Dishtowel is a cloth that is used for drying crockery, cutlery, and other kitchenware items, typically made of linen and cotton or by blending both. Dishtowels are usually the size of hand towels. 

Dishtowels have been in use since ancient times. They play a vital role in a table setting and are used for other purposes as well that include the wrapping of baked goods, holding a hot dish and cleaning the kitchen surfaces. There is no denying the fact that dishtowel helps us in several ways, and so you would want to put your time and money to buy the ultimate towel that suits your table setting. Dishtowels come in a wide range, whether you want a plain one or in different designs you can choose the one you are looking for.

You can easily buy dishtowels at Ellementry, but like any other product, they also need proper care. You cannot just throw them after using. Also, do not keep the used dishtowel inside the cupboard first wash it and then store it in the cupboard. In this blog, we will be discussing how to take care of your dishtowels and how they can be kept in good condition. Let’s dive right in-

Why should you clean tea towels? 

Dishtowels if not cleaned at regular intervals can give birth to bacteria, especially those which cause food poisoning. 

Dishtowels that are not washed often or left half wet could also be the reason for your illness if used to dry your dishes. So make sure before you use your dishtowel is clean. And more importantly, wash your dishtowel if you have been holding raw meat while cooking. 

When to wash them?

According to experts, dishtowels should be washed daily unless you have not been using them. Having 4-5 towels can give you the leverage of using another one in case one is dirty.

It is better not to throw sopping dishtowels into a laundry basket because this might give rise to mildew and bacteria which can further spread to your clothes. The best option is to wash them immediately or wait for them till they get dry and then put them in the laundry.

An important thing to consider before washing your dishtowel

New dishtowels available at Ellementry look pretty, but they are relatively less absorbent. This is because when the product is manufactured, it contains dye and oils in excess amount. 

To overcome this problem, wash your new towels with warm water before bringing them to use. We are sure this technique will help you, and you will be thanking us later. 

There are certain rules that you need to keep in mind while doing the first wash. Do not ever wash colourful dishtowels with other clothing items in the first wash as the colours could run. Especially keep your white clothes separately.

For a more useful tip, diluted white vinegar can be very useful in the first wash as this makes the dishtowel more absorbent. 

How to machine wash my tea towels?

A washing machine could also be used to wash the dishtowels. Washing dishtowels in the machine does no harm. Cleaning dishtowels with biological detergent is effective, whereas you can also use non-biological detergents.  

You can also wash the towels at lower temperatures with normal detergents (but it shouldn’t be hotter than 50 degrees). It is okay to wash white cotton and linen dishtowels at higher temperatures, but the coloured ones must be washed at less than 50 degrees. 

Does your towel smell even after washing it? Well, that’s nothing to worry about. If this happens in your case, then you need to add baking soda to your wash and detergent. For best results, pause in the middle of the wash, let it soak the mixture for the longest time and then start the cycle again. 

How to remove stains from the dishtowels?

Stains can often irritate you, but you just can’t prevent something from happening. Stains can really piss you off at times. 

To get rid of them you can use normal detergent for most of the stains. But if you have a dark stain like coffee, grease, then first use clothing stain remover before normally washing it.

Demerits of using fabric conditioner

While washing dishtowels avoid using fabric conditioner. Fabric conditioner has the tendency to make your dishtowels less absorbent. So it’s best to use detergent when you wash the cloth. 

You can reduce its effect in the next wash. Add baking soda to your washing powder and some amount of vinegar to the conditioner section. 

How to prevent your dishtowels from fading?

Do you like the design of your dishtowel? Are you trying to stop the colour from fading? Well, one day or the other it has to happen. But the good news is you can prevent it from happening too early. If you want your dishtowel to last long, then don’t buy the cheaper, one choose the ones which use reactive inks. This means it will not fade away after a few washes but will take time to fade.

Additionally, you can increase your tea towel’s colour longevity by adding some salt and baking soda to your washes and white vinegar to the rinse cycle. Make sure you don’t put vinegar with baking soda/washing powder in the same cycle this will neutralize the effect. 

For better protection, always use laundry products like Ecover, as these don’t contain colour-fading ingredients like oxygen bleach or optical brighteners which are harmful to your skin and environment. 

Drying and ironing dishtowels

Drying your dishtowels on a line is much better for them than a tumble dryer. Do not expose the printed side towards the sun as the light will cause fading. 

Ideally, you must steam iron your towels while they are still damp and make sure you iron them on the opposite side.

 Store your dishtowels 

So till here, you have gathered all the necessary information that you need regarding dishtowels. Now the final step is- fold them up neatly and store them in a drawer. 

Make a habit of hanging your tea towels up in between the radiator, so they don’t lie in a crumpled heap allowing bacteria to build up.

So if you don’t have dishtowels yet, then I think it’s high time you should be considering them to buy. There is a wide array of dishtowels you can choose according to the look of your kitchen. Nothing is more exciting than to know that you can even order personalized dishtowels the way you want. 

We hope you found all the relevant information you have been searching for. For more information, insights and for some amazing designs in dishtowels, visit ellementry.com and help yourself.