For those of you who use cloth napkins

[kmacnchs]

how often do you wash them?

 

I was hoping to not have to wash them daily but I was just wondering what others do :) thanks

 

When we use hankerchiefs, I just have the kids use them until there is not a dry spot left :lol:

[delaney]

Where do you get some good ones that don't cost a fortune?

[Nicole M]

Where do you get some good ones that don't cost a fortune?

 

I have quite a stash that I've collected mostly from thrift stores, but also from import stores like World Market, and I have a few handmade ones. They're very inexpensive to make, but I prefer that thicker woven material with the frayed edges, and those I've bought. I don't know what that fabric is called, sorry.

 

We use them until they're gross. One of my children gets his thrown in the wash more often than the rest of us.

 

Oh, and we each have our own (different) napkin ring, so we can tell our napkins apart.

[TXMary2]

I wash them with the towels pretty much everyday. I have enough that I don't need to wash everyday, but the kids are towel hounds so I end up doing a load of towels everyday.

 

I bought mine at Sam's Club relatively cheap.

[WeeBeaks]

My kids are slobs quite honestly at the table. Then again they are 7 and under. ;)

 

We use them once and toss them in a basket in the kitchen where all kitchen linens go (dishtowels, etc). We have several dozen. When we get low we wash, which is probably twice a week. I do not have a set time range or day for washing them.

[Ravin]

They get washed whenever they get rounded up and tossed in the laundry. Usually one day of use is enough to warrant it.

[orangearrow]

I've made dozens for our house. For everyday napkins, I made double-layer flannel napkins in a smaller size (iirc, they're around 8x8?) than our nicer napkins. I like the flannel because we also use these for spill clean-ups and that kind of thing as well. I just fold them into quarters and store them in a little basket on our counter so we can grab one whenever it's needed.

 

We toss ours in to the laundry room after every use. They go into the laundry that's getting washed that day. I'm too neurotic for multi-use napkins. :D

[Dobela]

I have several dozen that i have picked up at garage sales and thrift stores mostly, usually for a quarter each or less. We don't even try to have matching ones at the same time any more. We also get a clean one at each meal. I don't want to attract any germs, bugs, animals, and all that. Plus my kids are pretty grubby still. I just toss them in with my towels as well.

[HRAAB]

I pick them up at thrift stores. My girls' first sewing project is making napkins. We use them until they are not suitable for the dinner table - your standards may vary.

[melissel]

We use them once and toss them in a basket in the kitchen where all kitchen linens go (dishtowels, etc). We have several dozen. When we get low we wash, which is probably twice a week. I do not have a set time range or day for washing them.

 

This sounds like us, except I probably wash once a week (I only have two littles).

[abbeyej]

I have 25-30 white cloth napkins. If we stick them back in our napkin rings at the end of a meal, they can usually last us a couple of days' use. Some meals are messier than others. ;) I throw them in the laundry with the towels and kitchen towels.

[Melissa in FL]

My kids will use the same one during the day (for breakfast/lunch/snack). Everyone gets a fresh one for dinner. After dinner I shake them over the garbage and put them in the washer to add to my first load the next day.

 

I bought all mine (100% cotton, beige so I can bleach them) at Target on clearance. I bought a bunch right after Christmas (with Christmas clearance stuff) and I just picked up four more packs by checking their cloth napkin area every time I'm in the store. At Target they are normally 4 napkins for $6.99, I bought all mine for $1.74 per 4 napkins. They are nice and thick, they soften the more they are washed. When I first get them they come out of the dryer very wrinkled, but loosen up after several washes and aren't wrinkled anymore.

HTH

Melissa

[Serendipity]

We use a fresh cloth napkin every time we eat and then put it in with the dirty linens. I have lots of napkins that I bought at Sam's. They are in the restaurant supply section. I've been using them for 4 years.

 

:)

[eaglei]

We have oodles of cloth napkins, mostly white cotton, but other colors and designs as well. Most I got at thrift stores and yard sales - being mindful to check carefully for cleanliness before purchasing - then thoroughly washing/bleaching at home before first use. Napkins are used here once per meal and tossed in the appropriate wash load - I do laundry often enough during the week anyway, so it's not a problem and, as another poster said, I can't imagine reusing them throughout the day!:tongue_smilie:

[amydavis]

I feel so silly, because I have never thought to use these! I guess that somewhere in my mind, it seemed like something meant for formal meals or something...

 

I am going to look the next time I am out, just to price them. I do a lot of thrift shopping, and now I have a new quest, LOL!

 

Like I said in another thread - I am constantly learning something on this board!

 

Thanks!

[tatertotschool]

We only use ours once- then wash.

[CalicoKat]

I just ordered some more from reusable bags yesterday. :D I know, I could sew them. But I don't have the time right now. Plus I'm fresh out of worn out oxford shirts to recycle. I don't have a stack yet, so there's hope for sewing some.

[Mommee & Baba]

I wash every other meal or two. Depending on how messy we are all that evening.

 

I get my cloth napkins from thrift shops since I gave up on sewing them myself because with the time it took from measuring, cutting and sewing compared to the $1.99 for 6 price at Goodwill...I figured it was cheaper for me to just buy them thrifty :D We've got a hefty stash ourselves :)

[LarlaB]

We try to use our napkins for 3 meals a day, but DS2 rarely makes it that far- LOL. I have 16 for everyday (purchased for $1.74/set of 4 at Target).

[6packofun]

We're getting ready to make the switch. I'm going to check out any clearance sections of Pier 1, World Market, TJ Maxx and other discount places like that. I might give each person a color and let *them* decide if their napkin is clean enough to reuse. LOL But I don't mind washing them often if we get a big enough stash.

[kewb]

I have a few dozen so as they get used they go in the bin for kitchen linens. They get washed when I do the laundry.

[Mad Jenny Flint]

Generally, we don't use napkins for breakfast and lunch, though- we just eat neatly. :D At dinner we pull out the napkins. And eat like pigs. No, not really.

[Ellie]

I have enough that I don't have to wash them daily, even though we only use each napkin once.

[OrganicAnn]

We have many napkins. I try to look for them seasonally on sale (so after Thanksgiving I look for thanksgiving colors on sale, but only get washable not fancy napkins).

 

We usually have about six of each type of napkins. So my DH and I use our napkin each night and we switch out my DD napkin as often as needed (often daily). When we don't have any more extra of that color to give to my DD, we put ours in to be washed too and get out another set.

[Starr]

We have fun wooden napkins rings, a different animal for each of us. We use them until they look like they need a wash. It depends on the food we are eating.

[Nicole M]

I just ordered some more from reusable bags yesterday. :D I know, I could sew them. But I don't have the time right now. Plus I'm fresh out of worn out oxford shirts to recycle. I don't have a stack yet, so there's hope for sewing some.

 

So you use old shirts to make napkins? That's a great idea!

[Jen in PA]

I wash them each time they are used (tossed in with the "regular" wash 6 days a week).

[Tap]

It seems weird to me, to use a dirty napkin. It would be like eating off a dirty plate to me. Even if it was the same dish I had personally used earlier, I would definitely wash it before I used it again.

 

 

I guess I am a little odd in this department though. I also don't like to reuse bath towels more than once or twice either, and those are used on a clean body, not a spaghetti smeared face. LOL

[Crissy]

It seems weird to me, to use a dirty napkin. It would be like eating off a dirty plate to me. Even if it was the same dish I had personally used earlier, I would definitely wash it before I used it again.

 

 

I guess I am a little odd in this department though. I also don't like to reuse bath towels more than once or twice either, and those are used on a clean body, not a spaghetti smeared face. LOL

 

 

I'm a one-use gal, myself.

Our cloth napkins get tossed in the hamper after a meal.

 

I also wash my bath towels and face cloths after a single use. Kitchen towels and sponges also go in the hamper at the end of the day.

[momofkhm]

5 of us times 7 days, so one for each day. But I may wash them more often than that. I may wash them less often than that.

 

They are flannel scraps that I had and made into napkins.

 

Oh! I just bought a pack at Target on clearance. I think it was 12 napkins for less than $10. Those will get washed more since they are white cotton.

 

I definitely get news ones when they are grubby. When we have company for dinner, everyone of them on the table goes in the washer. Then after dinner, same thing so we don't use someone else napkin.

[Baseball mom]

I have a bunch of them. All kinds and colors. I bought them at yard sales and a very few new off clearence racks. They are kept folded in a basket in the dining room.

 

How often we change them depends on the meal. Non messy meals we use the same napkin all day, then tossed in the dirty towel basket after supper. If they get messy we change them. No big deal.

[Chris in VA]

It seems weird to me, to use a dirty napkin. It would be like eating off a dirty plate to me. Even if it was the same dish I had personally used earlier, I would definitely wash it before I used it again.

 

 

I guess I am a little odd in this department though. I also don't like to reuse bath towels more than once or twice either, and those are used on a clean body, not a spaghetti smeared face. LOL

 

I made a promise to myself when I got married--I'd never have to make my bed or reuse a towel if I didn't want to.:D

 

I wash our cloth napkins after each use. I wash the formal ones right away--the others just get tossed into the laundry room and get washed whenever I have the chance. We do a lot of laundry around here (what with all the towels and things...lol).

[CalicoKat]

So you use old shirts to make napkins? That's a great idea!

Yes! "It's a good thing." :001_smile:

 

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/good-thing-oxford-napkins

[kmacnchs]

oxford shirts

?

 

what are these? I have been thinking of making my own but I didnt' know what to use!

 

thanks everyone - what a response!

[melissel]

Yes! "It's a good thing." :001_smile:

 

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/good-thing-oxford-napkins

 

Huh, that IS a good idea! I don't usually like the stiff, thick dinner napkins we've bought at Target or other places. They're so bulky. My favorites are our ancient linen napkins that we bought at a garage sale--they're so soft and flexible, but they're on their last legs, really. We also use baby washcloths (the girls like their napkins damp). But I like the idea of the oxford cloth napkins, and DH is always giving me shirts to recycle. They would make a great beginner sewing project for me too.

 

Katy, oxford shirts are cotton dress shirts. Typically, oxford cloth is a thicker weave, I think. HTH!

[erica471]

I love my cloth napkins! I almost always get mine at thrift stores.

We only use them once and then wash, but we are a family of only three so it really doesn't add much to the laundry.