Handkerchiefs

[Diyan]

In the kitchen we reduce our trash by recycling and composting as much as possible, but I've notice that the trash cans in the bedroom, bathroom, and living room tend to fill up mainly with facial tissue. So I've been thinking we ought to try handkerchiefs, and I convinced my husband to try it. We bought a couple of cotton bandanas, but they're not very soft. I guess they'll get softer with use and washing, but I wondered what tips other handkerchief users might have. Thanks for your help

[snanna]

I get all mine (a large stack of them) at estate/garage sales. This might cross some people's gross-out line, but they are all nice and soft-- I wash them on hot, and they are lovely. Embroidery, plaid, fanciness. Those cotton bandanas take FOREVER to soften in the wash.

We also use our homemade flannel baby wipes as handkerchiefs, mostly when we are in the house. They are a good kid size.

[kawa kamuri]

we use small wash cloths

[swd12422]

We go through sheets in our house like they're paper. (The dog likes to nest and his claws occasionally rip right through the sheet.) I tear them into squares and they make great wipes/hankies.

[crunchie1]

We use flannel receiving blankets, cut into hankie size.

[EnviroBecca]

Here's where I babble on and on about hankies. Flannel or cotton knit fabric is good. If you want to make them yourself, old clothes are softer than new fabric. If you want to buy them, in addition to the link that's in my article, I recently saw these which are double-layered and come in so-o-o many prints!

[shelleyd]

I've bought lots of hankies at thrift stores. I have also found some at Target. They are over in the men's department by the ties. That is what I started with and then I just bought more as I came across them at thrift stores. They definitely get softer as they get washed more.

[Magelet]

I buy muslin, and hem it. It starts out softer than bandanas, is cheaper, and works pretty well. The thinner ones soak through a bit too quickly, but the thicker muslin works well for everything but the worst sob sessions or colds. But you'd need multiple paper tissues for those too, so I figure using a couple hankies isn't a problem.

Not many tips, just that they are wonderful to use. I can't think of anything that wasn't pretty obvious that I've learned over time from using them.

[cyncyn]

I love hankies! I have a bunch of different kinds, from repurposed 6-year-old handmade baby wipes to silk ones. My favorites are single layer of flannel or silk (I prefer twill vs. habutoi). My best advice is to have a bunch. I try to have them in every room (just like some people have tissue boxes in every room). All my bags and jacket pockets have a hankie in them. If the thought of icky hankies is too much for you, use a smaller one like 8 or 9 inches square and toss it in the hamper after one or two uses. If you don't mind reusing multiple times, a traditional 17" might be better for you. Just fold it so the used part is inside. Unfold all hankies for laundry, they wash up better this way.
DD went to grandma's house today and as she was packing up, she grabbed 3 or 4 hankies and said "I don't like using the paper wipers at grandma's". Cloth is much softer.

[somanythings]

A twin flannel sheet yields about one million hankies (give or take ) and if you cut them out with pinking shears, there is NO SEWING!!: I make little ones for the kids and bigger ones for those of us with bigger noses. They just go in the regular wash with whatever colored load they match.

[sammysmammy]

I just recently quit buying kleenex...and my family is still griping about it!! They'll get used to it, they don't even mention the paper napkin loss anymore,so it will just take time. I tend to just grab whatever is closest in the event of a nose wiping need....old T shirts are my fave right now as far a softness factor goes