Why use wet towels to protect your mouth?
When smoke is generated from fires, you can use a damp towel for emergencies. If you are in a chemical plant, you must always use a protective mask. Wet towels are not used for a long time. Toxic gases are only temporary.
A wet towel is mainly aimed at some harmful gases isolated temporarily, only a wet towel on some simple filtering dust, smoke, toxic gases that if it is insoluble in water and soluble in water, wet towels useless.