Handkerchiefs.

Yes I do and keep them in a handkerchief sachet. Anyone else remember those?

I don't use real hankies, but my husband does. I give them a good hot wash and he can iron them or not, as he wishes! I prefer the aloe vera type tissues as I find that they stop me getting a sore nose.

I have used men's size cloth hankies all my adult life and have no intention of stopping. I cannot stand either the smell or the feel of tissues ag ainst my nose.

I wash my hankies with underpants and face flannels, towels and bed linen. If I have a cold, I put them in a bucket of cold water and salt first, scald them and then put them in the machine. This kind of washing is always on the hottest cycle, as few germs and no vira are killed off under 70 degrees as a minimum.

Only use tissues occasionally -normally use men's large spotted handkerchiefs better for the environment and don't disintegrate in the pocket when walking dogs in the rain!

I love old fashioned handkerchiefs-not to blow my nose on ,but to dab with scent .

We all use proper hanky’s in our house as my adult kids are allergic to tissues.

I still have some of my mum's hankies in a bedroom drawer. They are very old, but so soft after many washings and boilings. Funnily enough, the borders and embroidery hasn't faded much.

She always used a huge blue enamel saucepan to boil them in our skullery (we didn't have a kitchen as such when I was younger) along with my dad's white underpants. I can also still remember the soapy, bleachy smell pervading the house when she boiled my baby sister's terry towelling nappies every day (after soaking them for a few hours with bleach in a bucket in the garden!)

My elderly boss would tie a knot in the corner of his hanky as a reminder of something he had to do after work. However when he got home he couldn't always remember what it was he was supposed to remember.

We sometimes resort to kitchen roll but it's not recommended to flush it down the loo. One Boxing Day we summoned Dyno Rod to clear a wodge which had accumulated in a drain wrapped round other nasties. I suppose it was living up to its reputation of not falling apart when wet.

I buy them regularly for younger family members they use them as they are green. They are easy to get lots of cheaper stores sell them. It’s nice to see an old fashioned thing having a younger following.

ferry23

Both my parents used "proper" ones. I still have some of my Mum's pretty, lace edged ones. And I remember it became more & more difficult to find the rolled edge ones my Dad used to use.

They did both use tissues as well though. I think my Mum had one in every pocket and tucked up every sleeve!

Tea towels and handkerchiefs - the first step in learning how to iron!

Did anyone else wear those navy blue Chilprufe (wool) school knickers that had a little pocket at the front for your hankie?

DH uses them... i cant bear them..especially getting them out of washing machine on cool wash....yuk.....

My poor children are still traumatised ( not really ) as small children my OH always spat/ licked his hanky to wipe them clean if we were out or any emergency cleaning was required!
It’s mentioned regularly.

I am in both camps. always have tissues available, and used to keep some for patients use in my car . Have them in strategic places in the flat, but still keep a large mens hankerchief under my pillow, and also have similar ones in coats or trousers, for when I used to go out walking, especially for longer walks. I always thought those silly little ladies hankies were neither use nor ornament. I used to find the army and navy stores had good sturdy hankies at reasonable prices. and I find nice clean hankies and tea towels calming and cheering as the ironing gets done.

I use tissues. DH uses hankies and tissues.

I used to have the prettiest of hankies - I still have one somewhere …

MiniMoon

I like a cotton handkerchief. Maybe not as hygienic as tissues, but much nicer, and softer for the nose.

My thought too - I sometimes revert to using them if my nose is sore when I have a cold! I just worked my way through a big pile and give them a hot wash!
The pretty little ones with lace etc are really not practical, but I’ve got a collection of slightly larger ones, in brighter colours and check and tartans that I used for years. I just picked up a clean one every day. I didn’t think it was any less hygienic when having a tissue stuffed up my sleeve, or in a pocket.

No,but I still have them from when I was little. My dad always used proper cotton hankies

I bought some cotton hankies for my mum a couple of Mothers Days ago, and got some for myself. I do like them, but they are the dainty 'ladies' ones (with the embroidered corners) so aren't much good for a cold. I always have a small pack of tissues in my bag, too.

Oh we should bring them back! All the care we are asked to give the environment, this would surely help?

Nope. Just no. 🤢🤮

Tissues are alright for one serious nose blow but they seem to disintegrate after that. Cotton hankies are so much softer and nicer to use. My cleaner had never seen them before she saw mine and refers to them as cotton tissues.
I did use just tissues for a few years when I had an allergy that made my nose need constant wiping. A dear friend of mine said how she couldn’t bear to have anything other than the cotton hankies she used. I started to say”If you had my nose…” and she said, “Oh if only…” She, apparently hated her nose and thought she’d never get married because of it. In fact she was really pretty and always looked lovely.

DH has always carried a cotton handkerchief. I wash and iron them.

and to flush them away

Tissues should never be flushed down the loo, the wrong type of paper.

No doubt contributes to blockages.

Another reason to use proper hankies.

I haven’t had a really bad cold for a long time but when I did I just used to use toilet paper because I would get through lots of it. When I was much younger I had a temp job in an office and had a bad cold. The manager was really angry with me for putting my used tissues in the bin next to my desk; being young it didn’t cross my mind that someone would be offended by it.

My husband always uses cotton hankies.