Printhelp for laundering dishcloths
Maybe this is more of a Heloise question, but after laundering (in Tide) and line-drying (outside, in fresh air) my dishcloths, as soon as I use them again they have this stale, gross odor. I dont have bad or sulferic water, and use Dawn to handwash. The cloths are fairly good ones, 100% cotton waffle weave type, but I don't even want to touch them because the odor stays on my hands. I hope this isn't too petty a question, but if there's some easy, natural way to zap their odors and refresh them I'd love to hear it.
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19 Comments:
Maybe soak them in a bleach and water solution before washing. I do that with my kitchen sponge.
Kerosena at 1:07PM on 04/22/08
Do you always let them dry after each use? I use a sponge and always use a bleach/Dawn/water spray bottle to do the final wipe of cutting boards, counters, sink, etc. After I've finished, I soak my sponge and nuke it for 2 minutes, then dry completely. I change sponges often. I use the old one for general cleaning.
I always do a bleachable load in my washer and include all towels and dishtowels that won't run (color). I also use fabric softener for the final rinse and that makes them smell heavenly. If I have a particularly dirty or smelly load of clothing, I add super washing soda along with the regular detergent.
Mildew and bacteria are probably the culprits making your cloths smell and bleach is the best to kill both.
Hope this helps.
PerkyMac at 1:43PM on 04/22/08
Try the microwave, as mentioned. Just be sure that the dishcloth is wet when you put it in, as dry sponges have been known to catch fire.
Oddly enough, I've found that fabric softener traps tough odors over time, whether liquid softener in the washing machine or dryer sheets. You can try machine washing in hot water without any fabric softener and dry on the highest heat without a fabric softener sheet.
MelsDiner at 1:58PM on 04/22/08
Bleach is probably the best way to sanatize your dish cloths. But I will add you might want to be careful about adding fabric softner to any kind of towel load. Liquid softners tend to build up over time, and you might find your towels don't dry the way they used to.
huney_bumper at 2:27PM on 04/22/08
I have a rule - I only buy white dishcloths and I always bleach them.
chiff0nade at 3:12PM on 04/22/08
Do they have the smell as soon as you fold them up after you've taken them off the clothesline? Do any other items have this smell? My guess is mildew. I'd use a little bleach in my wash-water, and I wouldn't use softener, not because of the mildew but because it inhibits the drying ability of the cloths. (Every once in a while, I take my terry-cloth bath towels and washcloths and give them a wash using vinegar instead of detergent, just to get the softener buildfup off. It's amazing how much stuff will end up in the water.) I doubt if the softener is the cause of it; my guess is the mildew just isn't removed with only washing. Good luck.
lemons at 3:20PM on 04/22/08
;(........I am a new fabric softener user and I just love the fragrance and the feel. I'll have to give this some more thought now. Thanks for the heads-up guys.
I can't live without dryer sheets - I've been using them for 107 years now!
PerkyMac at 3:21PM on 04/22/08
I wash all my kitchen towels in HOT water and use HE detergent. 2 rinse cycles. I think the 2 rinse cycles make the difference in getting all the detergent out. residual detergent will turn and leave a musty, earthy scent. The HE detergent cleans with enzymes and not soap. My towels smell lovely! I use towels in the kitchen like crazy. Not just for cooking (obviously) but for everything, after I wash fruits and veggies, etc. I always have plenty to wash each week.
izatryt at 3:32PM on 04/22/08
Always encourage thorough drying at the sink between uses to prevent souring (from bacterial and mildew growth). I throughly rinse and wring mine as dry as possible, and drape it fully unfolded on the divider between the two sinks after each use.
Change your dishcloth once daily, at a bare minimum. Ideally, replace it at least first thing in the morning after the old one has had a chance to completely dry out overnight from the prior day's use.
Always wash dishcloths in the hottest water possible. If your washer doesn't have a sanitize setting, or if they are especially soiled, use chlorine bleach in the rinse cycle then put them through a second rinse cycle. Initially, in order to get the odor out that is already present, you may want to try boiling them for 5-10 minutes before washing them with bleach.
Do not use any type of fabric softener other than plain white vinegar in the final rinse. Things like Downy lessen absorbency, and interfere with through drying, which tends to promote souring.
You say you line-dry them. If you have a clothes dryer, I'd use it for dishcloths and other kitchen textiles, as there is evidence that a very hot, prolonged dry cycle further sanitizes them. However, be sure they are free from stains/odors first, or they'll be further set by the dryer.
You also may want to look into some of the new microfiber dishcloths instead of cotton. They dry very quickly and seem less prone to souring.
LoCo at 4:32PM on 04/22/08
I hear they're auctioning Obama's dirty dishcloths on eBay!
srhcb at 5:52PM on 04/22/08
and the good Lord said let there be copious amounts of clorox. I am a complete freak about dishcloths. I have a separate small basket I keep just for dishrags/dish towels. Hot. Clorox. GOOD detergent are your friends.
Sometimes though...if the funk is still funky, its time to throw in the towel...no pun intended. Toss the lot and start with a fresh batch. Hot. Clorox. (I love the new anti-allergen). Good detergent.
ChelleyD01 at 6:06PM on 04/22/08
OxyClean is pretty darn effective--especially if you're bleach-eco-squeamish.
Personally, I LOVE white towels and plain old bleach. But it IS possible to use too much--now that's a smell to rival the sour one, and difficult to get rid of as well. A wee bit of bleach, hot-hot water and a line dry outside kills most everything.
Thanks for the tip on fabric softener contributing to souring, everyone! I KNEW I never liked that snarky, chiding little Snuggle Bear, giggling and hiding in everyone's laundry baskets.
HappyHoarfrost at 6:11PM on 04/22/08
Let me jump on the everything-white bandwagon. Not only is all of my kitchen stuff bleachable (white dishrags, potato sack towels), but I also buy only white for the bathrooms. I don't use bleach frequently, but I do use a sanitize wash cycle (170 degrees), and throw in some bleach or oxiclean every few loads.
I also wash all of my kitchen textiles (dishcloths and towels) in a completely separate load from all other whites (especially avoiding bathroom washcloths and underwear... ugh...).
One of my really huge pet peeves? Kitchen or bath textiles with care tags that say "cold water wash" only... um... HELL-OOO????
{end rant}
8-O
LoCo at 6:34PM on 04/22/08
Holy cow - you are all so wonderful. I learned things I never knew today! This makes me want to chuck all my kitchen linens (I say linens; I MEAN towels and cloths) and start all over fresh. (I have a houseful of boys and a dog, so you can use your imagination as to the daily conflict between my desire for cleanliness and the reality of not achieving it. In my dreams...)
LoCo...how much vinegar do you use in a small-load final rinse?
moibec at 7:55PM on 04/22/08
@moibec... you can use 1/2 to 1 cup vinegar for a full load, so probably about a 1/4 cup works for a small load. I have a front-loader and just put the vinegar in my fabric softener dispenser. I think it holds about a 1/4 cup but I'm not positive. If you end up with a load that smells vinegary, just run it through a plain water rinse. No harm, no foul.
Incidentally, vinegar in the rinse does act as a sort of fabric softener, making the fabric a bit "fluffier" and reducing static. It also removes and neutralizes any residual detergent, reduces bleach smell, and has its own disinfectant qualities.
I do use a very small amount of Downy for clothing, but I only use vinegar for towels or things that need absorbency. Vinegar is also great for rags and baby's things and cloth diapers (helps reduce rashes) if anyone still uses those...
One other thing. Washing your kitchen textiles in very hot water may result in making some stains permanent (e.g., blood, etc.). They may not always look pretty, but at least you'll always know they're truly clean!
LoCo at 8:27PM on 04/22/08
@LoCo......I figured I should use my best vinegar and now all my white towels are pink. Aged balsamic isn't a good idea?????
Just kidding.
I saw a documentary once that measured bacteria in different areas of a home that looked spotless. The most bacteria and fecal matter was found on the bottom of women's purses and in the family washer. The toilet was much cleaner. Honest. I wish I had a setting on my washer for really hot water, but I do use bleach occasionally.
PerkyMac at 8:42PM on 04/22/08
I wash them in the whites cycle with half a scoop of oxy clean. Mine come out white and clean.
JerzeeTomato at 11:07PM on 04/22/08
Have to second the idea of the micro fiber towels. I just bought some about a month ago and they are truly wonderful!
huney_bumper at 7:18AM on 04/23/08
Bleach and, if you have it, the Sanitary cycle on your washer.
GumbeauxGal at 11:53PM on 04/23/08