Washable nappy and sanpro users -

[PrettyCandles]

Do you also use cotton hankies?

Wondering whether it's true that you don't get a sore nose when you have a streaming cold, if you use cotton hankies rather than paper tissues.

And, just out of curiosity, do you use kitchen roll, or something washable instead?

[deemented]

No, i don't actually! I use both paper tissues and kitchen roll, never occoured to me not to. Something i'm going to reconsider now though.

[nannyl]

I never did untl recently

OH has loads and uses them. My nose is definitely less red / sore when i get hayfever if i use hankies.

[WoTmania]

I have always used cloth hankies. Definitely less sore making than tissues. The other thing I've noticed is that tissues can be dusty and that makes me sneeze - none of that with hankies and they don't fall apart after two blows.

[PrettyCandles]

If you have a streaming cold, what do you do with the manky hankies? In the laundry basket with everything else, or special treatment?

(I no longer have a nappy bucket - I am now Beyond All That.)

[nannyl]

i just stick used hankies in the wash basket (or directly into washing machine to be washed in the next wash)

[SkipToTheEnd]

I use an old cut up fleece blanket. Started it with the DC when they had colds as it's soft and stops them getting sore but quickly started it for myself too!

[bibbitybobbityhat]

I didn't use washable nappies and don't use washable sanpro products - and am now menopausal, so not going to change my ways - but have ALWAYS used cotton hankies. I have loads. They are definitely gentler on the nose. They go in the laundry basket and get washed on a hot sheets/towels wash.

[Yeni]

I use cloths instead of kitchen roll now. The only thing I use kitchen roll for is emptying the sink strainer thingy. I put the used ones in a wetbag and when it is full I tip it into the washing machine.

[PrettyCandles]

Wetbag?

[Yeni]

A waterproof zip-up bag, the sort of thing you can put used cloth nappies in instead of a nappy bucket.

[PrettyCandles]

Don't they fester? I use washable wipe-up cloths, and get a fresh one out every day or two. I let the previous ones dry before putting them into a clean, dry bucket to await a full towels load so that i can wash thrm on a much hotter cycle than I wash the rest of the laundry. If they aren't completely dry, and even worse if I put them damp in the dry bucket, they fester and stink of mildew.

[Takver]

Yep, cotton hankies here. Kitchen roll as an alternative if I've got a cold & am going through them too fast. Just go in a hot wash.

[Yeni]

I don't find that they go smelly at all. I have heaps of the cloths and put them in the bag damp, but not sopping wet. I find I can leave them for a lot longer than I would nappies, for example. I put normal tea towels in my laundry basket and just use the wet bag for the cotton cloths I use for wiping and cleaning in the kitchen.

[AngelDog]

Yes, cotton hankies here as my nose gets much more sore with tissues. I just bung them in with the normal washing. DH wipes his nose on his t-shirt/dressing gown, so it's no different from that.

I put wet dishcloths in a (non-waterproof) laundry bag in the kitchen and haven't noticed them festering particularly. They get washed with normal washing too.

[chipmonkey]

It had never even occurred to me to use cotton hankies but I will give them a go now!

[schroeder]

I use cotton hankies (and homemade sanpro) The hankies just go through the wash with everything else, but I do iron them, because my Mum told me it kills the germs and makes them softer.

Seems to work and stops your nose getting so sore, some of my hankies were bought from Bonds in Norwich in 1988 and still going strong .
They used to have some lovely displays with all the hankies fanned out and lovely colours

[chipmonkey]

Respect, shroeder! I iron nothing except linen trousers, with which I don't have a choice or they look terrible!

[PrettyCandles]

My mum told me the same , Schroeder. They're right, ironing dies make clothes softer (you don't starch your hankies, I presume ), and it makes sense that pushing steam at 100+ degrees would sterilise them. I always ironed cotton hankies and bandanas when I used them as bibs on my dribbley tap dd.

Hmm, I think I may try using cotton hankies regularly. They will at least prevent the tissues-in-the-laundry scenario!

[schroeder]

I must admit I hate ironing with a passion and only iron stuff for work and hankies (dh does his and the dcs), but hankies are easy and satisfying.

[millionsandmillions]

Yes to the hankies

and for kitchen roll I use the rolls of J-cloth, which wash lots of time in the washing machine but can be thrown away if the mess is too icky

[Grockle]

From where do you buy proper hankies these days?

[schroeder]

Loads of ladies hankies on ebay and amazon at the moment. At christmastime they will be all over the place. Or try your local market.

Men's are quite easy to buy even at asda and such places, but I save these for when I'm at home as they really are a bit big for my pockets.

[WoTmania]

John Lewis, House of Fraser, Debenhams (?) M&S. Go for the men's hankies though - they are bigger