A new strategy for dishtowels

[Rebecca263]

...Now I need to study up on the different kinds of towels that I will *need* to get...

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Here are some different kinds of towels, in a box! Here is another place, that I like to order bulk items from. I sometimes give towels in bulk as housewarming/business opening gifts. You never forget the person who gave you a great supply of towels! Heck, it was one of the better traits of my exhusband... aside from the Kiddle and the... well, the Kiddle and the towels, that's about it!

[Smithy]

I'm in the "use dish towels unless it's really, really icky" camp. Dish towels for dishes and greens and hands (not the same towels at the same time); paper towels for blotting washed chicken or fish before sauteing, and for some of the very worst messes on the floor; mop or sponge and shop towels from their bin for most of the worst messes on the floor. Our kitchen towels are either terry or cotton; there may be some linen, but it really seems to me that woven cotton is also a good lint-free substance. Cotton-poly blends are to be avoided, though; the synthetic fibers really cut down on absorbancy. Some were gifts, and I think of the givers fondly. Others cost me a few bucks, but hey - they're cheaper than paint!

The dish towels add color and variety to the kitchen, and launder easily. (I'd like to see some supporting data that significant bacteria will survive a good hot-water and bleach wash.) (And in our household, with nature close by and animals of the 2- and 4-footed variety tracking it in and out all the time, it's probably a moot point anyway.) We're big into waste minimization in our household. I think one roll of paper towels lasts 2-3 months in our kitchen.

JAZ, you started this topic just in the nick of time. I thought of this thread in the midst of my glorious Easter cookery messes, and realized I had far more towels than mess potential. This towel soaked from draining dishes? Off it went! Pull out another from the drawer! Then I did one dedicated, hot water wash for the whole lot.

[birder53]

I love kitchen towels! Like JAZ, mine are in a drawer. The towels in front are good for drying hands and dishes. The ones in the back have gotten very thin over the years, but are great for mopping up spills or sitting under washed greens. Hot water and bleach for them all! They should be moved to countertop status. They probably don't get changed as often as they should right now. Even though there are plenty available, we don't always pull out a clean one when we should.

Dirty towels, particularly those used for chicken, go right into a plastic garbage bag and then into the laundry room for wash day. It would be a good idea to replace them every day and make sure they don't harbor things that shouldn't be growing in the kitchen!

Most are decorated in some manner and remind me of where they were bought or the thoughtful person who gave them to me. I'm a sucker for the tea towels with a calender on the front. I always know how old these towels are!

[mamster]

I'm bringing this back up because I'm trying it out as a New Year's resolution, and here's the part I'm wondering about: how long do you let your wet/dirty towels sit around before carting them to the laundry? Laundry in my building costs $2.50/load, so I'm not going to wash them every day, but I'm also mildewphobic. How many days can wet towels sit around before they get really scary and stinky?

[Anna N]

I'm bringing this back up because I'm trying it out as a New Year's resolution, and here's the part I'm wondering about: how long do you let your wet/dirty towels sit around before carting them to the laundry? Laundry in my building costs $2.50/load, so I'm not going to wash them every day, but I'm also mildewphobic. How many days can wet towels sit around before they get really scary and stinky?

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White ones go into a pail with a bit of bleach; coloured ones go in a bucket with some white vinegar - seems to work for me.

[andiesenji]

I toss them into a mesh laundry bag that hangs on the inside of my pantry door.

It has a heavy plastic frame at the top with a hanger loop. These were designed for gym clothes specifically so the contents can be "aired" and avoid mildew. They will just fit in a gym locker so are fairly compact.

Of course, except for during the rainy season, this desert area in which I live does not allow much of anything to retain a lot of moisture.

I simply dump the contents into the washer and throw the bag in also.

You can also get the pop-up type at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc, but they take up floor space.

[Chris Hennes]

I toss them into a mesh laundry bag that hangs on the inside of my pantry door.

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I do the same thing, but I go through massive numbers of towels, so I end up having to wash them a couple times a week. The longest they might hang there is a week, and I have never had a problem with odors (and it gets pretty humid here in the summer).

[KitchenQueen]

I must be the odd man out here.

I have several dozen larger towels , useful for pulling a casserole out of the oven, etc. But they don't get used much with 2 Orcas and and an OveGlove.

Since I discovered microfibre towels, everything else seems like garbage to me.

They will dry a crystal wine glass to perfection. Never a hint of lint, it doesn't exist.

No matter what you are drying, the dish or pot is bone dry the second you rub the towel on it. Hang them over the oven door handle, they're dry before you can turn around.

These things absorb moisture like you can't believe.

I use them as I used to use regular linen and cotton towels. There is NO comparison.

I did a bit of research and found there is a wide variance in quality.

But there is NOTHING like the good ones. And I used to use 2 rolls of paper towels a week. Now one roll goes for weeks.

[Chris Hennes]

I treat my flour-sack towels the way you treat paper towels, but instead of throwing them away they get washed -- I consider them one-time-use items to avoid any kind of cross-contamination, and to make sure I am always using a dry towel. I use them to dry wine glasses and maybe my standards aren't as high, but I have never had a lint problem. Where do you get your micro-fiber towels?

[KitchenQueen]

I treat my flour-sack towels the way you treat paper towels, but instead of throwing them away they get washed -- I consider them one-time-use items to avoid any kind of cross-contamination, and to make sure I am always using a dry towel. I use them to dry wine glasses and maybe my standards aren't as high, but I have never had a lint problem. Where do you get your micro-fiber towels?

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Believe it or not, I found mine at WalMart. I was browsing one day, and picked up a package of 2 for $5.00, I think. Basic curiousity. I thought I'd give them a try. Sage green. It was that or blue.

I wasn't expecting much.. At first , their feel is really weird.

So what, I first started using them to dry those small handwashed items.

Then my jaw hit the floor. Dry a drainer full of dishes, and I mean DRY, hang the towel on the oven door handle. Put the dishes away, start dinner, grab it 30 minutes later for something and it's as dry as if it had just come out of the dryer.

Several weeks later I went back and bought 2-3 more packages. Did it again. I now have 25-30 of them.

Initial purchase was at least 2 years ago.,maybe 3. Heavy, and I mean heavy use. They are as good as new.

And I can't find them anymore at Walmart. But the darned things are as good as the day I bought them, so who cares? I dont need any more !

But a few hints if you try them. I use scalding hot water and detergent, double rinse. NEVER use fabric softener or any additives. Sometimes I don't want to waste the electricity to put them in the dryer,since they have to be washed and dried alone.

I put them 4-5 deep on skirt hangers. They're completely dry within hours. Honestly.

Do not EVER put them in the wash or the dryer with anything else. I found out the hard way.

They're like millions of little hooks. They came out solid white with fuzz,twice their original weight, and my few white towels in that wash were damned near totally bald.

Mold on dirty ones is not a problem. Just hang them over the edge of your laundry basket. They'll dry so quickly there's no change for mildew or mold.

Another plus? No stinkies in the laundry basket.

Try them. Then I'll accept kudos or yellow roses.

[KitchenQueen]

"there's no change for mildew or mold. "

Of course I meant "no CHANCE for mildew or mold"

Why do you ask?

[Carole]

I use the Scotch-Brite microfiber Kitchen Cloths for my dishcloths. No more sponges. They dry extremely quickly. They also work well to lay out as an auxillary place to put dishes, glasses, etc., to dry. Picked them up at BJ's. I have to admit I hadn't thought of using microfiber for the dish towels but it makes perfect sense. (I'm still using flour cloth towels I got from my mother over 30 years ago. They just last and last.) The microfiber cloths that I have right now are too small to use as a dish towel so I'll see what I can chase down.

Edit: I just did a google seach and found tons at a car detailing web site:

www.microfibertech.com/Microfiber-Towels_c_10.html

Can't vouch for them but I think I'll give them a try.

Edited January 5, 2008 by Carole (log)

[qrn]

I'm bringing this back up because I'm trying it out as a New Year's resolution, and here's the part I'm wondering about: how long do you let your wet/dirty towels sit around before carting them to the laundry? Laundry in my building costs $2.50/load, so I'm not going to wash them every day, but I'm also mildewphobic. How many days can wet towels sit around before they get really scary and stinky?

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Probably depends on if you live in the high humidty east or midwest, or the high desert of the s west...Mildew is not a problem here on the front range of the Rockies.

Bud

[KitchenQueen]

I use the Scotch-Brite microfiber Kitchen Cloths for my dishcloths. No more sponges. They dry extremely quickly. They also work well to lay out as an auxillary place to put dishes, glasses, etc., to dry. Picked them up at BJ's. I have to admit I hadn't thought of using microfiber for the dish towels but it makes perfect sense. (I'm still using flour cloth towels I got from my mother over 30 years ago. They just last and last.) The microfiber cloths that I have right now are too small to use as a dish towel so I'll see what I can chase down.

Edit: I just did a google seach and found tons at a car detailing web site:

www.microfibertech.com/Microfiber-Towels_c_10.html

Can't vouch for them but I think I'll give them a try.

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That makes sense. Car detailers get paid to leave a dry surface with no spots. And they need immediate . They don't have time to wait.

I always use mine when washing my car,especially the glass. It works. And the dashboard where I can't leave a residue for the sun to bake in.

Same thing for my pc monitor and TV glass. I just have to dampen it a bit and I don't need Windex or anything that leaves a residue.

Dynamite on my glass coffee/end tables amd mirrors too.

Oh yeah ! Explode some tomato based something in the microwave? A lifesaver. Each swipe leaves a pristine path.

[mamster]

Part of the idea here was to save money, but now I can't wait to buy some of these microfiber towels. To really be economical, maybe I should get a car to go with them.

[andiesenji]

I don't use them in the kitchen, per se, because I like my ancient flour sack and Starrite cotten (made in No. Carolina in the 1950s) towels.

I buy these microfiber towels to use on my antique and vintage electric appliances, of which I have an extensive collection. They will not scratch the fine chrome from the '20s, '30s and '40s.

[Carole]

I don't use them in the kitchen, per se, because I like my ancient flour sack and Starrite cotten (made in No. Carolina in the 1950s) towels.

I buy these microfiber towels to use on my antique and vintage electric appliances, of which I have an extensive collection.  They will not scratch the fine chrome from the '20s, '30s and '40s.

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I ended up ordering some of these http://www.microfibertech.com/Ultra-Microf...ack_p_0-76.html and couldn't resist doing a quality/usage compare so I also ordered one of these http://www.amazon.com/MysticMaid-G961DT-Su...99570058&sr=8-1 just to see if it was worth the extra money.

I was on an automobile restorers site and they all recommended the microfiber towels. The important point for them was that the towel shouldn't scratch.

I am down to only four of my old flour sack towels so I have to do something soon. They have the most wonderful emboidery that my mom did around 40 years ago.

Edit: Make that 50 years ago!

Edited January 5, 2008 by Carole (log)

[paulraphael]

Yeah, I'm a convert to the microfiber. Found some at WS a few years ago (which means I probably paid twice as much as necessary). I have about four of them, but would be better served with a stack of a couple of dozen.

Mine have the waffle pattern on them, which works fine. I think I like the finer textured kind better, though (a friend had some of these). I'd like to find a good bulk source.

Only concern with these towels is that they're polyester, which melts at 480°F. I do plenty of roasting at hgher temps than that. I have a couple of orkas for reaching into a blazing oven, but a lot of times the roasting pan ends up on the stove, and I don't like having to think about what side towel I can use on what pan.

So I might keep a few dry cotton ones on the oven door for grabbing pans, and then find a place, somewhere, to stack the microfiber.

Dirty ones are easy ... I just hurl them onto the floor in the corner, and they go into the laundry when I'm done.

[prasantrin]

Costco.com has a Microfiber Kitchen and Dish Towel set or larger Microfiber Automotive Wipes, both for $29.95 a set. At Costco in Japan, you can also get a dozen or so multi-use microfiber cloths in the section where they sell laundry detergent and cleaning supplies, and I would imagine Costco in the US would have them, too. They're in very attractive colours, for those who are slaves to the fashion fairy. I am always tempted to buy them just for all the colours.

[Cleo]

Costco.com has a Microfiber Kitchen and Dish Towel set

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I'm glad this topic came back up because as I said earlier in the thread, I'm a confirmed paper towel addict. So what better time to try to break my habit than at the beginning of a new year?!?

Part of the reason that I never bought towels was that I couldn't figure out which ones would be best for my needs, but these microfiber towels seem like they might work for me. I don't really dry dishes, since just about everything in my kitchen goes into the dishwasher. But I'm constantly wiping down my countertops, and constantly washing my hands.

So I ordered these towels from Costco and we'll see what happens. I'm not too concerned about extra laundry, since I have 2 small kids, so the laundry is done several times a week anyway. Plus, I just got this fancy new washer and dryer, so (at least for the moment) laundry is fun!

[Joe Blowe]

FYI, the towels offered by Costco online are their "better" towels, i.e. overpriced towels.

You can buy the cheaper type in their brick-n-mortar locations -- 30 Yellow Microfiber Towels for $15. In the automotive section...

[Dianabanana]

The towels: About 30 plain-weave cotton towels from K-Mart or Target. Like floursack towels, they can be used for rolling out pastry, and like linen, they are good for drying glassware (not quite as lint-free as linen, but good enough for me). Terry towels creep me out. *shiver*

The in-box: A deep drawer in my kitchen, folded in thirds then thirds again.

The out-box: I lay them out loosely over the bottles of cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink. The last one almost always dries before the next one comes along. Despite my husband's grave reservations about this method, I've never in all my years had a single one mildew. I think this method is far preferable to wadding them up in any sort of container, where they will always get smelly and mildewy.

The wash: Hot water and lots of bleach.

[paulraphael]

I wrote above that microfiber towels are polyester ... but it turns out only some of them are.

Next purchase will be cotton ones, so they can be used on hot pans without worrying about melting them.

If anyone finds a good source of white, 16x16 cotton microfiber towels in bulk (10 or more for cheap) I'd love to hear about it.

[Joe Blowe]

If anyone finds a good source of white, 16x16 cotton microfiber towels in bulk (10 or more for cheap) I'd love to hear about it.

Microfiber is a 100% synthetic product. Anything that is advertised as a non-poly alternative to microfiber is not going to give you the performance of microfiber. And if it's blended with cotton, you are going to lose the benefits of no lint, no scratch, high absorbency, quick drying, etc.

If you want cotton, go with cotton...

[paulraphael]

If anyone finds a good source of white, 16x16 cotton microfiber towels in bulk (10 or more for cheap) I'd love to hear about it.

Microfiber is a 100% synthetic product. Anything that is advertised as a non-poly alternative to microfiber is not going to give you the performance of microfiber. And if it's blended with cotton, you are going to lose the benefits of no lint, no scratch, high absorbency, quick drying, etc.

If you want cotton, go with cotton...

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Any textile with 1 denier or smaller fibers can be called microfiber. There are a lot of cotton microfiber and nylon microfiber products out there. My sense is that when something called microfiber, with no other qualifier, then it's typically the 80/20 poly-nylon blend.