking it off, take it off, bin it, wash hands again.

Reusables - clean hands before putting it on, touch only the straps, remove after use and immediately place in sealed plastic bag, wash your hands, launder your mask.

Or do most people do as I do - have a range of paper and fabric masks in the door pocket of the car, coat pocket, handbag, in the boot. Grab whatever's nearest and use that. Chuck it in the wash when you remember. Is there ANYONE really doing the plastic bag thing or chucking out a paper mask after a quick 5 minute scoot round the local corner shop?

Yes, but I'm a Dr so it's second nature to me anyway.

Yes, when I’m out I sanitise my hands before and after going into a shop and therefore before and after putting on a mask.

I keep the mask in my pocket and I have a plastic bag of them in my bag so if one gets damp it is relegated to a side pocket and I take out a new one.

Wash at 60° and change often. Don’t touch mask if I can help it but if you wear glasses it’s tough.

I get that some people are doing it for show but it’s the right thing to do, even if it’s hard to make it bombproof. I know people who say they’re going to carry on wearing a mask in some situations as colds and flu are down as well.

Nope. It's kept in a little basket in the kitchen and taken out when needed. Don't wash it daily either.

I wear them in shops because it's compulsory

We each have a few reusable masks and I wash them once a week, so no, definitely not following the guidelines to the letter and I don't know anyone who does.

But it's still WAY better than nothing.

I have cough variant asthma which is badly triggered by a cold, I will definitely keep wearing a mask as it's made such a noticeable difference this year.

No, just gets taken out my coat pocket for school pickup, put on at the last moment and taken off at the first opportunity. I do wash them frequently though.

No, I just use whichever one I can find in my handbag or coat pocket.
Like you OP I am just doing it to avoid the fine.

I grab a new one every time I go out and they get chucked in the washing machine when I get home, followed by a hand wash. I do re-wear while out though (i.e. stick it in my pocket between shops), and just sanitise my hands. That feels fairly low risk.

I think the main reason to wear them to to stop the 'spray' of virus particles when you cough or sneeze, and the main blast of air from speaking directly to someone - and they are very effective at that.

I’m in a country where you have to wear it on the street. It’s on my chin most of the time and I just pop it up in presence of police or when entering shops. I’m sure it’s got more viruses on it than anything else :D

Yes. It's so boringly easy to get right.

Clean cotton fabric mask on every time I pop out, don't fiddle, usually walk home in it. Chuck in washing machine when I get in.
Wear two masks a day if I've been in the office.

@megletthesecond

Yes. It's so boringly easy to get right.

Clean cotton fabric mask on every time I pop out, don't fiddle, usually walk home in it. Chuck in washing machine when I get in.
Wear two masks a day if I've been in the office.

Less ‘boringly easy’ when you’ve got a toddler with speech delay who needs to see your face to understand you, so you frequently have to take it off and put it back on again when you want to communicate with them. And when said toddler also likes to grab at your mask when you’re wearing it.

No, because I’m not a brain surgeon. However, I try not to fiddle with it while I’m wearing one and I put it on with clean hands. I also feel that if I’m going from shop to shop it’s more sensible to keep it on in between, in answer to the hard of thinking who sneer at people who wear them outside. Mainly use reusables but I have had cause to visit hospital recently so have used a new disposable one for each visit.

Wash reusable masks by putting in a bowl of boiling water on my return to the house.
Only try as far as possible to touch it by the ear straps if wearing one.
If ironing other things, will iron all dry masks as well, so they keep being nuked with high temperatures.

Depends who’s asking, if it’s work or school we’re obviously doing it all 100% right, only monsters who want their granny to die wouldn’t.
Where are all these public sinks then?

I'm doing it for show too. I think it is crazy and of little/no benefit.

Take a grubby mask in my pocket and use that, mostly under my nose too as it's horrible to wear.

Will be relieved when this pointless rule is scrapped.

I use a clean mask every day and put it in the wash after using it. I send DC off to school with a clean mask in a bag every day - it usually gets thrown somewhere in the car when I pick them up though!

The biggest reason I wear a clean one daily as I think it’s grotty to put something that isn’t clean on my face/mouth and don’t want my skin to break out. Unlike my bra that gets washed whenever

I'm doing it properly by my own standards, no idea if it's up to the governments criteria or not because I presumed it was just common sense.

I am cautious and as careful as I can be. Mine is a multi-generational house with vulnerable members and I am the biggest threat of bringing anything into our home.

I put on a clean reusable mask when I leave for work in the morning and only partially remove it by the ear strap for a drink of water while at work but gel hands first.

I keep clean masks individually in pound shop sandwich bags (with one empty one) in my bag. If I need to change masks, the used one goes straight into the empty bag, I gel my hands and then put the clean one on putting the empty bag back for the next dirty mask.

When I get home, I take the dirty mask bag(s) out of my bag and tip the masks straight into the washing machine drum binning the bags and remove the mask I'm wearing putting it into the drum also I then wash my hands. By doing it that way it avoids the need to handle the masks again and keeps them out of the way until I shove the next load in, I use the laundry cleanser stuff too.

I might be wasting my time, I might be going over the top but at the end of the day, I feel I am doing all I can to try and keep my family safe and give myself some much needed peace of mind.

100% not doing it properly no

We have a bin by our door and masks get dropped on as we enter. Absolutely washed after single use. Sometimes I pop it off my ear after using hand sanitizer instead of a full hand wash because that is all that is available and i find it interferes with my vision too much to wear while driving.

I wear one in shops because I have to and don’t want to make others worried when they are going about their daily business. I don’t use public transport but would certainly wear one then too if I did.

I have reusable masks that live in coat pockets and the car. They get washed when I remember but certainly not after each use, I use hand sanitiser when I enter/leave shops and the gym. I do the best I can but I don’t stress about it.

There's a doctor on "Hospital" who constantly fiddles with his mask, drives me mad.

Other than that, we are pretty random in this house. Always a couple in the car, some disposables too, but haven't yet disposed of them, they have only been worn for a few minutes, and only every week or so. Still going strong. Re-usable ones get washed occassionally, DD's every other day or so as she is on the train and at school. All our masks are kept in cars, or pockets or handbags when not in use. I also only hand wash them and hang up to dry.

Nope, I have several disposable ones in various coats/bags/car that I've been using since the start. I wear them for show when I have to go inside anywhere that they are mandatory.

I can't wait to get rid of them and will be doing so at first opportunity!

Just to add, I'm working from home and only go to the supermarket once a week so they are not getting worn daily or anything.

Good god no, just chuck a mask on when I have to. Purely for show. I know this renders it pointless, but then it is really isn't it?