Why did cotton handkerchiefs go out fashion?

[AfternoonToffee]

I am in the process of emptying my mother in law's house and have just washed and ironed a pile of her handkerchiefs. Some very pretty ones - embroidered flowers, lace, her initials etc, which will have been well used in the past.

I finished off, walked out the kitchen grabbing a paper tissue as I left. Hardly anyone uses handkerchiefs nowadays, yet the likes of period pants and reusable san-pro very much are. Why did we stop? Why did we start using paper tissue en masse? Figures are hard to come by - but it seems in 2019 the UK spent £179 million on facial and cleansing tissues - that is a lot of waste.

For the US it is estimated that the population uses 255,360,000,000 tissues a year. I know in the middle of a pandemic is perhaps not the best time but is the next eco turnaround this?

I will try and use them - if not all the time there are times I easily could.

@NatMoz

My husband has hayfever this time of year so has loads of hankies.

I don't know how others feel about this but he will have really wet ones drying on his desk in the office and he will also dry them under the handdryer in the toilet if he's really desperate. Would cost us a fortune in paper tissues otherwise.

He has some rather dainty lacy ones I must say!!

Does he work next to people?

I remember my mum soaking bowls of my dad's snot soaked hankies when I was a child. It makes me want to gag now! However I am using more and more reusable things nowadays so may end up taking the plunge and going to cotton hankies one day!

We use them. Washable nappies, wipes and flannels here. I have a little wet bag in handbag for any dirty cotton wipes or hankies to go into. Often use to wipe Ds hands or face when out, or anyone’s nose. Anything is used once and then put in dirty bag.

Nappies and wipes used on baby butt go into a different wet bag if used out. But honestly this whole ‘carrying shit around’ is nonsense. A) Ds actually rarely poops out and about B) if he does, nappies have liner in and the ‘contents’ are flushed down toilet.

I think disposable items like wipes or tissues have their convenience sometimes, so I get why people might use them. But they really should be on the occasional basis if used rather than daily normal.

@woodhill

I can't see the big deal about hankies, and germs as long as they are washed. Good idea about bags for them

But in my experience, people don't wash them right away, or even every day.

They get snot, sweat, tears and dirt/spit all over them, and then are stuffed up someone's sleeve (bleurgh) or in someone's pocket or handbag until they remember to wash them. Whereas a tissue gets blown into and put straight into the bin or flushed down the toilet.

I just find it gross that people blow their nose into cloth and carry the snot-filled cloth around with them lol.

Fair enough, I must admit to having tissues in my bag but when I have a really bad cold have resorted to hankies at home mainly

My parents both use them.

When I visit, I go round collecting them from pockets, under pillows, tucked down the side of the settee or in the side pocket of the car door, and put them all through a hot wash!

@Scarby9

My parents both use them.

When I visit, I go round collecting them from pockets, under pillows, tucked down the side of the settee or in the side pocket of the car door, and put them all through a hot wash!

This is why they're gross

People wouldn't shove dirty, snotty tissues own the side of the sofa or leave them under their pillow for weeks!

People wouldn't shove dirty, snotty tissues own the side of the sofa or leave them under their pillow for weeks!
Clearly you've never met my DD. She's a grotty little urchin.

I somehow never thought of getting a wetbag for soiled handkerchiefs. Excellent idea.

Also the pocket disaster in the washing machine is me

Clearly you've never met my DD. envy She's a grotty little urchin.

My DSis was like that as a child, her bedroom was a tip, grotty hankies, sweetie wrappers, clothes, stationary, toys, books everywhere. Youngest child, I would never have been allowed to have my room so untidy, my Mum always had the house clean and tidy. But then she woke up one morning, tidied it and now as an adult she has a spotless house. So there's hope yet!

Well official advice to stop spreading germs (including covid) is to throw away paper tissues after use. Carrying snot around is germy.

I use them too although big man sized ones. I use a mkx but the hankies are great on a sore nose!

And fabric hankies are scratchy

I am genuinely surprised by some reactions. Given we are on mumsnet most of us must be mums.... I'd expect a lower threshold for 'disgust'!

To be honest after having dealt with poo and vomit on a daily basis for years, what's the big deal about a used handkerchief??? It gets used, folded and discreetly put away in a pocket/bag and put in the wash.
I get these people change their underwear multiple times a day, on the same basis? Or perhaps use disposable one after every visit to the loo?

@Gladimnotcampinginthisweather

My mother has a large collection. It used to be a popular gift - a nice set of embroidered hankies. I stopped using them because of the faff of boiling them. DH used them for several years after we got married and I had a special hanky boiling saucepan. They then had to be ironed. I was so glad when I persuaded him to use tissues.

My mum had a special hanky boiling saucepan too, @Gladimnotcampinginthisweather! She may still have it.

I have gone over to reusable sanpro instead of pantyliners, and I will consider hankies too. I tend to use one tissue several times, as long as it wasn't a really wet 'blow' - and I almost always have a tissue down my cleavage, because I like to have a tissue handy - so if that was a cotton hankie, that wouldn't be any more of a problem for me.

All these people who hate handkerchiefs because people used to boil them in a pan, they used to do the same thing with all underwear and socks-we don't all wear paper knickers!

@user1471523870

I am genuinely surprised by some reactions. Given we are on mumsnet most of us must be mums.... I'd expect a lower threshold for 'disgust'!

To be honest after having dealt with poo and vomit on a daily basis for years, what's the big deal about a used handkerchief??? It gets used, folded and discreetly put away in a pocket/bag and put in the wash.
I get these people change their underwear multiple times a day, on the same basis? Or perhaps use disposable one after every visit to the loo?

Poo and vomit don’t induce the same gut wrenching reaction.

But snot rags eughh…

And I don’t change my underwear more than once a day, and a towel lasts a week.

It’s just cotton handkerchiefs. I’m sure it’s the watching grandparents boiling them and/or the “lumps”.

I use them and had all my nans when she died. My dad always had a clean hanky in his pocket too. They're more for little wipes and occasional sneezes really.

If I have a heavy cold I gets box of tissues. I agree they should come back for eco reasons but it won't be yet with the covid fear around.

Just put them in the washing machine!!
I'm not advocating a pan on the job no wonder people feel sick with the thought of that!

@user1471523870

I am genuinely surprised by some reactions. Given we are on mumsnet most of us must be mums.... I'd expect a lower threshold for 'disgust'!

To be honest after having dealt with poo and vomit on a daily basis for years, what's the big deal about a used handkerchief??? It gets used, folded and discreetly put away in a pocket/bag and put in the wash.
I get these people change their underwear multiple times a day, on the same basis? Or perhaps use disposable one after every visit to the loo?

But you don't poo and wee in your pants and then carry them around in your pocket all day...

Oh hello cotton hanky users I thought I was the only one! Then I met Dh and he used one too. It’s not the only reason I married him but we are now a cotton hanky family. They are so comforting and much nicer than tissues. When we are ill I wash them separately on a hot wash but otherwise I just chuck them in with the white wash

I agree with you RoseAddict. I admit to using tissues if I have a cold, but otherwise it is cotton hankies all the way.

@JaninaDuszejko you give me hope!