35 Uses for Old Muslin Cloths

My boys are now older teenagers but I still have a number of the muslin cloths I used when they were babies because they are just so useful for so many things.  They are lint free, super soft, strong, absorbent and natural - don't get rid of them after your baby grows up and  re-purpose them into something new.

35 uses for old muslin cloths

Around the house:

1. Make into a duster
2. Use as a washable cleaning cloth
3. Shoe shining cloth/buffer
4. Make into pot pourri drawer freshening sachets.
5. Use as gift wrap (include a link to this blog so your friends will know what to use their cloth for afterwards!)
6. Hang insect repelling herbs in a muslin bag by windows and doors
7. Put cotton wool soaked in peppermint oil in a muslin bag and hang in your wardrobe to deter moths and others insects.

In the kitchen:

8. Make into a jelly bag to sieve fruit when jam/jelly making
9. Make DIY tea bags
10. Squeeze lemons through them
11. Drain yoghurt through them when making thicker Greek yoghurt
12. In cheese making use them to separate the curds and whey
13. Store/dry cheeses in them
14. Strain nut milks through them
15. When making chutneys tie spices in a muslin bag
16. Make into a bread storing bag
17. Use to squeeze moisture from vegetables
18. Make into a beeswax food cover
19. Use as a jar cover when sprouting seeds
20. Make into storage bags both for bought and home grown vegetables/fruit
21. Use to make a bouquet garni

In the bathroom: 

22. Make in to a bandanna to protect your hair when applying face masks etc
23. Make into a soap saver bag
24. Use to gently exfoliate skin and lips
25. Use as reusable cloths for make up removal

Out and about:

26. Make into a light and fold-able drawstring bag
27. Cut down into reusable travel wipes
28. Make into lightweight reusable produce bags
29. Make into a wrap-up case for reusable cutlery
30. Use as a small lightweight towel
31. Make them in to small travel blankets
32. Use as sun shades in the car

Miscellaneous

33. Makes clothes for your children's toys
34. Make clothes for your children such as super soft PJs
35. Use them as a backdrop in photography

Muslin cloths are amazingly useful when you have babies ... and just as useful afterwards. Do you have any more uses for old baby muslin cloths?

Ending the use of disposable drinks cups

In rural France, where I live, you simply do not see people drinking on the run. A drink, such as coffee, is either drunk at home or whilst sitting in a bar or café and it is drunk from a china cup.  However I am just back from Ireland and it was rather a shock to see so many people wandering around with drinks in disposable cups.  Even the local supermarket had a coffee vending machine and when we crossed on Irish Ferries, the coffee in the canteen was only sold in disposable cups.  

Many people believe that disposable drinks cups can be easily recycled when, in fact, because they are lined with plastic this is not true.  And anyway, with most cups used "on the run" the vast majority just end up in general waste bins.  It is estimated only 1 in 400 cups in the UK actually gets recycled.  Furthermore the cardboard the cups are made from is "new" board and almost no recycled fibre is used amidst health concerns for the user.

In the UK 2.5 BILLION disposable cups are thrown away every year.  That is 7 million every day or just over 80 cups EVERY SECOND.

Be the change you wish to see in the world

This picture recently came up in my Instagram feed ...

Image from Instagram

... and someone in the comments wanted to know where they could buy the sign as they are setting up a zero waste shop.

But ...

Whilst the message is spot on, it seems completely ironic to me that someone setting up a zero waste shop should be asking where they can buy a sign that would have be transported with associated packaging materials.   So I suggested that to be true to their cause they should really should be making a sign themselves from local stuff that would otherwise go into landfill.  They replied that they would not know how to even start making a sign like that and anyway zero waste is not about not buying anything new.  I further replied that perhaps a better solution would be to get someone local to make the sign, maybe a school or college, thus helping to build local networks and spread the zero waste message.  In our journey to save the planet we may not stop be able to stop buying things but we do need to look for sustainable alternativese.

Sadly though, I am not sure they were overly impressed with my comments.  For daring to air my opinions the person setting up the zero waste shop has now removed their comments both asking where to buy the sign and their inability to make their own .... and blocked me from their Instagram account.

We are all entitled to our opinions and I was not rude.   I simply added what I felt was a valid point and I believe that anyone in business needs to be able to deal with feedback.  Blocking them is hardly a constructive way of going about this.

What do you think - was I wrong to add my viewpoint and were my comments valid?  Feedback welcome!