To wonder why hankies haven't made a comeback?

[Eestar]

The world is so eco friendly and waste conscious now... plastic straws are out with the dinosaurs, light bulbs have completely changed since my childhood, and using plastic bags seems almost punishable by law... Some of my braver friends have even embraced cloth nappies.

With all of this in mind, using single-use paper tissues just to blow your nose seems such a waste, with an easy and obvious solution - so why are hankies not more of a 'thing' by now??

My mother always insisted that they had to be cleaned by boiling in an old saucepan...which gave me the hankie ick

Ed to add missing word

I agree OP, it's odd. You can get little cloths to use instead of loo paper too. But no, it's hankies that get everyone going!

Because they're disgusting and help spread bugs. It's common sense, definitely not rocket science but if you want to carry around a piece of cloth full of germs and whip it out in public, let me know so I can avoid it.

Absolutely hilarious that this is being offered as anecdote about how mucus is indestructible despite laundering and not as a tale of a grotty home.

I bet some of the people declaring hankies more disgusting than cloth nappies etc, are the same ones who was their towels at 20 degrees.

Reusable period pads don’t get this collective wail of disgust either.

My dad always has a clean, pressed hanky in each trouser pocket. One for his nose and one to offer anyone else if they need it for tears. He has a drawer full of freshly presses handkerchiefs 😊

As long as you're not sharing a used hanky I can't really see a problem.

Because you don't carry your used period pads around in your pocket, get them out in public and use them in front of other people!

Try Etsy - you can buy muslin cloths that are hanky sized

Yes, can’t argue with this.

Do you carry your re-usable toilet paper in your pocket, get it out in public and use it in front of other people?

Because if not, it's not remotely comparable to a handkerchief.

OH uses them but he isnt a nose blower

I wont use them as I have sinus issues and everytime I blow my nose, which is about every 10 mins or so, its incredibly heavy with mucus so the tissue gets sodden. Why would I want to carry around umpteen sodden soaking hankies with me?

So is the concern that using a hanky “in front of people” will somehow launch a cloud of virus into the room? I’d be more worried about people sneezing without covering their nose. Unless people are actually rubbing their used hanky/tissue on you, in which case that is the problem. Not them carrying it.

When I’m home I use old muslins from when my boys were babies. They’re so much kinder on the nose and face.

I use tissues out of the house.

It may not "launch a cloud of virus into the room" but carrying around a tissue full of snot and germs, getting it out, blowing into it and putting it back into your pocket again is hardly good hygiene, is it?

The idea of it just makes me feel a bit sick, tbh. I accept it might be irrational to some but...eurgh. Just no 😖

I remember remnants of gluey snot on the hankies even after being boiled, so ironing them would set it in permanently!
Do people really put hankies in with their tea towels?

Gave the scrambled eggs a lovely flavour!

One handkerchief doesn’t replace a whole box of tissues. I’m not quite sure what you’re imagining.

This reminds me of the Mumsnetters who think bathing is disgusting unless you shower first.

I would hope that if your laundry had any of that stuff you mentioned on it, you would soak it and pre wash it before putting it in with the main wash!

Yes, definitely!

No, that never occurred to either of us

Yes, of course he has. The Dr basically said "some people have that" and that's all. No offer of a solution. So hankies it is. If he had an actual cold and germs he'd use tissues and bin them. But for his non virus runny nose hankies will be fine.

I wouldn’t put them in with tea towels personally (or boil them in a kitchen pan). But on with sheets or towels, yes. On a very hot wash. Kills all germs and cleans everything spotlessly.

But even if you only use it once before washing it, you're still carrying a snot-ridden bit of cloth in your pocket or bag or whatever all day - it just gives me the heebie jeebies, frankly.

I remember my mum shoving used hankies up her sleeves and then finding them when it was my turn to sort the laundry - it made me gag to the point of vomiting more than once. Even thinking about it makes me feel a bit sick.

Admittedly, I am autistic and have more sensory struggles than most but nothing could ever persuade me to use a hankie. 😬

I use them when I’m out running, I get hayfever, so run the risk of being a gross sweaty runny nosed nightmare after about a mile. Tissues in leggings pockets fall apart and get nasty, and I’m not holding a used tissue in my hand for miles before I find a bin. Hankies are miles better.

I really don’t understand the ick factor - just put it in the washing machine. Surely knickers that get the lucky job of catching vaginal discharge don’t go in the bin?

It’s a delusion - or a fond imagining - that we are all walking around in sanitised bubbles. There are always germs. Containing them and cleaning are how you maintain hygiene in a world of bacteria.

I promise you there are more things living on your phone or remote control than on the average handkerchief.

Panty liners?