Rubbing Stiff Fabrics Under Fingernails, etc.

by Jean

I find it calming to rub the edges of stiff fabrics under my fingernails. Sometimes I fold the edge into a point and rub it on my fingertips. Or I'll rub the edge of the fabric in the crevices between my fingers, or the crevice behind my ears.

The fabrics can range from bedding to linings of coats, or tags on decorative pillows. Wherever there is a crisp edge.

Does anyone else do this? Is there a name for it?

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Apr 02, 2025
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plastic bottle caps
by: Anonymous

I do this all the time with plastic bottle Caps under each nail. Is there a name for this?

Mar 30, 2025
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Same!!!
by: Anonymous

I too have done this since I was a child. It started on those blankets that were really soft and then had those silky outer edges and I would try to find an edge that was really stiff I would rub it under my fingernails. And it has followed me into adulthood and now I mess with the inner linings of jackets or like plastic earbuds. Anything that’s soft dish, but firm. My mom always called it "pinching" when I was a little kid and she would always try to get me to stop like it was a bad habit.

Mar 23, 2025
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Me too
by: Barry

Am 40 and have been doing this my whole life. Any kinds of fabrics or paper, under nails, between fingers etc. But certain fabrics like pillowcases or something with a sharp defined edge are better. Drives my wife crazy sometimes when I'm fiddling with the pillow case at night as she can hear it. I've noticed my eldest child does the same thing so it must be a hereditary trait. My parents told me I've been doing it since birth. Apparently when they weighed me at birth I grabbed hold of the paper in the metal scales as they lifted me out and wouldn't let go. I always assumed it was a mild form of OCD

Mar 15, 2025
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I DO THIS EXACT STUFF!
by: Anonymous

Oh my gosh. I found this forum by searching the "weird" things I do, I can’t believe I found so many people who do the exact same thing. Everyone I personally know always thinks I’m weird! Certain stiff fabrics (usually a pillowcase or bedsheet) I fold to a point to rub under my nails, pull in between my fingers or in between my toes. It’s like a craving, sometimes.

Mar 13, 2025
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Rubbing stiff hems between my fingers
by: Anonymous

Yeah I've done the same, though it has to be a specific type of hem, I still haven't locked down what makes a T-Shirt hem particularly satisfying to me. But some T-Shirt's are better than others and now I'm wearing down my current one and I'm a little worried I won't be able to find another before I completely destroy the hems on this T-Shirt...

Dec 30, 2024
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I thought it was just me
by: Anonymous

You’re not alone I tend to do it unconsciously. Usually it’s the hem of fabric where the stitching is. When I notice myself doing it I stop but then it feels wrong not doing it. I don’t know if it’s just a calming thing or a fidgeting thing like your hands have nothing to do so it finds something to mess with.

Oct 07, 2024
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Finger nail and fabric rubbing under nails
by: Linda

Hello:
I’m 70 years old and have done this habit for my entire life.

As a baby, I wasn’t held much , so I think this may be when this habit of self soothing began. My aunt used to tease me a call Linus" with my sheets. I’ve managed to hide it well all my life. I find doing it very relaxing and it feels good. I also like to use rubber elastic too.

I’d like not to do it anymore, but it is such a habit, I do it subconsciously. I’ve noticed now that I’m retired, I’ve been doing it more. Why is this habit happening? Do I need counseling?
Thank you so much. I’m so glad I’m not alone in this habit.
Linda

Jul 27, 2024
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I feel seen 🥹
by: Anonymous

This has been lifelong for me as well, I’m 45 now. I used to do it a bed time until I fell asleep and my x-husband would say the sound drove him crazy and make me stop so I became ashamed of it. Now I blissfully fall asleep fidgeting my favorite pillowcase :) believe it or not I had to be finger printed for a job once and I was told I has strange fingerprints, that they were worn down in spots. Oops haha. I too seek it in the fabric of my clothes if I’m not home, even my scrubs at work. Not sure what worse to say but that I feel comforted knowing I’m not the only one I think we must be pretty cool people 😌

Jul 25, 2024
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Childhood habits
by: Anonymous

I have wondered in latter years why I always rub seams of clothing under my finger nails. I used to have a ‘sniffer’ when I was younger (Pillow case I would sniff and rub my fingers on) and when it got too smelly my mother would wash it sneakily cause it stank so bad!! It was the best smell ever for me and was so comforting. I know realise that I’ve carried on my trend not by sniffing a pillowcase but by constantly finding a firm seam or more satisfying, a pillow case, to run under my finger nails.

How crazy our minds and habits are during our life span! 38 years now and just realising I still have childhood habits :-) Thought I was weird but can’t believe there’s a forum for my weird habit!

Jun 22, 2024
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We have Aspergers
by: Anonymous

I have been this way since birth. I had a blanket as little child. My parents finally got rid of the ragged thing when I was 6. But I’ve always had a fixation on a sheet, blanket, pillow case my whole life, as long it felt good to rub it under my fingernails.

It’s become pretty clear through the years and trying to figure out why I’m different that I have I have Asperger’s. I’m smart and succeed at my job, but still struggle to communicate with others.

Mar 06, 2024
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Omg I do this all the time
by: Anonymous

Brooo I do this all the time. I have a specific blanket that I’ve had since I was a baby and I do it with it all the time. Fold the corner and rub it on the tips of my fingers and my palms and sometimes I would rub it on my stomach. Idk why there isn’t a specific name for this and one time I could find my blanket and I was having a panic attack.

Feb 29, 2024
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I do the same
by: Anonymous

I too have done it all my life I'll be 46. My grandmother actually used to replace the silky edges in my blankies with stiffer edges because she knew I liked to do it when I was little. I never knew anyone else did this.. people rub the blankets or fabric (my dad said he used to that)
but never run it under nails.

Feb 20, 2024
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Finger and finger nails rubbing
by: Anonymous

I am 65yrs old and I still like rubbing my fingers against a piece of soft cloth, the seams of a t-shirt or socks. Never understood why...soothing feeling even when I am just watching tv or while working at my office desk particularly when I am a little stressed or anxious...Never in public.
Glad to know that I am not the only one.

Nov 30, 2023
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Feels to good to stop
by: Anonymous

Thank you all that have shared. I’m 45 and done this my entire life and it’s good to know I’m not the only one. I have no answer why I/we do it, I just know it feels good.

I do however feel it has other negative repercussions I.e. tighten muscles in neck, possibly due to the fact i do it so much, similar to RSI (repetitive strain injury) and possibly curling finger nails as the grow due to more space under nail to top of finger. Does anyway have a way to stop, as I also find myself doing without thinking, during meetings etc?

Good to know I’m not the only insane one here, thank you!

Nov 29, 2023
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Uncommon habits
by: Anonymous

I just turned 80 and I've done this all my life. Especially paper edges and fabric seams.

Nov 23, 2023
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Wow! Glad to know I'm not the only one
by: Anonymous

I cannot remember when it started, I just remember always doing it! I have several pillow cases that I switch in between because the best ones have been white, and they get so dirty. I also tear small pieces of towels (bar towels are the best) to roll the string up into tiny pieces and run them under my nails on the go. It's calming yet embarrassing. My husband saw me doing it once and thought I was playing with a booger. Instead of explaining it to him, I just dropped it and changed the subject.

I also know, as a little girl, my mom would tell me she knew when I was nervous as I would run my fingers down, together. My guess is probably hit the underneath of my nails with the nail to the finger I was touching when I needed that comfort and was not near any hard fabric. Her comment was after one of my Christmas concerts at school.

Nov 07, 2023
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Ever since I can remember
by: Sandra Dee

I've just turned 64 and I cannot remember *not* doing this. I do it unconsciously a lot of the time.

I wonder if there is an actual name for it, as there are a number of us who do it.

I'm glad to learn that I'm not alone! 🙂

Nov 04, 2023
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I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME FOR 18 YEARS
by: Anonymous

Since I was a baby I had a "cuddle" this was a knitted blanket with silk seems and I would find a roughest part of the blanket and wedge it underneath my fingernail, this has been an automatic comfort thing I’ve done my whole life, mostly before bed. Sometimes I like to rub the corners of my mouth harshly with the blanket, or rub any part of my body with the blanket, I find it comforting strangely .

I’ve noticed people do this with other material however I usually use my cuddle. I think this must be anxiety related and it’s definitely a self soothe thing. I couldn’t go anywhere without my cuddle blanket. Even if I was with my mum. I had a dummy up until I was 12, judge me all you want, I was just a young girl trying to self soothe herself.

Oct 24, 2023
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I thought I was the only one
by: Anonymous

I'm 32 and have been doing this my whole life. I was told it's a "baby thing" to do, so I've always hid it from everyone. Like I'd be mortified if someone saw me. I use a smooth piece of ribbon with crisp edges. Sometimes I can't apply enough pressure or pain, so I roll the ribbon into a sharpshooter point and start scratching at finger webbing and even my lips and corners of my nose.

I feeling like it gets in the way of progressing through life sometimes.

Oct 08, 2023
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Same
by: Anonymous

Im 20 gonna be 21, ive done this all my life. As a kid i used to have a pillow with ruffles all the way around, I would take that thing everywhere. Going to school id use my shorts to rub under my finger nails. Once i got old enough to drop the pillow i used the pillow case end. I have had many pillow cases and if its not the right feeling i get rid of it. I fond myself not always doing it when im occupied by something but i feel like a itching or ticking under my nails sometimes. I always do it before bed and throughout the day.

I have depression and anxiety, but i wanna know is there a name for whats going on? Like OCD or some other thing? It gets in the way of my life because im a diesel mechanic and my nails are dirty. I hate making the ends of my grey pillow cases dirty even when i use a nail brush. My fiancé hates it too.

Sep 11, 2023
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Same
by: J

Your not alone, I have the same "tic" I am 50 years old and have been doing the same, usually pillows with hard seams or what is available or I'm wearing, I cannot pinpoint if I do more when anxious or just bored, mostly done even catch myself doing it under particular sercanstanc? I do pinpoint to my thumb and or index finger, no others? Odd? My wife has asked if it hurts🤔 Im pretty sure it's like a callas...I have always just put it off as a before mentioned "tic"

Jul 01, 2023
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I feel so seen
by: Anonymous

ME TOOO omg like down to the stiff, I don’t why I do it. Ive spent years trying to link whatever I’m feeling to when I do it and till this day I could not tell you. I tend to just find myself doing it and sometimes I get frustrated and drop it but then i need it but its almost like its not stiff/pointy enough so I move from my fingers to the lines on my hands or my face/lips

Jun 24, 2023
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Its a habit
by: Anonymous

Ive been doing this for my whole life too its been the one habit ive stuck with its been impossible to find others who do the same. It started when i was a kid with my blanket it had a ruff edge it progressed to seems along zippers and bra straps and blanket n pillow tags. Its soothing and ill find myself doing it subconsciously sometimes it gets hard to stop. I think it happens more when im stressed or anxious as a soothing thing.

Feb 10, 2023
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Rubbing Stiff Fabrics
by: Anonymous

I've responded to a similar post in the past. I do something similar but not on the nail itself. I rub the crisp fabric edge as is under the nail or fold it to a point and rub it on my fingertip. For some reason it's soothing. I also like the way it feels behind my ear. Maybe there are nerves in those areas that just react differently.

In my opinion, if it's soothing and isn't hurting anyone or disrupting our lives, there's nothing "wrong" with this.

Feb 07, 2023
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rubbing stiff fabrics under my fingernail
by: Sandy

I am 59 years of age and I have thus habit of rubbing my thumbnail on hard crisp fabric such as a pillow case or blanket or clothes or any type of fabric as long as I can bunch it up or make a point with the fabric and rub my nail against it. it soothes me. I was a thumb sucker as a child until the age of 7 and then become a nail biter which I still struggle with. I don’t know why I do this ! if there is anyone else that does this and has answers..I would love to hear from you. It feels good to me and the fabric has to be positioned perfect to get the right feel while rubbing up against my fingernail! HELP

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Rubbing Stiff Fabrics Under Fingernails, etc.

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