Hankies and Bandanas

Hankies are a necessary staple at our house. We have stacks of them and there’s one in every pickup and car. My husband and I also both carry one around in our coat pockets as well.

The ones in the vehicles come in handy for other things besides blowing one’s nose into. They’ve become good grease rag substitutes on occasions and with me, they’ve become good mop-up rags for the frequent times I spill coffee while driving someplace. Hankies or bandanas have been used to wipe off hands, dirty faces and sweat. I have a girlfriend who repurposes bandanas for napkins she leaves in a metal container on the table instead of using paper napkins.

Even though my husband is likely to get at least one new hanky from a relative nearly every Christmas, bandanas are always a welcome and practical gift that always gets used. We may have a lot of them but they all get used, especially during the winter months when colds are common.

I used to carry packets of Kleenex in my purse until the packet started to fall apart or loose tissues started to shred from being bounced around in my purse. Kleenexes are essentially a one-time use product so I decided to go back to packing cloth hankies. They’re much more reliable and I can keep them in my purse for a long time before they need washing and replacing. Unlike Kleenexes that have to be replaced, I like that I’m never out of a hanky when I need one the most. They’re more durable, last a lot longer, and can be used several times.  

When I was a girl I used to enjoy ironing hankies and bandanas pressing out the wrinkles and folding them square and would buy colorful bandanas or ladies hankies at yard sales just to collect, wash, and iron (note: I don’t do this anymore). I never did anything with them except hold my money in them but I have put them to use more in recent years. Using them also contributes to “going green” and I have even shared my renewed love for hankies with my girlfriends by making girlfriend survival kits as Christmas gifts using colorful hankies. My next blog post will show how to make them.

Go back to green; use your hankies.