Handkerchiefs: Making and Cleaning

I've mentioned before how easy it is to switch from disposable tissues to handkerchiefs, so I thought I would share my experience.

How I made them
I grabbed pieces of fabric I had and cut them into what I thought would be a practical size. In this case, I cut an old t-shirt, but you use any fabric that is soft and flexible.
I don't really care for their shape so I use every bit of fabric, even the elastic, so nothing goes to waste!

 I've made quite a few and I will probably make more, since they are so light, don't take any space and are so practical! This way I don't need to worry about washing them in a hurry in case I don't have any clean handkerchiefs on hand, and I can store one in each bag so I can make sure I never forget them at home.

Advantages of Handkerchiefs
•    Eco-Friendly
•    Softer on the nose 
•     A single handkerchief lets you wipe your nose many more times than a single tissue (so going out you will probably only need to take one with you)
•     Buying a pack of tissues each time adds up, so this way you'll end up saving money
•    You'll never run out of tissues, and find yourself with a runny nose and nowhere to wipe it!

Cleaning
I don't know if this is the best way to do this, but it has been working for me:
1.    Soak the handkerchief for a while, I usually let them soaking overnight - you can put detergent on the water but I don't so I can reuse it to water my plants
2.    Put it in the washing machine (I put it in with regular clothing)
And that's it! Let them dry and they're clean and good to go!

Let's get fancy
So, I try to buy new stuff as little as possible for ethical reasons, so instead of looking for fancy handkerchiefs I decided it would be better to just use what I had. However I do understand that some people might want cooler handkerchiefs, that are well made and have a nice pattern. I encourage you to ask your oldest family members, since they are likely to still own a few handkerchiefs from the time before disposable tissues were accessible. You can also keep an eye open at thrift stores, not only for handkerchiefs but you might also find bed sheets with cute prints that you can cut into squares.

Lastly, I would like to remember you that you aren't doing this to be cool (although in my opinion, if you're sacrificing commodity for ethics then you are totally cool!) so it's great if you can find handkerchiefs that you love, but the sooner you leave aside the disposable tissues, the better - even if you have to use ugly pieces of fabric to wipe your nose for a while!

When you do find fancy handkerchiefs, keep in mind you might want to wash them a little more carefully!