Putting on and taking off a mask, step by step

A mask can be well made and still do little if it is put on loosely or taken off with dirty hands. This sheet covers donning (putting on) and doffing (taking off) for a medical or surgical mask and for a filtering respirator, plus hand hygiene, where a used mask goes, and when to replace it. It is general information, and workplace respirator users should follow their employer's training and programme.

Before you start

As at 12 October 2023, the WHO masks Q&A says to clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water before touching the mask. The page notes it is no longer being updated and stays online for reference.

Check the mask next. WHO says to inspect it for tears or holes and not to use one that is damaged or already worn. For respirators, CDC's N95 page (reviewed 12 March 2025) adds that a respirator that looks damaged, dirty or damp should not be used. If you are choosing between types, see types of masks and respirators.

Putting on a surgical or medical mask

1. Clean your hands, then pick the mask up by its straps or ties.
2. Find the top edge, which usually has a metal strip, and the inside, which is usually the white side.
3. Cover your nose, mouth and chin, then put the straps behind your head or ears. WHO says not to cross ear loops, because crossing them widens the gap at the sides.
4. Pinch the metal strip so it follows the shape of your nose.
5. Check for gaps at the sides, since WHO's aim is to minimise any gap between face and mask. Fit and seal explains why gaps matter.

Putting on a filtering respirator

These steps follow the NIOSH guide to wearing a filtering facepiece respirator, an undated page opened on 11 October 2026, and match the CDC N95 page. Models differ, so the maker's instructions come first.

1. Use a new respirator and clean, dry hands, and inspect it for damage.
2. Hold it with the nosepiece bar at your fingertips, and place it under your chin with the bar at the top.
3. Pull the top strap over your head to near the crown, then the bottom strap to the back of your neck, below your ears. Lay the straps flat, uncrossed and untwisted.
4. Press down on both sides of the nosepiece to mould it to your nose.
5. Do a user seal check by covering the respirator with your hands and breathing out, then in. The full method is in fit and seal.

Taking a mask off

NIOSH warns that the front of a used respirator may be contaminated, and WHO also says not to touch the front of a mask. WHO's December 2020 interim guidance says to remove the mask by untying it from behind, and to clean your hands immediately after discarding it.

1. Clean your hands if you can, and do not touch the front of the mask.
2. For a mask with ties or ear loops, untie the strings behind your head or stretch the ear loops. CDC's mask care page (reviewed 10 March 2025) says to fold the outside corners together.
3. For a respirator, NIOSH says to pull the bottom strap over the back of your head first, then the top strap, without touching the respirator.
4. Throw a single-use mask or respirator away. WHO's Q&A prefers a closed bin.
5. Wash your hands with soap and water. CDC accepts hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol if soap is not available.

Where a used mask goes

A single-use mask goes in the bin, and WHO says never to reuse it. A reusable cloth mask is a different case. WHO's 2020 guidance says to either discard the mask or keep it in a clean resealable plastic bag until it can be washed, and not to store it on the arm or wrist or pull it down to rest on the chin or neck. Washing is covered in caring for reusable masks.

If you take a mask off to eat or drink, CDC suggests putting it somewhere clean such as a pocket, purse or paper bag, then putting it back on with the same side facing out and cleaning your hands again.

When to replace a mask

WHO says to replace a medical mask with a new, dry one as soon as it is damp or soiled. CDC says a disposable mask goes in the trash after one wearing or when wet or dirty. For an N95, CDC says to replace it when the straps are stretched and it no longer fits snugly, or when it is wet, dirty or damaged. If a respirator makes breathing hard, or you have heart or lung problems, CDC advises talking to a doctor about whether it is suitable.

The short version

Clean hands, a damage check, a snug fit, no touching the front, and clean hands again afterwards cover most of the guidance. Single-use masks are replaced when damp or dirty and are not reused. The same steps apply to reusable masks, with washing added.