9 Unexpected Ways to Use Old Cloth Napkins Around Your Home
Too many cloth napkins? No such thing! Whether you found a great deal at a thrift shop or have just collected too many linens over the years, these petite pieces of fabric have many uses beyond the dinner table.
Yes, old cloth napkins make great rags (whether you’re shining silver, buffing your shoes, or wiping dirty paws), but there is so much more an old or out-of-use cloth napkin is capable of. Even stained napkins can have a second life with a bit of snipping, embroidery, or just plain old ingenuity.
So before you visit the textile recycling bin, take a look at these unexpected ways for repurposing old cloth napkins.
Use as a Splatter Cover
Keep your microwave clean—and save disposal paper towels—by using old cloth napkins to prevent splatters when reheating food.
Just lay the napkin over the container (so that the fabric isn’t touching the food) and run the microwave as usual. The napkin will also contain steam to prevent food from drying out.
Embroider Them
Mademoiselle Fiona Wedding Photography
Looking for a canvas to use for your fiber hobbies? Old napkins are the perfect canvas. Embroidery and cross-stitch designs can help cover up any old stains and make a work of art out of something that would otherwise be tossed or hidden in the back of the linen closet.
Make a Custom Tablecloth
Sew cloth napkins together in a quilt pattern to create a tablecloth or table runner in the size of your choosing. This can be a great way to reuse cloth napkins from a beloved relative or stitch together mismatched cloth napkins still in nice condition.
Wrap Sharp Tools
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If you travel with kitchen knives or other sharp tools, wrapping them in an old cloth napkin helps protect the blade and hands that may get dangerously near the sharp edges.
Use as DIY Cheesecloths
Instead of single-use cheesecloth, strain solids out of foods using a linen napkin. Since cloth napkins are machine-washable, they can be used many times over, making them a more sustainable option.
For example, a linen over a bowl or jar can be great for straining homemade nut milks or oat milk, ricotta, broths, and more.
Craft a Bread Pouch
Kate Mathis
Still haven’t bought a bread box? Or perhaps you want to gift a freshly baked loaf. Either way, you can craft a cute pouch to house your bread by reusing old (but clean) linens.
Simply sew two cloth napkins or tea towels together on three sides, leaving an opening for bread to slide in and a flap to fold over any size loaf.
Use as Protective Covers
Just like old bed sheets, old cloth napkins can offer great protection to fragile items in storage. Use cloth napkins between stacked plates, bowls, or serving pieces, or ball them into wine glasses to help protect them during transport.
Make Scrunchies
An easy project with fun results, napkins of various fabrics can be sliced and sewn with elastic to create fun scrunchies in the size of your choosing. See the full tutorial here.
Use as Sustainable Food Wrap
Not everything needs to go in plastic baggies or single-use containers. Old cloth napkins can be great to have in the kitchen for packing bags with snacks and on-the-go meals.
Wrap whole fruits (like apples or oranges) in old cloth napkins to protect them from getting dirty or bruised in your bag, or a wrap up a sandwich made on sturdy bread, like baguette. Old linens can also be great for insulating a cold or frozen water bottle, while keeping external moisture away from the other items.
