Cloth Napkins

[SilverSlipper]

We use cloth napkins at our house for every meal. I was wondering if this is a bad idea for our daughter with Celiac? We wash them (cold water), regular detergent, machine or line dry. But somehow, it seems like a bad idea for her to be wiping her mouth with something that we have wiped our (gluten) mouths with (and I'll confess that the other kids sometimes set bread, etc on them). I'm thinking of switching her napkins to a different color, but am I just being paranoid? She's very sensitive to gluten but not considered super sensitive.

[Kimmik95]

I'm not sure I'd worry about that unless you notice something. If you are worried, wash them in warm water.

We use cloth napkins at our house for every meal. I was wondering if this is a bad idea for our daughter with Celiac? We wash them (cold water), regular detergent, machine or line dry. But somehow, it seems like a bad idea for her to be wiping her mouth with something that we have wiped our (gluten) mouths with (and I'll confess that the other kids sometimes set bread, etc on them). I'm thinking of switching her napkins to a different color, but am I just being paranoid? She's very sensitive to gluten but not considered super sensitive.

[Lisa]

Agreed. You might want to consider paper napkins or paper towels. Washed cloth napkins should not be an issue.

[jerseyangel]

I wouldn't worry about cloth napkins--they're really no different than dish towels. Once they been washed and dried I'd consider them perfectly safe.

[T.H.]

I'm thinking of switching her napkins to a different color, but am I just being paranoid? She's very sensitive to gluten but not considered super sensitive.

Usually, soap and water will do a good job on eliminating enough gluten for average sensitivity. You might want to double check your laundry soap and make sure it's gluten free. And...hmmm...if she's really sensitive, I could see a couple potential issues, like if some really glutenated sauce soaked into the cloth, and wasn't cleaned as well as it should be. I know sometimes with my old machine, every once in a while soap wouldn't be completely dissolved, so in a case like that, I imagine that there would be more potential for glutenated. :-)

[tarnalberry]

Cloth diapers go in the washing machine, and if I'm confident of the poop getting cleaned, then ditto for gluten.

[SilverSlipper]

Thanks! We use Tide (which I think is gluten-free) and I use the liquid to make sure it dissolves.

[frieze]

I would wonder about wheat in the paper products....

[Lisa]

I would wonder about wheat in the paper products....

No wheat in paper towels or TP.