Handkerchiefs

[Porpoises]

I've decided in preparation for cold season, I should try cloth handkerchiefs rather than boxes and boxes of tissues. Are there any factors I should consider in which ones to buy?

[Thewerera66it]

Watching with interest as I'm thinking of doing the same!

[catinboots9]

Watching too! Am just at start of snotty cold. How many should I have/wash/expect to use??

[Cynderella]

We have a pack each, and I seem to wash three or four at a time, so one pack seems plenty. But nobody here has been ill here, so I'm thinking of buying an extra pack for the cold season.

For husband, I bought some from Amazon that had initials on - will look for a link. Obvious advantage there but only seven in a pack. Mine are just plain white and smaller - for laaaaidies. About £6 for a dozen.

I would stick with plain white so you can boil wash when necessary. You can pay more for heavier cotton, embroidery etc but a lighter cotton weave makes for easier washing and drying.

If you look at Amazon reviews, you can see what to look for - a lot of the complaints are about poor hemming and finishing.

www.amazon.co.uk/OCTAVE-Embroidered-Initial-Handkerchiefs-Embroidery/dp/B00WZKNPG4/ref=sr_1_3?rps=1&keywords=handkerchiefs%20for%20men%20cotton%20white&ie=UTF8&qid=1540627354&sr=8-3&refinements=p_76%3A419158031&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[CheeseCakeSunflowers]

As a child in the 1960's I was taught never to leave the house without a clean hankie. I have always kept to this rule, many people find it strange that I don't use tissues but I've never understood the appeal of a bin full of germ laden tissues. It was the same in the 1990's when I used cloth nappies to people's horror, hopefully fashion will catch up with me on hankies as well as nappies.
How many you need depends on how often you intend washing them. I use one ladies size a day normally but switch to man size if I have a cold, probably using 2 a day. If you wash them every 2 days then 6 of each size would be plenty but if you wash them weekly then you will probably need 3 times that.

[Cynderella]

I used handkerchieves as a child - everyone did. When I met my husband, he still used them and I persuaded him to abandon them because I didn't like the idea of washing them.

Now, in a bid to generate less waste, we've gone full circle. I've always used dishcloths and washed them very frequently and my kids had washable nappies. By the time I had my last one, shaped velcro fastening nappies were being made. Not brilliantly efficient at night but so much easier than squares.