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Post by bwife on Jun 29, 2018 17:49:24 GMT
Forever now, I have been using some scrubby dishcloths from walmart in the kitchen. I wash them weekly with bleach and after a few months, they look gross. They just dont hold up like they use to, you know cheaper materials to cut costs and all, I am sure. I dont wash dishes with them (unless it is kitchen pans) so we use them mostly to wipe down the counters, kitchen table and clean up everyday spills. To be clear. We use a clean one nearly everyday. So I wash 6 a week probably. I just wanted to make sure someone didnt think I was using just 1 rag for the whole week... yuck.
For towels, I use 2 different things. Bar Mop towels from Sams, We have been using them for yrs ( I usually go through a set of 12 or so every 8 to 10 months) But I also noticed this last set hasnt last as well. ( I went through them today to weed out the gross looking ones) The materials are MUCH thinner than they were just 2yrs ago. I also wash these with bleach. We use these bar mops for EVERYTHING ( except gross dog stuff) Spills, to dry stuff, to dust furniture, etc. These are our paper towels. We still buy paper towels for emergencies and for gross dog stuff. I have tried other bar mops from Target ( they are colors, usually blue and grey) the colors fade to a gross color in just 1 or 2 washes because I guess they are not bleach proof ( I think some are now)
I also use some blue dish towels from Ikea. These are cotton, more like a flour sack material. I really like those, but we only use them to clean glass and to use in the kitchen when the bar mops are all dirty. because we dont use them a lot, they last a little longer in this house.
So now, tell me, what do you use? Do you love them? Do you use bleach when washing them and if so how do they hold up? How often do you replace your kitchen wash cloths and towels? I am looking for my $ to go a little further. I went through all of the rags and towels today and tossed the bad stained ones into the garage pile. The boys all use them for grease when they are out working on cars and bikes in the garage. I figure I need to use them until they are completely dead right? lol I have replenished my basket with new clean towels I had in the cabinet. But after these I am out. So I will need to buy some more, so maybe it is a good time for a change. I looked on Amazon, and there are SO many things to choose from. Links are helpful! TIA!
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Post by Zee on Jun 29, 2018 17:54:47 GMT
I use those Handi-Wipes disposable cloths, which are good for a few uses and can then be tossed. Good for grimey jobs right before tossing, too.
For towels I like Ikea for drying dishes and I use cute designed towels from wherever for hands (usually TJ Maxx is good for that).
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:06:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2018 17:55:47 GMT
I dont use dish towels. I have 2 drying matts that my handwash items sit on to air dry.
I use hand towels from Target. They are in reds and blues. We use 1 fo 2 a day. I just wash in hot water with gain detergent. They hold us very well. If there is a stain, I rub white dial soap bar on the damp spot and wash as normal.
If I need to dry an item, I use a hand towel.
I use paper towels to wipe up the counter.
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Post by workingclassdog on Jun 29, 2018 18:01:57 GMT
I have a set from Costco, regular dishtowels.. 12 of them that have lasted for years.. get used all the time and thrown in the wash.. I have a few of those tea towels but I hate the way they dry dishes.. seems to me they just rub the water around. My MIL though HAS to use tea towels and I get told so when I do dishes at her house. I don't really use the smaller ones for washing dishes... I have a sponge I use or I will grab one if there are a lot of dishes/pans/whatnot.
I also have a huge pile of those yellow microcloths that are for more spills and accidents.. dog accidents, grimy stuff. I LOVE those for that kind of stuff.
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Post by Linda on Jun 29, 2018 18:08:14 GMT
dishcloths - I like the scrubby ones but they can't be microfibre
dish towels - I have a random assortment - we rarely dry dishes (they drip dry in the dishdrainer) so they are mostly used for drying hands
cleaning rags - some microfibre cloths (from the automotive dept at WM - 12pk in blue and white and some handiwipes. I use these for cleaning and spills etc...
I do use paper towels for cat messes (hairballs and litter accidents - we have two senior cats who aren't always reliable about finding the box). Otherwise I don't use paper for anything else.
I don't bleach
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Post by padresfan619 on Jun 29, 2018 18:10:35 GMT
Forntowels I have flour sack towels from Bed Bath and Beyond as well as my grandmother’s William Sonoma towels, they’ve held up forever.
I don’t use dish rags often, I prefer a dish brush. When I have to use a rag I just grab whatever grubby cloth is under the sink.
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,300 
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Post by Mystie on Jun 29, 2018 18:23:36 GMT
I am not nearly as sanitary in my kitchen as most Peas are! I have a stack of regular dish towels that get rotated in and out as they get dirty, but not as often as they probably should, lol. I don't bleach them. The nicest ones I have which I highly recommend are a red and white stripe woven towel from Williams-sonoma. They're thick and absorbent and stay nice a long time.
I use Scotch scrubber sponges that are the gentler kind so they won't scratch my glass cooktop. I use them on dishes and the countertops, too. I won't horrify everyone with a true account of how long I keep those sponges in use! Every so often I run them through a dishwasher cycle.
And then I use Clorox wipes or Clorox spray plus a paper towel for stains and for wiping down counters after food has been on them. Also for wiping out the fridge and microwave, etc.
No one has died In my kitchen yet, so I'm comfortable with my routine.
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MorningPerson
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,579
Location: Central Pennsylvania
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Post by MorningPerson on Jun 29, 2018 19:01:39 GMT
I use cotton kitchen dish cloths - a fresh one every morning, and mostly bar mop towels to dry the few dishes that don't go in the dishwasher. I get them in various places - Kohl's, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target etc.
Mine last at least a year or two, and I bleach them every time. I have about 3 or 4 weeks worth of dish cloths and towels, so it's not too often.
One important thing is that I never use fabric softener, only vinegar in the rinse. The towels stay absorbent that way and don't just smear the water around whatever you're drying.
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Post by deshacrafts on Jun 29, 2018 19:06:06 GMT
I got my bar mops and my dish towels at William Sonoma. They are pricey, so I try to get them when they are on sale. I've had them for ages. They wash and wear well.
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Post by Delta Dawn on Jun 29, 2018 19:07:37 GMT
I use either the ones I crochet or these great ones from Walmart. They are very thirsty and absorb spills really well. I like them a lot!
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:06:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2018 19:10:52 GMT
I use bamboo cloths for wiping down worktops and terry cotton tea towels for drying dishes and hands (not the same one obvs!) They both go in the washing machine with a towel load. I don't bleach anything and they're fine.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:06:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2018 19:25:42 GMT
I used disposable Clorox wipes for the counters and I use All Clad or Calphalon towels for drying dishes. I used to use the Williams Sonoma ones, but I can buy the All Clad or Calphlon at Ross and they are just as good for a fraction of the price. You can't bleach them, but I spray spot cleaner on stains and then wash in Oxyclean and vinegar.
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valincal
Drama Llama
Southern Alberta
Posts: 6,225
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Post by valincal on Jun 29, 2018 19:29:32 GMT
I like woven tea towels for drying dishes, not terry towels which are for drying hands IMO. I use J-cloths for washing dishes and wiping counters. They’re the best. Everything else gets soggy and stinky.
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Post by mustlovecats on Jun 29, 2018 19:40:13 GMT
Just whatever cotton ones I get at homegoods. I keep a large stash of them because I use dish cloths instead of paper towels for most things. I like plain white ones that have a terry texture - they are usually labeled “bar mop cloths”. White can get run through a load of bleach and I don’t care if they are a little stained.
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anniebygaslight
Drama Llama
I'd love a cup of tea. #1966
Posts: 7,412
Location: Third Rock from the sun.
Jun 28, 2014 14:08:19 GMT
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Post by anniebygaslight on Jun 29, 2018 21:07:58 GMT
Enjo fibres all the way for me. My kitchen has never been cleaner - and no chemicals.
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Post by anniefb on Jun 29, 2018 21:47:30 GMT
I use a brush for dishes that gets replaced regularly. I use chux cloths for wiping down worktops which I just throw in the wash every few days. When they get worn out I replace them. I do use paper towels for some things but try and use something reusable most of the time.
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Post by papersilly on Jun 29, 2018 23:22:19 GMT
I have two sets of dish towels. One set is just for drying clean hands and the other set is only for drying dishes. I like 100% cotton towels that dry fast but are absorbent.
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,381
Location: Western Illinois
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Jun 30, 2018 3:26:33 GMT
I don't generally dry dishes by hand so I don't worry about towels for that.
We've been using a set of Williams-Sonoma dish towels for years but I think they are about ready to be retired. One has had most of the hem seams ripped out and they are all kind of faded (I have dark blue). I don't use bleach and none of our other towels are white so I don't want to have to wash small towels in a separate load. We use them for drying hands and mopping up stuff.
I do use paper towels for messy things.
I have a scrubby pad for washing anything by hand. I also use one for scrubbing the sink.
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Post by mygigiscraps on Jun 30, 2018 3:46:00 GMT
I love Doc cloths for washing dishes. For drying dishes, I buy the seasonal tea towels at Target. I also have a couple of those striped towels from Grove Collaborative. They hold up wonderfully and are generously sized.
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 21:06:16 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2018 4:05:27 GMT
I use the cheap walmart bar mops and the 18 pack of white wash cloths in the kitchen. I do use bleach when washing them. Sometimes bleach in the washer isn't enough to get them clean looking so I soak them in a pan of hot water with a stronger bleach solution when most of them are looking stained even after being washed. My mom used to boil her kitchen linens in bleach water to clean them. She had a stock pot she used for non food uses.
I've never really kept track of how long they last. I'm not terribly picky about how mine look. I keep a few "new" condition ones to use when I have company. Otherwise, I use them till they get holes then toss them in the basket for junk rags that are used to apply polishes or clean up oily messes. Or whatever task is too tough for a paper towel but will leave a permanent mess on the rag.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jun 30, 2018 4:29:04 GMT
I got a few of the Norwex microfiber cloths and hand towels a couple years ago when my neighbor started selling them. I liked them so much that I bought a bunch more when a friend was having a party. I have a big stack of the dish cloths for wiping down the counters and appliances. They don’t get stinky if you hang them up to dry, and they dry fast. Nasty messes get cleaned up with paper towels and tossed. Dishes are air dried in the dish drainer usually, but if I need something dried quicker I use a regular terry cloth towel that came in a big pack from Costco. Nothing is bleached in my house, just detergent and hot water, and the Norwex cloths and towels can’t be bleached anyway or it ruins them. We have a septic system and can’t put too much bleach into it. The Norwex hand towels dry a lot more quickly than cotton towels do, and the only thing grosser than a wet hand towel is a stinky dish cloth.
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Post by ametallichick on Jun 30, 2018 6:30:04 GMT
I got a few of the Norwex microfiber cloths and hand towels a couple years ago when my neighbor started selling them. I liked them so much that I bought a bunch more when a friend was having a party. I have a big stack of the dish cloths for wiping down the counters and appliances. They don’t get stinky if you hang them up to dry, and they dry fast. Nasty messes get cleaned up with paper towels and tossed. Dishes are air dried in the dish drainer usually, but if I need something dried quicker I use a regular terry cloth towel that came in a big pack from Costco. Nothing is bleached in my house, just detergent and hot water, and the Norwex cloths and towels can’t be bleached anyway or it ruins them. We have a septic system and can’t put too much bleach into it. The Norwex hand towels dry a lot more quickly than cotton towels do, and the only thing grosser than a wet hand towel is a stinky dish cloth. I love the Norwex Envirocloth. I use that the most but I only have one so I either have to wash it and grab something else or wait for the wash cycle to be done. I just bought some new clothes from cleanmama.net They’re a real fine micro-fiber. They don’t snag on my skin EVER. They’re a real pretty light tealish blue color. I hang my dishcloths on my faucet to dry and they never smell. I go through about 2-3 a week before I wash them. I use them to wipe down my counters, stove-top, etc. I use paper towels for gross stuff so I don’t stain my dish rags. I use a sponge to wash dishes and my dishes air dry on a mat next to my sink. I never use bleach to wash them. Just good ol’ Tide. |
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