There’s no point having beautiful linen kitchen towels and quality dishcloths if you don’t look after them properly. And by that we mean clean them enough to make them odour-free and ensure a lovely fresh feel and smell every time you pull out a new one.
Towels and cloths are absorbent by their nature, after all, so it’s easy for them to pick up a multitude of odours and stains. Think we’re being too fussy? @Kristin90438079 says: “The kitchen is by far the filthiest space [in the home]. For instance, there’s more E. coli bacteria in your sink and sponge than there is in your toilet bowl.”
Hang up dishcloths to dry
Dishcloths are always wet after you’ve used them. So why crunch them up in a ball and leave them by the sink? Or even hang them over your taps? It’s always best to dry them out and you can do this by simply hanging them up on a little rope in your kitchen or on the handle of your stove (if it’s wide enough).
Same with towels – never dump them in a laundry basket while wet. Hang them up to dry then put them in the laundry basket.
Wash dishcloths regularly
Dishcloths really need to be washed every couple of days (to stop them developing an odour). Towels too need to be washed regularly. A great way to really get rid of smells is to put all your towels and dishcloths in a big pot of boiling water every second month and ‘cook’ for 10 minutes. That’ll definitely get rid of any odours.
Another quick way to get rid of odours is if you’ve just washed your cloth in hot water but you’re not happy with it, is to soak it in warm water, with a dash of vinegar and a tablespoon of baking soda added. Let it sit there for 15 minutes.
Use a dryer for towels - or head outdoors
Dryers get a lot hotter than the water in your washing machine and because of that are much better at killing off any bugs on your towels. Then again, you can always hang them outside and let the sun’s rays zap any lingering virus on your towel.
Get whites even whiter
Add an extra sparkle to white dishcloths by adding a drop of bleach when you throw them into the washing machine. It’ll make your dishcloths look newer than before, every time. Never leave towels overnight in the washing machine after washing though as they’ll get damp and mouldy.
Don’t use towels for meat
Picking up raw meat, or blotting moisture off it with a towel will lead to a whole host of germs clinging to your towel. If this happens then wash it as soon as you can (before the germs transfer on to something else, such as your apron).
Keep your kitchen dry and odour-free
Again, because of their absorbent nature, towels will pick up doors and moisture etc. from the environment. That means if you’re cooking anything with a strong odour, your towel will soon give off that particular aroma too.
