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Original poster

Muslin squares - why so great?

118 replies

embarrassedtoask · 15/04/2007 22:22

I am a bit embarrassed to ask this in case I am missing something very obvious... but why does everyone go on about how great muslin squares are - what do you use them for?!

I can see they would be good at mopping up spillages, sick etc - is that all? Wouldn't a bib do?!

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hatrick · 15/04/2007 22:36

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TwirlyN · 15/04/2007 22:40

Great get dozens for:

  1. Mopping up puke/milk
  2. Work well tucked in as a bib
  3. Putting on top of a cold sticky plastic changing mat
  4. DP insists they are great to have beside the bed for mopping up. You know those first couple of days after when sex is totally out of the question.
  5. During the summer, we used to drape them over the pram, to stop sun/ insects.
  6. Putting over baby in pram as a light sheet. To curb that feeling of wanted to put a blanket over to keep warm! especially in the middle of summer.
  7. I know we used them for loads more reasons. will pop off have a gulp of drink, think, and will be back.
  8. oh using on top of public places changing mats.
TwirlyN · 15/04/2007 22:42
  1. make great tea towels when caught short.
10. grotty ones, i now use to clean/dust the house. 11 I'll go get that drink.
Wid · 15/04/2007 22:43

My friend's husband sends her to Mothercare for muslin cloths - he swears by them for buffing up his car!

RustyBear · 15/04/2007 22:46

I've often thought of writing an article for a baby mag called '101 uses for a muslin nappy' - my sister gave me a load & I still have some (DC are 19 & 17) - they have been used for: handkerchief, sun shade in car (hung over seatbelt), emergency sun hat on beach, sick cloth, bundle on end of stick for Dick Whittington, shepherd's headdress, lunch cloth for victorian day, making cheese for DS's school talk, mopping up spills, cloak for teddy bear/doll, improvised sling/bandage, stuffing down my bra to cope with overflow, padding in all sorts of situations, wedding marquee for sylvanians etc, etc.
The only thing I've never done is put it on a child's bum.

taffy101 · 15/04/2007 22:48

yeah muslin squares are fab.

dd was very sicky baby and I used to put one under her head in the crib (tucked in tightly) so that i didn;t have to change the sheet everyday. She still cuddles up with one at night now and she is 3. she loves the labels

DS is following same pattern. He had one on his head in the car today as the sun was shining through the sunroof on him! Also as light 'blanket' on his bare legs in pram today. he also very puky and i use one a bit like a tablecloth when bfing!

chocolatebirdy · 15/04/2007 22:48

drying wet seats when out.

Oblomov · 15/04/2007 22:48

Are you getting the picture embarrasedtoask ?

Oblomov · 15/04/2007 22:49

LO Rustbear - esp the dick wittington.

shonaspurtle · 15/04/2007 22:53

Weirdly indispensable (though agree any cloths would do really). I absolutely thought the same as you when pg and really only bought a pack because they seemed to be on every list.

They are now constantly in the wash after soaking up all manner of liquids... Particularly good for putting over your little boy while changing a nappy to catch the inevitable fountain of wee, or under him when he's having a fun, naked kickabout on the changing mat to catch even more wee.

They wash well and dry really quickly. All round good guys.

TwirlyN · 15/04/2007 22:54

tell you what embarrassedtoask, give me your address, I'll send you a dozen. coloured or white your choice. See how many different uses you can find. Sorry, but they are a standard, sensible, practical gift that all mums-to-be receive from me. Oh and DP!

SlightlyAngrySlug · 15/04/2007 23:00

ACtually I didn't have any for DTDs and didn't miss them. I have half a dozen for DD3 and wonder how I ever did without them. i guess its the same as the dishwasher argument.

'Specialially' designed burp cloths are far inferior IMO

DrunkenSailor · 15/04/2007 23:01

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taffy101 · 15/04/2007 23:04

ahh - i forgot about using them for sore noses! Also i put Karvol on them and tie it to the bed post.

PrettyCandles · 15/04/2007 23:05

They're better than 'any' piece of cloth because you can abuse them totally - even boil them - and they'll still work. They don't shrink, lose absorbency, or get rough.

macneil · 15/04/2007 23:25

I asked this question while pregnant. Ha ha! I've bought so many since then because the first lot I had turned totally yellow from using them to mop up puke. Bibs are useless, the puke rolls into the neck and you can't dab with a bib, they're never absorbent enough. Plus you can lay a big square on your bed and lie with your baby in the morning post-morning-feed before you've changed her nappy, knowing she won't overflow and pee on your bed. It is really the puke though, mine pukes so much. Having puked constantly all the way through pregnancy, I think I gave this to her: ability to puke, means to puke, determination to puke, whenever, wherever. Oh, they are nice and soft and I let her do tummy time on them because even if she doesn't puke (which she usually does) she just has a constant saliva drool and then puts her hands in it.

pipsqueak · 15/04/2007 23:47

dd2 aged 5 wont go to bed without one and calls them labels becuause she wraps the label round her finger and twiddles away...they're fab ...far too nice for moping up puke!

macneil · 15/04/2007 23:50

The first I saw of them my mum had already washed them and they were crimply so when she sent me some more and I got a packet of what looked like napkins I freaked out and told her she'd brought the wrong sort. I love their waffliness.

Hillllllllllary · 15/04/2007 23:51

they dry in no time too.

Malaleche · 16/04/2007 00:19

I have used them for:
nappy
sun shield over pram hood
thrown over shoulder and over baby's head for discrete bfeeding in public,
tied round neck/middle as bib
burping cloth
for soaking up leaking milk from norks when bfeeding in middle of night
to put under baby's head while feeding so when you put them in cot the cold sheet doesnt wake them up
emergency changing mat
dish towel
etc etc etc

just get some, you'll find a use for them...

endlesslove · 16/04/2007 13:37

If child is sick or poos on a muslin square/bib, do you rinse them first or put them straight into the washing machine?

NineUnlikelyTales · 16/04/2007 13:45

Endlesslove, for me it is straight into the washing machine (I wash them at 60 degrees with the other white stuff).

Currently my favourite uses for them are:

Sunshade that fills in the gaps left by the £45 useless piece of tat I call the proper sunshade

Bib (folded into a triangle and tucked over then tied at the back, it is much more absorbant than a normal bib)

As a face cloth

Draped over DS head when he is in the sling - looks peculiar but works a treat to keep the sun off and DS asleep

cathcart · 16/04/2007 13:46

flannels for me too! cheaper but maybe not as soft.

BizzyDint · 16/04/2007 13:47

my main uses were-

for under dd's head (where a pillow would be) hen she slept so when she dribbled or puked i didn;'t need to change the sheet every time.

over my shoulder for burping/carrying.

under boob when feeding/expressing.

in bottom of pram for sickiness when out and about.

in car glove box for sickiness when in car.

in changing bag to put over communal changing tables/ over communal play gym things at baby group.

thehairybabysmum · 16/04/2007 13:48

Never liked them myself...too big (though ds not v. sicky), would mop up a bit of sick or whatever then have to put it in wash despite only 1 corner of the thing being dirty.

Have always used ikea flannels for all the same jobs and at £1 for 10 lots cheaper and jsut aas practical.