…I'm back to talk about washcloths, sponges, and towels.
Your passion is fabulous.
That last comment about is it a dog nosing in the dishcloths and are they really clean — I thought of answering, “No, it's a skunk and they're clean I think, but don't smell very good.”
But instead of being snarky I will say, “They are as clean as they'll ever be.”
We're all about doing our best but not obsessing, right?
Right.
To answer a few burning questions:
Sponge people: On further consideration I will say that I view the sponge as a vehicle for carrying suds to the scrubber. I actually don't think the sponge is all that useful. And it is hard to keep clean. But I always have one there. Don't try to clean up the dough with the scrubber — you'll have to throw it away right then and there.
Dishcloth people: It's true. How would we clean a floury sticky counter, egg, or tomato sauce if we only had a sponge? That said, the dishcloth must look clean as well as be clean.
Oh, and always put the sponge or dishcloth back clean. In other words, don't wipe up egg and then toss the thing in the sink. Use it, and rinse it out with hot water and soap, wringing well for the next use. You knew that, right?
I like the idea of color or type coding the linens, but unfortunately they are hard enough to find that I just take what I can get. If you have a better way, go for it!
Note to self: buy more dishcloths. Note to Colleen in the comments: Thanks for the alert on Fabric.com's sale on washcloth and dishcloth fabric! Does anyone in my area want to share an order? They have free shipping over $35! Note to dog: Keep your nose out of my linens! You're awfully cute, though…
Tossing the sponge in the trash? You be the judge. I trust you implicitly. If you don't have a supply, you are probably not tossing soon enough. How do I bleach it? Small bowl with warm water, add a little bleach (not the other way around! Bleach splashes!), soak sponge, wipe white Formica counters and clean out sink. I do this maybe once every two weeks, incidentally.
I'm really not clean enough for the likes of you.
Dingy towels? Hotter water. Soaking. Bleach. Oxyclean. Try better detergent (sorry, I just don't like cheap detergent (or smelly detergent — what's up with making it smell like grape bubblegum?), and homemade soaps might leave scum, aka grayness. By the way, do you know that Fels Naptha has bleach in it? Yup, learned that the hard way…). But you can boost your good detergent with Borax or washing soda.
Rags: I really use rags mainly to dust. I do wipe the floor with them and wash down appliances with them. But when they are washed in the hot/bleach/soak towel washing, they are good to go for whatever.
Changing these things: Really, don't obsess. Use your senses (common and otherwise) and change them when they are no longer clean! If a clean towel gets wet and you've hung it to dry (I use the oven door), it's really fine for another round of cleanup, in my opinion. Smell the things often to know for sure.
But I'm not the best housekeeper in the world.
Two things you should invest in: Some sort of rack to dry dirty things on, and a hamper or laundry bag for the kitchen area. Don't throw dirty things on the floor at the bottom of the stairs or in the corner!
Things don't need to be sterile, so no, I won't be boiling my towels! Although I do like the tip from MamaHen in the comments about ironing a few rags so that they can be used in a pinch for first aid. Many is the time I've wanted a clean rag for a gash.
Okay, does that cover it? Tomorrow I hope to post about all the crafty things I've done but couldn't show you because of gift giving. And I'm excited to be back at my quilting! It's going to be a fun year!
Lindsey in AL says
I never bleach any laundry. You're making me reconsider. I do use highly diluted bleach in a spray bottle for my counters every other week or so (I'm also not a very good housekeeper :)) but I am starting to think I should be more thorough in my kitchen towel cleanliness. Right now the dryer is not an option so almost everything gets dried on a rack in the kitchen overnight, or on hangers in the bathroom. It's messy. All that to say, I am enjoying your yammering about cleaning cloths 🙂
Hoosier at Heart says
Lots of good info there but I have to say, and say it right now…..I Love that quilt!! Gorgeous! The colors are so sunny and pretty.
jamie says
I love handi-wipes for cleanup. They are thin, relatively inexpensive, reusable, machine washable, but also can be used for a few days without washing. I find them to be a great value, soft, yet strong. I change my dishtowel generally every night after cleaning up dinner. But then again, sometimes not. I use common sense.
I really love dishtowels: nice old terrycloth ones that have been washed almost thin are the best for drying. “Tea”-style towels are good to have on hand, too, for say rolling jelly roll or using, as you said, a bandage. 🙂
Just because someone washes/cleans things obsessively does not make them a “better” housekeeper. Using common sense to not senselessly cleanse things that don't need it is part of being a good, smart, thrifty, ecologicaly-sensible housewife. And that you are.
priest's wife says
Auntie Leila- I'm glad you recommend only beautiful, practical, not-very-expensive things. So far, I've bought the French tempered-glass glasses and the George MacDonald books. And I went to Target and bought some dish clothes (super sale)
I was trying to sleep last night and felt I had to remind all of us trying-to-be good homemakers:
Ammonia and Bleach DO NOT MIX! Check the ingredients on labels to make sure one of the two isn't a component. My husband had to help a family of a plumber who put a bleach-based product down a toilet unknowingly after a client put an ammonia-based product first. he died after breathing in the fumes and destroying his lungs…sorry to be so depressing, but it's important.
Liz says
I agree with Lindsey in AL! I was anti-bleach, but after looking at your so-clean cloths, I have resigned myself to purchasing some bleach and using it on a regular basis. I was wondering what kind of detergent you use. I have tried the homemade and was using a cheap detergent and am definitely not happy with the results (neither is DH who used to be a Laundry and Bath guy in the Army Reserve.) I have hard water, so I have been using baking soda or Borax to assist with the hardness…
Sara says
You can't give away that quilt! It looks too good on the sofa! But I guess you'll enjoy it there for the next year, right?
_Leila says
Sara, yes, it will be around for a while 😉 And then it goes to Rosie, so that's okay!
Mrs.B says
LOVE this! and the QUILT!! 🙂
deb meyers says
awww….i always think I will improve, but STILL throw the dirty/wet dishtowels down the basement stairs more often than not, aiming for the laundry basket, of course. The ones that miss the basket provide a water source for the infintessimal ants that come through the sand crack in the basement floor. Because they have all the water they need from my dirty dishtowel the ants stay in the sand crack. So I am providing for God's little creatures, right?
_Leila says
Deb, you are so thoughtful.
julie wasson says
This red and yellow quilt is fabulous! I am terrible at color combinations. In fact I usually have my 8 year old pick the colors for me. He does a better job! (He's rent-able if any one needs a color consultant.)
freckled hen says
Once again I agree with you, all these valid points about wash cloths vs sponges. And you even spoke of my favorite–baby wash cloths. They are thin and dry quickly…they are soft and inexpensive.
Your quilt is gorgeous– I'm looking forward to all your crafty things…
Sandy says
It seems like some 'first-aid only' cloths would be in order. I'm guessing cloth diapers would be perfect for that, new ones, of course, all clean and white in the first-aid drawer. Everyone has a first-aid drawer in the kitchen, right?
Leah says
I also have been anti-bleach, but after reading your last post asked my husband to bring home a jug. My 2 littlest ones have had a stomach bug. Every blanket, towel, pillow, etc. that they have come in contact with has been thrown up on and worse! I am AMAZED! some things I previously thought were permanently stained came clean and there are no new stains on anything. Plus, I feel like the bleach & hot water killed all those nasty germs. I am a convert. My mom never used bleach. I guess I just had no clue. So, thank you!
Kimberly says
I knit my dishclothes from cotton. They are amazing! I've included a link to my blog post with the patterns. They are pretty, durable, and have good scrubbing power. I would add, to your post, that one can never have too many dish clothes or towels, especially with many children in the house. A couple years ago I switched my family over to cloth napkins also. I don't use bleach anymore. I've been making my cleaning products for nearly a year and love it. The main ingredients are borax, white vinegar, super washing soda and baking soda. I usually use the soak cycle on the washer for dish towels, clothes and our napkins; in hot water {which in our house is about equal to warm}
http://homeschoolingahandfulcrafting.blogspot.com…
Amy says
I too love to knit wash cloths. It's easy and almost instant grafication. I also love using them in the kitchen and the bathroom. I'll be checking out your blog.
Robin says
Yay! I feel like I get some sort of brownie points because a) I keep my dish soap in a pump dispenser by the sink and b) I bought some dishcloths (a lot) and am rotating them regularly!
The second one is a big deal because I married a Sponge Man and have been trying for years to convert. One of the problems was that I have a child that leaves, well, carb-y messes on my counters and we have been cleaning them off with the scrubby part of the sponge….and taking off the top layer of the formica. So, we are using washcloths now and they actually work better, at the scrubby part, than the sponge.
Keep talking homemaking, Auntie Leila, it's so much more real than Martha Stewart.
Anna says
One thing to mention about dinginess- sometimes it is due to a detergent build up in the cloth. If you open the washing machine during the rinse cycle and see bubbles, that's the problem right there. So, use the hottest water possible and restart the rinse until there are no bubbles to be seen.
I ran my bath towels through this process recently and they're lovely now. No scent at all, not even the “good” ones.
Camille says
Finally something I already do! But about the bleach …. almost ALL of the dishrags/towels are colorful. So do you use the color safe stuff (which is so expensive)?
_Leila says
Camille, most towels are bleach safe, because many folks have chlorine (bleach) in their water! So the companies know they have to make them so that they will not get too faded over time.
I just use a little (1/4 cup per large load, usually), and honestly, fading doesn't bother me one bit if it does occur.
Sarah King says
I love these kitchen posts! Inspiring and satisfying- I do a lot of things the same way! One kitchen and bathroom tool that I find indispensable is… an old credit card (or other hard plastic card). It makes a great scraper for pots and pans and doughy things (cutting boards). It is fabulous as a pre-cleaner so you don't gum up your scrubby sponge! It also works great on glass stove tops and for removing soap scum from bathtubs and shower doors. Simple. Cheap. Effective.
I am looking forward to crafty posts!
Christina A says
My mom had a hard, flat plastic tool made by Tupperware when I was growing up! And I found something similar at BedBath&Beyond recently. I think they just called it a dish scraper?
Kay says
Another idea on first aid cloths…. either flour sack towels, cut down to size or white men's hankies. (We don't use paper tissues for runny noses anymore. Farmer uses colored hankies and I use men's white ones. No more sore noses!)
Unfortunately I tend to throw my soiled towels in the corner, but only until I'm finished in the kitchen for the evening and then I take them to the laundry. I can make a roll of paper towels last for months…. (box of tissues too, since I only keep them around for guests.)
Amy says
I love wash cloths and have converted over from sponges since I learned how to knit cotton wash cloths. I already do a longer wash for my towels and wash cloths, but am now thinking a little bleach and a once in a while sanitary cycle might be in order. Also, we have started using the detergent that we use for the cloth diapers. It's a bit more expensive, but it doesn't have all those additives in it.
Heather says
You MUST have scrubbies! My mother in law makes them! they are kind of like sponges, in that you do not want to wipe your dough covered counter with it, BUT it scrubs things so well! and you just throw them in the wash! they are crocheted out of netting! I do not like sponges. BUT I use a scrubbie for a few days then toss in wash and use anohter one. they never ever die! the grungy looking ones are awesome for cleaning tub grime and weird grime in other places!
Mom in MO says
I'm with you on all of this—including the dark chocolate M & M's. My mother uses a sponge, but I have switched to dish cloths. I've even started knitting my own because my old ones are so dingy. I think that having the right tools always helps the job along. Thanks for spending time on this topic. You make it fun and interesting.
Brandi in GA says
I bought some bleach today also to try and make my towels look as good as yours. ha. Thanks for all of your housekeeping advice. I love it.
Lindsay says
Great series! One cleaning tool that I am immensely fond of both for grungy counters and stubborn dishes is the small, square brown scrapers that come with pampered chef stoneware. It means I don't have to get gunk in a wash cloth, scrubby or sponge. After the gunk is scraped off and rinsed away, I can use the cloth to finish up. Like you, I prefer dishcloths to sponges. My current ones are microfiber. I have two kinds, one of which I like and one not so much, but I am not sure what makes them so different. I keep scotch-brite type pads and cut them into quarters so I can throw them away more often without feeling guilty AND there is not a “spongy part”–only the scrubby side. You can do the same with regular sponges, though, a trick I learned from my mom:). AND, if I might offer one further tip, while I think your cloths are charming and long to have just such a faded but pretty collection of tea towels some day, I have had good luck with using the white towels as well as the microfiber towels (nice for scrubbing the floor) from the automotive section of Costco. A big package is cheaper than the big package of a bazillion paper towels there, and having a big stash makes it easy to always have a cloth to pick up for spills and things without using my pretty tea towels on the dirty floor, puddle of coffee, or spattered stove. I'm not a good housekeeper, and I find your tips invaluable, so please keep them coming! PS–I use Oxiclean on my towels instead of bleach. It may cost more, but I'm a klutz, and I think it saves money in the long run over the risk of accidentally bleaching what shouldn't be.
Amy says
I may be interested in the fabric.com buying. I think we are in the same area. If you decide to go ahead with it let me know!
kimberlee says
This is all very nice, all this talk about dishcloths, but I hope someday soon you have enough m&m's to get back to that post on fairy tales. 🙂 I bought the MacDonalds after your recommendation and have to say Thank You!!! Just finished reading The Wise Woman aloud to my family (kids aged 20 on down and my dh) and we're all quite amazed we had never read it before. wow. We do love the genre but had somehow missed these…even though you couldn't hear us we said a huge Thank You to Auntie Leila when we finished!
margo says
wheeee – the quilt is back!! You always inspire me with your quilts.
Sue says
I love this series! You made me think of my Mama. She was a strict “towel only” lady – only she called them “dish rags.” She had a strong belief that sponges were unsanitary, and without a method like yours (and mine, as well, actually) they certainly can be.
All of the dish soaps over here these days have “cleans the sponge while your washing,” or something to that effect. I guess it's part of the anti-bacterial craze, but I don't trust it for a minute. Once that sponge gets a little worn and dirty looking it goes strait to the bathroom!
I do wash my kitchen towels every day – for one, because I have no dryer, and have to wash everyday just to keep up anyway, but also because I live in a humid place and they get stinky very quickly. Winter affords me a little leeway, but come spring it's back to stinky wash cloth policing!
emily b says
so I do have to ask: did you go the 14-cup route on the food processor? i keep buying things for my current stage and then wishing i'd have gone larger as our family grows (kitchen aid mixer, crock pot, both–unfortunately–cases in point. aaaah!). don't want to make the same mistake again.
_Leila says
Emily, I had the 7 cup when I was first married (Nick was about 1). I used it for many years and it died. I tried to get along with just the Kitchenaid and the blender, but then I decided, no, I need a food processor! So after thinking it over, I went ahead and got the exact same one again.
I don't like the fact that the larger one has the feeder in the back. The reviews for the larger one (and also the updated new version) weren't as good. I use mine for making pie dough (among other things) and it makes two crusts at once just fine. I do bread in the Kitchenaid, so I didn't need a bigger one for that. I just didn't need a bigger one! So I am happy with this one. Big enough for what I want to do, not too big.
By the way, I have the 5 quart Kitchenaid (is that what it is? The one that used to be the largest 😉 and Rosie has the larger one — her bowl takes up so much room in the dishwasher! But I think it's easier to add ingredients to and mixes dough up better.
Cary says
I have to say thank you for the phrase “reasonably clean”. Since I read that the first time, I have used that phrase in my home many times. In a family where 3/4 of the children are male and for some reason think I am overbearing and a neat freak (oh, if you could see this house, you would know that is SO not true!), it has helped when getting daily chores done. The boys have always said, “It's never clean enough for you.” So, I then taught them “reasonably clean.” What an argument saver! And, it helps me to know when to say, ok guys, this is good enough for now. All are much happier!
TessaDiane says
Good advice! It has happened to me more than once where I try to be helpful at a friends house. So I wash some dishes….and the sponge stinks…. So I wash my hands, only to dry them on a stinky towel. Sigh…..
Melanie B says
Did you know that 2 minutes on high in the microwave will kill 99% of all bacteria on your kitchen sponge? I've gotten into the habit of shoving mine into the microwave every night after clean up. (Make sure your sponge is wet and does not contain metal fibers.)
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/…
womanofthehouse says
I am so enjoying your posts on dish towels. Thanks to Colleen for mentioning the sale at Fabrics.com! I'm going to order some to have on hand when I need it. My daughter wants some for her hope chest too.
Rosie says
You can also microwave your sponge! Get it really wet along with a tiny dab of soap and microwave on high for around a minute. The water boils and–I'm pretty sure at least–kills what is in the sponge. Not only that, but the inside of your microwave gets a nice steam clean. If someone forgot to cover what went in there, and someone always does, this softens it up. Just wipe out the inside with your handy rag right after you nuke the sponge.
Rachel P. says
My mother always used a bench scraper to clean up a floury mess then wiped down the counter with a hot, soapy dishcloth. She and I have never used sponges (much to my mother-in-laws dismay).
Keri says
I just found the coolest dishcloths at Walmart called Doozy's (I think) They are made from natural wood fibers that they claim repell bacteria….in that you can rinse 99% of it out. They are thick like a cloth diaper or something and super absorbent. Plus they have a scrubbing type texture. They don't get sour. I think I bought 2 of them for about $3.50. I'm going to head back there and stock up. Best thing I've found in a long time!
Sarah says
I just wanted to say thank you for all your posts on housekeeping! I have been married nearly 3 years and am just coming to realise that it doesn't go away if I ignore it / get cleaned by fairies and it takes less energy to just do it rather than put it off all the time! I know that must seem immature but it is true. I've had burst of enthusiasm but then get wrapped up in having everything just right, when it isn't I get fed up and just trying seems pointless. I'm working my way through food and laundry posts and have felt my attitude changing in the last month to more of a little and often policy. Thank you for all your work in teaching others – I'd be lost without it!
Anny says
What a fun topic. Someone probably already mentioned this but it does save a lot of effort so; in regards to cleaning up flour-ry messes, get yourself a nice FLAT spatula. When I say flat I mean flat on 3 edges. Scrape the mess up off the counters, and then use the side to scrape it all into the trash. That way you get rid of all the flour BEFORE you bring out the washcloth.
sherry says
“Don't throw dirty things on the floor at the bottom of the stairs or in the corner!” Hee hee. “Down the stairs” that is the hallway to my bed room which I had said I would keep as clean as a hotel and has quickly turned into a cave! Maybe you could do a post about keeping our bedrooms clean! Love these posts.
_Leila says
http://www.likemotherlikedaughter.org/2010/03/r…
There you go!
Kathy says
I have a question, since we're discussing the washing of dishes and the cleaning of kitchens in such detail. How would you wash dishes in a single, undivided sink? It's nice and large (a change from my previous sinks), but I can't dedicate one side to soapy water and one to rinsing, because there's only the one part!
Cami says
I’m allergic to bleach so I don’t use it. Even swimming in a pool gives me a bit of a reaction. I avoid it for my kids as well as I notice cheap diapers make them rash up, likely from the bleach. What would you suggest for a person who cannot use bleach. Best alternative? I know some essential oils disinfect.
Christina A says
Does hydrogen peroxide also irritate your skin? I know it has a slight “bleaching” effect, but I’m not sure how similar it is to actual bleach. For my kitchen and cleaning cloths, I just use oxiclean and vinegar, presoak in hot water for a bit, and set my machine to give an extra rinse. Hope you find something that makes your laundry truly clean but doesn’t bother your skin!