Muslin cloths for babies: everything you need to know
Including 19 different uses, how many to buy and why Neil Armstrong took one to the moon.
Before I had my baby, I knew nothing about muslin cloths. They were just something I saw living on the shoulder of a new parent, like a chef with a tea towel. In my woeful ignorance, I was even mispronouncing them as ‘muslim’ cloths. I had many questions. And here they are, answered by the now-knowledgeable me.
WHAT IS A MUSLIN CLOTH?
Muslin cloths, muslins and muslin squares are all the same thing. A plain weave square cloth that comes in two sizes: standard (usually 60 x 60cm or 70 x 70cm) and extra-large (usually 120 x 120cm). They are light, soft, breathable, absorbent, quick-drying and machine washable. So basically better than satin or cashmere, when it comes to babies.
Muslin fabric has been around for hundreds of years in the Indian subcontinent and was once considered as luxurious as silk. In the 17th century, it arrived in Europe where it was used to make clothes, underwear, aprons and handkerchiefs.
It is also part of two historic flights. Neil Armstrong took a piece of muslin in his pocket to the moon. Not to protect his spacesuit from baby sick. But as a homage to the pioneers of flight, the Wright brothers, who used muslin cloth to cover the wings of their plane. So when you’re feeling less than glamorous with a dirty muslin over one shoulder, think of yourself as the Wright’s extraordinary aircraft the Flyer. (Don’t jump off any tall buildings or cliffs though.)
The Wright Flyer, 1903. With (sick-free) muslin covered wings.
But i’m not going to invent a plane so what am I supposed to do with them? What are muslin cloths used for?
I’m glad you asked. Apart from early aviation, I have nineteen other uses of a muslin square for you to choose from.
Clothes protector. While winding your baby, it can protect your clothes from milk dribbles and sick.
A makeshift baby dribble bib. To protect your baby’s clothes from dribble, milk dribbles and sick. (Sorry that I’m saying dribbles and sick so much.)
A lightweight blanket in the pram or crib during hotter weather.
A soft comforter. They are very soft and if you put it in your bra all day, some babies are soothed by the smell of you at night. Admittedly this didn’t work for me and I just looked like I had a strange lumpy chest. If you’re worried about it covering their face at night, tie a knot in the cloth.
A teether. Leave the knot there for when they’re teething. Chill it in the fridge and then let their gummy mouth at it.
Swaddle. Larger muslins make great swaddles.
Breastfeeding cover.
Baby nest cover. Some parents find muslins useful for protecting the fabric of a baby nest (e.g. Sleepyhead).
Changing mat cover. Put it over a plastic changing mat so it feels warmer and softer for your baby. It might stop them from screaming during nappy changes.
Travel changing mat.
Any kind of floor covering you might need like a play mat or picnic blanket.
Tummy time. Put a rolled-up muslin cloth under your baby’s armpit and chest to help with tummy time.
Avoiding wee in your face and hair. If you’ve got a baby boy you could place a muslin over their penis during nappy changes.
Pram shade. Use it on the pram as a sunshade or to create a darker and less stimulating environment for sleep.
Peekaboo.
Handkerchief. They are nice and soft for wiping your baby’s nose if they have a cold
An impromptu nappy.
Towel. Use one to pat your baby’s bottom dry after a nappy change clean.
A washcloth for your baby’s face, body and hair.
Muslin cloths can also make a very natty hood.
You mention putting it over the pram. Are you sure it’s safe? I’m sure I read something somewhere about this.
These concerns originate from an experiment by a Swedish newspaper in 2014, which has since been questioned. I would certainly like to question their description of the ‘furnace-like heat’ of a covered pram. Not even in Death Valley has a pram reached 1000C and the ability to do glass making, oil refining or cremations. I’m also not sure how many prams there are in Death Valley, but that’s beside the point.
Recent research suggests that a light breathable cover is better than placing a baby in direct sunlight, where their delicate skin can quickly burn. Babies under 6 months old should always be kept out of direct sunlight and loosely covering the pram with a muslin cloth will block some UV rays. Parents have been using muslins like this for years and no death has ever been reported. But always check your child regularly as babies can’t control their temperature.
Alternatively use a large sun hood, parasol or mesh pram sunshade. Just definitely don’t use a thick, woollen blanket. Or any kind of blanket. Or a towel. Or a duvet. You get the picture.
How many muslins do I need to buy?
This is the big question. It definitely depends on how sicky and dribbly your baby is, which of course you won’t know until they are here. I had about 15 muslin squares and that felt like more than enough but he wasn’t a sicky, dribbly baby. (He was much more into things like silent reflux and wind and general crying.)
Advice online seems to be variations of ‘a lot’ and ‘you can never have too many’. Which isn’t particularly useful. Especially as it could easily be argued that 38,000 would definitely be too many.
It’s a question asked a lot on the Mumsnet parenting forum. Out of 53 responses, the number ranged from zero to 60 muslin cloths. The average was 14.5. Of those that said 20 or more, they invariably admitted they had a baby that was sick a lot.
(Disclaimer: I didn’t include the person who said 4 million as I’m not sure they were serious and it would have skewed the result somewhat.)
So your best bet is to get a pack of 6-12 and then buy more if you need to.
How do I wash muslin cloths?
Just pop them in the washing machine with everything else and wash below 40 degrees. Tumble dry low or hang up to dry. They dry very quickly, even indoors. The NHS used to advise using non-bio detergents with baby clothes but research has shown that bio detergents are no more likely to irritate a baby’s skin and they now say both are fine. If you have any concerns or your baby has especially sensitive skin, you can also use a special baby detergent.
An average parent waiting for the washing to be done.
Do I need to wash them before I use them?
It’s not essential. You are supposed to pre-wash baby clothes before they’re worn to remove any irritants. But a muslin has less contact with the skin (unless it’s being used as a nappy). Having said that, it won’t harm them to pre-wash, in fact, it usually just makes them softer.
What can I use instead if I don’t want to buy a load of these cloths?
They are not 100% necessary. Some parents don’t use any. But if you do want them and are on a tight budget, bargains can be found on eBay and at TK Maxx. It might also be cheaper to buy a few metres of muslin fabric from a local fabric shop then cut and hem.
Perhaps you have a muslin phobia though. Or are desperate as all your cloths are in the wash. Or maybe every last square was stolen in a muslin cloth burglary. If so, you could also use cut-up old sheets, tea towels or flannels.
I’ve seen cotton ones and bamboo ones and organic ones - what’s the difference?
Muslins are usually 100% cotton. Organic cotton ones have been produced without any synthetic chemicals. These cloths are hypoallergenic and have had much less impact on the environment.
Some organic cotton is GOTS certified. The Global Organic Textile Standard is a lengthy and stringent list of criteria for every stage of the manufacturing process. If a material is GOTS certified, you can be sure it has been organically produced by a socially responsible and environmentally-friendly company.
Bamboo muslin cloths are also becoming popular, despite often being more expensive. They are thermoregulating and said to be softer and more absorbent than cotton. Some claim bamboo material is also naturally antibacterial. The plant fibre certainly has antibacterial properties, which means it can be grown without pesticides. But there is some evidence to suggest that these properties do not survive the manufacturing process.
This is because most bamboo fabric is created by a chemical process that takes the bamboo cellulose and turns it into man-made rayon. It can also be done by a more natural mechanical process but the time and expense make it less common. So it’s unlikely that the muslin is made from pure bamboo. It will be made from ‘rayon made from bamboo’. Or ‘bamboo viscose’ (viscose is part of the rayon family). Which doesn’t sound quite as lovely.
Bamboo grows very quickly. This was planted last week.
What am I supposed to do with these cloths when my child has outgrown them?
I feel another list coming on. Here are 11 uses to extend the life of your muslins.
Washing your face. They make a great exfoliating washcloth.
Summer sheet in a heatwave. Use the larger ones for this unless you are teeny tiny.
Sieving jam. WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T MAKE YOUR OWN JAM?
Cheese making. WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T MAKE YOUR OWN CHEESE?
A bouquet garni. Put some herbs in it, tie with string, stick in a stew. Don’t ask me for any more details as I’ve definitely never done this before.
Citrus squeezing. Squeeze a lemon through the cloth to catch all the pips and those slimy bits.
Dusting. That thing where you clean dust off surfaces (in case you’ve forgotten).
Room freshener. Like no.6 but add potpourri and don’t put it in a stew.
Shoe shining.
Squeeze moisture out of vegetables. eg. Cucumber for a tzatziki
Gift wrapping. If desperate.
Or just give them away to an expectant friend. Or your bin. I won’t judge you for not making your own cheese. To be honest, I’ve only ever done numbers 1 and 2.
okay, I’m ready to buy. where do I buy the best muslin cloths?
Good question! You can find nine of the best muslin cloths here and the best extra large muslin cloths here. Discover the best budget, bright-coloured, bamboo, organic and sensory muslins you can buy.