How Cloth Napkins Became a Practical Everyday Choice for Me

Cambria Bold
Cambria Bold
Cambria Bold is the Executive Editor of Cubby, and one of Apartment Therapy Media’s first full-time editors from way back when. She was The Kitchn's founding Design and Lifestyle Editor as well as Managing Editor of Re-Nest, Apartment Therapy’s late '00s green living site. She now thinks a lot about design, kids, and designy kids' things. She lives with her two daughters and their father in St. Paul, MN.
published Apr 10, 2015
pinterest
comments
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
(Image credit: 5 second Studio)

The first set of cloth napkins I can remember owning was a cream-colored pair given to me as a gift. They were lovely out of the box, but didn’t stay lovely long. It only took a couple saucy dinners and a few lazy loads of laundry to relegate them to the back of my linen closet. Dingy, stained white napkins are just too sad.

After this I was off cloth napkins for a few years, convinced they were too fussy for regular use. But then one day six years ago, while browsing Sur La Table and feeling peckish, I bought a pair of colorful, patterned cloth napkins. What had I done? It turns out I’d discovered the secret to using cloth napkins at home.

Dark or colorful cloth napkins are — dare I say it? — low maintenance.

Really. It’s true.

Even straight-up cotton and linen napkins, not the special stain-release versions, are fairly easy to take care of. I’ve found that any residual stains that don’t come out in the wash are masked by the dark color or pattern, and barely discernible. This scenario is, for obvious reasons, vastly preferable to me shrieking “Out, damned spot!” over and over again while dumping OxiClean into a soaking bucket.

Why Cloth Napkins Are Wonderful

Once I discovered how easy cloth napkins could be, I developed a whole new appreciation for them. Cloth napkins are one of home life’s little luxuries, like fresh flowers, and the more I use them, the more I feel like I’m getting the better end of the deal. In exchange for a (now) painless load of laundry (especially if I

fold the napkins right out of the dryer

Sad Desk Lunch-y that meal may be.

And have you seen how many lovely dark or patterned cloth napkins there are out there? Just take at look at these or these for starters.

At this point, you might be thinking that using cloth napkins every day means I must do laundry all the time. Not really! Because most meals in my house aren’t messy, finger-lickin’ barbecue meals, when I set out a napkin for myself, I can usually use that napkin for a day or two before it goes in the hamper. I just have to keep track of which napkin is mine and which is my husband’s, and we’re good.

Related: How Often Should You Clean Your Cloth Napkins?

Do you use cloth napkins regularly? Do you avoid white napkins (cringe) and rely on colorful napkins (yay!), or have you found a way to love and live with both?

Filed in:
Table Linens