Experts share how to properly use masks and gloves

Since new guidelines have been placed by Riverside County Public Health to wear masks when leaving home for essential travel.

Many of us are adjusting to the new norm of wearing masks for an essential trip to the grocery store. But are you wearing them correctly?

"I feel like we do," said Monica Agriam from Palm Springs.

"To be honest I don't," said Mary Evangelista from Palm Desert.

Wendy Edwards, Clinical Nursing Director at Eisenhower Health, shows us the proper way to put on and take off our mask.

“When you place it on your face, you keep it free of your face," said Edwards. "Have your hands touching the loops here, you’re going to open it up, covering your face.”

Edwards said people should be washing their hands before and after putting on their mask because once it's on its consider potentially contaminated.

 "You want to use your fingers, touch the loops in the back by your ears and you want to pull it away from your face throw it in the trash," said Edwards. "If its something you're going to re-use or you want to wash, they you want have ready a proper place to keep it.”

According to Edwards, if you’re planning to re-use your mask you should be keeping it in a container or zip lock bag until its washed.

“A key thing to remember is that you want to have backups because you never know if you're going to stop to eat or drink," said Edwards.

If you're deciding to wear gloves here are some recommended steps to keep you safe.

 “I have done my grocery shopping, I have put my groceries away," said Edwards. "Now, I need to reach in my purse and grab my keys, your gloves need to come off.”  

And here's how to.

“You want to grasp one of your palms like so and you want to pull forward, exposing your fingers nice and slow," said Edwards. "Now you’re going to take your clean finger on this side and carefully place it and pull forward so that you’re containing the first glove inside the second glove.”