Cloth and matching mats. When they get yucky I just toss them in the wash. But definitely a notch above the small square paper ones that we used when I was a child.

Cloth most of the time. Also do the basket with a bunch of different ones in them.
Now most of the time my son actually uses his sleeve, but that's another story...

Paper and will not switch. My son spits food into them (he is a picky eater but will try things).
Our napkins are filthy by the end of the meal. I cannot image having to throw them in the washer. I would have to pretreat, soak, and scrub.

Kudos to those who barely need a napkin. I cannot even imagine this.

Paper. Right around the time I was considering switching to cloth, I was at MIL's house, who uses cloth. After the meal I saw her cleaning off the table and putting the used napkins back in the drawer where the "clean" ones are kept. I know for a fact that I used my napkin during the meal, and then watched it go back to the drawer. VOM. That turned me off from the idea completely. (And now at her house I discretely take a paper towel to the dinner table to use for myself)

I use the pick a size paper towel. When we finish, I use the clean ones to wipe the table and counters. We do use real plates, cloth placemats, and stainless utensils.

Anonymous wrote:Cloth napkins. Everyone has their own color. We reuse if not really dirty, otherwise goes into the laundry basket. Sometimes if my kids get something like ketchup all over theirs I will rinse it out and hang to dry and use next night.

I'm trying to get there...trying

Cloth, I have a lot and just throw them in the wash each time (lots of washing going on in this house anyway!)

Paper napkins for birthdays etc.

Cloth - Usually can use for 2-3 days depending on what we had for dinner. Spaghetti or ribs might make it a one nighter. For guests we use decorative paper - seasonal themed etc.

Cloth also. Unless we're having a very messy meal (fried chicken or something really greasy).

Cloth. We got so many extra washcloths when DD was a baby that we just decided to use them as napkins at the table. H still uses paper napkins but DD and I use the washcloths. Just put them in with her laundry.

Cloth. Somehow I have accumulated a lot of them and one day ran out of paper and decided to put an unused commodity to use. Funny, but now paper (the kind with holiday designs/birthday decorations) are for special occasions. Change them out as necessary but not every day.

Anonymous wrote:Paper napkins? Cloth napkins? Paper towels?

We use the half size paper towels. I grew up with cloth, which is a better choice environmentally, but I hated cleaning them all, so I don't do it unless we have company.

Just curious.

cloth. We have a large supply in a basket, change them every few days. Wash in regular laundry. Each family member has his/her own napkin ring.

I hate paper napkins.

We also use cloth napkins. We have a lot of them, and small messy kids, so they get swapped out pretty frequently based on what was for dinner. I should get a little linen basket for the counter - great idea PP. My current system is to pile the dirty ones up in a corner then every couple of days drop them in with a load of wash. It's really not too difficult though, and it seems really weird to me now to use disposable ones. We also hardly ever use paper towels anymore - the older, stained napkins get used as kitchen rags instead.

We use real dishes and cloth napkins. I was them every night. Not a big deal....I just throw them in with the dish towels.

We use cloth napkins and placemats. reuse for about a week, then wash everything with the dish towels. Easy peasy.