Cloth napkins? Big deal?

[summer]

Am I not a real adult? Because we have cloth napkins but they aren't always clean and I don't care about them that much, so it's no biggie to me to pull out paper ones.

So many people have come in my house, even a few children, and commented on paper napkins. Now I grew up without means so maybe I missed the memo but is this a big deal?

[Deleted]

Napkins aren't even a "thing" here in most homes. We throw a paper towel each on the table if it's a messy meal.

Feel better?

[jillboston]

? people complain that you do not have them? wha? I use them all the time to cut down on waste and save money on napkins but otherwise I think it is rude as hell for people to comment on the contents of their napkin.

[pixy0stix]

I have a hard time getting people to use my cloth napkins. They tend to search around looking for paper ones, and then end up not using anything.

[thejackpot]

People scoff at the cloth ones that we use. You can't win

[anonymous]

in my circle it's all paper napkins but I can imagine it's different norms in different parts of the world.

[Onetwothree]

I have cloth napkins, but I made the mistake of buying white ones so they are stained and hideous. I feel my guests are much more appreciative of paper ones on the rare occasions they're needed.

[jillboston]

Mar 4, 2015 9:55:31 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I have a hard time getting people to use my cloth napkins. They tend to search around looking for paper ones, and then end up not using anything.

My MIL *always* makes a smart ass remark at Christmas along the lines of "what are you using THOSE for"!! but she's a bitch so...

[pixy0stix]

Mar 4, 2015 9:57:10 GMT -5 Onetwothree said:

I have cloth napkins, but I made the mistake of buying white ones so they are stained and hideous. I feel my guests are much more appreciative of paper ones on the rare occasions they're needed.

You can always dye your napkins. I have a bunch from an estate sale that I dyed fun colors. No way was I going to leave them white.

[MrsAxilla]

Mar 4, 2015 9:55:31 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I have a hard time getting people to use my cloth napkins. They tend to search around looking for paper ones, and then end up not using anything.

My mom was like this at first.  She thought they were too fancy for everyday use.  I eventually convinced her to use cloth more often.

[Onetwothree]

Mar 4, 2015 9:58:26 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Mar 4, 2015 9:57:10 GMT -5 Onetwothree said:

I have cloth napkins, but I made the mistake of buying white ones so they are stained and hideous. I feel my guests are much more appreciative of paper ones on the rare occasions they're needed.

You can always dye your napkins. I have a bunch from an estate sale that I dyed fun colors. No way was I going to leave them white.

That's a good idea. I bought white thinking I could bleach them whenever I needed, but it didn't work out so well.

[eclaires]

I have a ton of white ones that I bleach and some other fancier ones, but it's a split on when I use them. Always for holidays and nice dinners, but other times it just depends. However I am forever forgetting to buy paper napkins so the cloth ones do get much more use since I never remember to buy paper ones. It really just depends on whether there are some clean and/or we even have paper napkins.

My kids are animals though and are fond of wiping their hands on their clothes, no matter how much we berate them for it. They will never marry royalty lol.

[moreace01]

I own cloth napkins. But generally I use paper towels. Unless I'm really trying to impress someone (rare).

[chw57]

Mar 4, 2015 9:55:31 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I have a hard time getting people to use my cloth napkins. They tend to search around looking for paper ones, and then end up not using anything.

It absolutely kills my MIL that we have neither paper napkins not paper towels in our house

[MrsAxilla]

Mar 4, 2015 10:05:02 GMT -5 eclaires said:

I have a ton of white ones that I bleach and some other fancier ones, but it's a split on when I use them. Always for holidays and nice dinners, but other times it just depends. However I am forever forgetting to buy paper napkins so the cloth ones do get much more use since I never remember to buy paper ones. It really just depends on whether there are some clean and/or we even have paper napkins.

My kids are animals though and are fond of wiping their hands on their clothes, no matter how much we berate them for it. They will never marry royalty lol.

My son and DH are total Neanderthals, but Stella is a little lady.  I've been putting napkins on her lap since she started solids and now she does it herself.  She gets very upset when her hands are yucky.

[pescalita]

I use cloth napkins AND kcups. Dun dun dun!!

[MrsAxilla]

Mar 4, 2015 10:10:24 GMT -5 chw57 said:

Mar 4, 2015 9:55:31 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I have a hard time getting people to use my cloth napkins. They tend to search around looking for paper ones, and then end up not using anything.

It absolutely kills my MIL that we have neither paper napkins not paper towels in our house

Last time my dad was here, he ran out special to buy super duty paper towels....for his nose.  He's a violent nose blower - lol.

[penguingrrl]

People seem surprised and I've had a few people suggest I use paper since there are "so many of us." Because it makes a huge difference in my laundry or something to have a few extra napkins in there.

MIL also told me that she considered switching to cloth napkins but the thought of all the extra ironing made it too much work. H and I laughed because it never occurred to either of us to iron them.

[meshaliuknits]

My college room mates mom bought us paper napkins when we moved into our apt. I'm STILL using them. I will be using them forever. I bought cloth napkins but only 4 because I'm an idiot. LOL

They are worthless on my children, though. We use washcloths.

Sent from my EVO

[MrsAxilla]

Mar 4, 2015 10:20:17 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

People seem surprised and I've had a few people suggest I use paper since there are "so many of us." Because it makes a huge difference in my laundry or something to have a few extra napkins in there.

MIL also told me that she considered switching to cloth napkins but the thought of all the extra ironing made it too much work. H and I laughed because it never occurred to either of us to iron them.

Lol.  One time I accidentally bought linen napkins and when they were washed, they turned into tiny little balls of wrinkle.  The NEEDED to be ironed to be functional, so I returned them.

[penguingrrl]

Mar 4, 2015 10:28:11 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

Mar 4, 2015 10:20:17 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

People seem surprised and I've had a few people suggest I use paper since there are "so many of us." Because it makes a huge difference in my laundry or something to have a few extra napkins in there.

MIL also told me that she considered switching to cloth napkins but the thought of all the extra ironing made it too much work. H and I laughed because it never occurred to either of us to iron them.

Lol.  One time I accidentally bought linen napkins and when they were washed, they turned into tiny little balls of wrinkle.  The NEEDED to be ironed to be functional, so I returned them.

OMG lol! Yeah, those suckers would have gone right back! I buy cotton and fold them out of the dryer and we're good to go! Or don't fold them until later and they're a wrinkled mess, but a perfectly functional wrinkled mess, which is fine with me!

[omgzombies]

Mar 4, 2015 9:55:31 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I have a hard time getting people to use my cloth napkins. They tend to search around looking for paper ones, and then end up not using anything.

This.  We use cloth, and people freak out.

"Oh, no, it's too much bother, we'll just use paper.  Cloth is too fancy."

No you idiot.  I'm purposely giving you cloth, so we don't use paper.  It's not fancy, and I promise that you don't have to do a separate load of laundry just to wash 6 cloth napkins.  It's not any more work.  

[mbcdefg]

MH and I use cloth napkins when we eat dinner (on the couch in front of the TV). 

If we have friends over, I usually put out paper napkins if we're just sitting around and eating snacky-type foods or takeout, although sometimes I put out cloth napkins. I always set the table with cloth napkins if I'm making a meal for them. I buy a big pack of paper napkins once every year or two for our Christmas party, and then I just take from the package throughout the year if we want them. 

I grew up in a house where we only used cloth napkins for Thanksgiving. 

[nomad100]

Over the years I have accumulated a bunch of cloth napkins so we just use those (I think I have something like 40+ of them). They are mainly dark colors so just go in with the darks and never get ironed.

At first when we had family over for dinner they were "why cloth napkin?" but now they don't bat an eye.

But we don't have kids so maybe that makes a difference.

ETA:  we do use paper cocktail napkins when we have apps and stuff.  I don't have any teeny cloth napkins.

[earlgreyhot]

Mar 4, 2015 9:55:10 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Napkins aren't even a "thing" here in most homes. We throw a paper towel each on the table if it's a messy meal.

Feel better?

So true!

That said I love my cloth napkins. I need to grow my stash! 

[mrsukyankee]

I think if I had a dryer I'd use cloth napkins more, but they do wrinkle and take up a lot of drying real estate in our house.

[josieposy]

People are lucky if they can find a clean spot at my dining room table. I don't have time for napkin nonsense.

[Deleted]

Mar 4, 2015 10:10:24 GMT -5 chw57 said:

Mar 4, 2015 9:55:31 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I have a hard time getting people to use my cloth napkins. They tend to search around looking for paper ones, and then end up not using anything.

It absolutely kills my MIL that we have neither paper napkins not paper towels in our house

Same. She even brought her own roll of paper towel when she came for dinner one time.

[lahoagie]

Our cloth napkins are an old sheet that we cut up. FANCY!

[sushi]

I don't think I have ever once purchased paper napkins, even though I grew up using them.