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Handkerchiefs are, of course, used for blowing your nose—and in the process, reducing your ecological footprint—but they can be used in many other ways! In this article, discover 10 unsuspected ways to use handkerchiefs… You might even adopt new habits in the process!
Way # 1: Relieve your nose
First things first: the most obvious and natural way to use a handkerchief is obviously to blow your nose with it. It’s quite simple: just bring the soft tissue close to your face, bury your nose in it, blow, and off you go for a second round! If you’re wondering what to do once your handkerchief is full, we’ve got a detailed guide on how to use handkerchiefs right here.
Here at TSHU, we have many loyal customers who use the handkerchief for their exercise-induced rhinitis or allergy attacks. The softness of the fabric doesn’t irritate their noses and cotton handkerchiefs don’t cause allergies!
I often have seasonal allergies, and would use far too many handkerchiefs if I didn’t have yours.
- Cathie
Way # 2: Wipe your tears
Wiping your tears with a handkerchief may sound romantic—but it doesn’t have to be! If you easily become emotional, the handkerchief is bound to come in handy on a daily basis, to overcome a passing emotion. But over the past eight years, we’ve learned that many of our loyal customers use the handkerchief because they suffer from chronic watery eyes! And, since paper tissues quickly irritate the skin (not to mention how many of them you would waste to dry a small tear, several times a day!), cloth handkerchiefs are a much better solution.
Thank you again for the products you make that have changed my life.
- Thomas
Way # 3: Mop up sweat
I don’t drink enough water… So honestly, I rarely sweat. But not everyone is like me—in fact, many of our clients suffer from excessive sweating. A handkerchief can be of great help to mop up your forehead, mouth, hands or even your neck depending on the source of the sweating. And it’s much, much nicer than a paper tissue because it won’t shred when it’s moistened, leaving pretty white particles all over your sweaty face!
Way # 4: Groom your furry friend
It may seem surprising, but if you have a faithful furry companion, you probably take care of him as if he were your child. He probably has his own habits, routines and grooming and pampering sessions. Maybe you even thoroughly clean around its eyes, nose and ears—like Vanessa, who gave her dog Sara her own TSHU handkerchief for her hygiene routine. Well, yes, the handkerchief works wonderfully well for gently grooming your furry friend!
Way # 5: Polish your glasses or screen
Some of our clients use their (clean!) handkerchief to polish their glasses or phone.
I use hankies for cleaning my glasses more than anything else.
- Bill
If you’ve ever tried to clean your glasses with a handkerchief, you probably know that they end up full of white paper debris and are almost worse when polished. The advantage of the finely woven cotton handkerchief is that your glasses are really clean once you’ve gently rubbed your lenses with it.
Way # 6: Dealing with boo-boos and nosebleeds
If you have kids, you’ve probably been caught off guard with a nosebleed or a bloody boo-boo at the park… Personally, I’m not the type of mom who carries a small pharmacy with her when she goes out—nor a bunch of things I might eventually need in my bag. I like to have the minimum on me, to feel light and free! A small black handkerchief (great for covering up blood stains) doesn’t take up much space and frankly, it’s great for this kind of situation!
Tip #7: Deal with a spill
Are you clumsy? Or do you like to be the saviour when everyone is panicking? Having a handkerchief with you at all times allows you to react quickly when a mess occurs. This could happen at the office, if someone spills their coffee cup in the meeting room and the computers and documents lying there are at risk! It’s always cool to be able to quickly pull out an absorbent handkerchief and save the day.
Tip # 8: Wipe down a surface
Sometimes, when you’re out for a walk, you might want to sit down for a moment to admire the view or simply rest, but the bench is all wet from the morning dew or a recent rain. A thick cotton handkerchief can turn out to be your best ally. How many times have I taken out my handkerchief to wipe a bench—or even one of my children’s bike seat! I’ve even used my handkerchief to clean the fogged up rear-view mirror of my car on several occasions…
Way # 9: Eating on the run
Perfect for carrying a sandwich on the road or an impromptu snack on the way home, the handkerchief allows you to wrap up what you’re eating and even clean your mouth or hands after you’ve finished. Sometimes, if I leave in a hurry and haven’t finished my morning toast, I even wrap it in a clean handkerchief and finish it in the car.
Since I always carry an isotherm water bottle, I can even moisten my handkerchief a bit to rub sticky hands when I’m with my three-year-old.
Way # 10: Pimp up your style
While there are plenty of great pocket squares on the market, you may not have one in your wardrobe and frankly—it’s not cool to spend a fortune on a special occasion—or buy an accessory you’ll never use again. The cloth handkerchief (the slim, all-white kind, for example), can do just fine in pretending that it’s a suit handkerchief. You and I know that’s not its main purpose, but no one else will!
How do you use your handkerchief? Do you have other cool ways of using it? Share your stories with me by commenting below! You can also send me a message via the TSHU website or chat with me on Facebook and Instagram.