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lynn237

cloth for washing dishes

Lyban zone 4
15 years ago

What kind of cloth do you keep in the sink area to wash dishes, counters and various other cleanup in kitchen.

Mine seem to get smelly rather quickly.

Comments (13)

  • Lyban zone 4
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks for the reply Lori, but the boards are a little quiet these days.

  • marlingardener
    15 years ago

    I bleach my dishcloth about every 3-4 days, and the bleach/water solution (about 1 part bleach to 4 parts water)also cleans my sink. Be sure to wring out the cloth thoroughly, and hang it where there is some air circulation.
    If you are going organic and don't want to use chlorine bleach, try using vinegar water in the above proportions. It isn't as effective, but it does keep your dishcloth from being offensive!

  • jcrowley99
    15 years ago

    I buy cheap bundles of washcloths (12 for $3.00) to use as dish cloths. I replace them after they start to get icky looking. I hang them over my kitchen faucet to dry after each use then toss them in hamper with the dirty towels when they are dry. They don't get smelly between washes.

    Joanne

  • geguymw
    15 years ago

    I have to tell you that the best that I have found are Scotch Brite Microfiber kitchen cloths with waffle weave. I found them at Big Lots a few years ago for $1ea. I grabbed four and am still on my first one. It is a strong material that holds up. I can wring it out and drape it over my dish rack, so that it dries quickly. I have no problems with bad smells. There were a few times that I did, but I did not wring the rag out first. The rag gets washed every week, then put back on the sink.

    I do not think they make these anymore, because I cannot find them on their website. What I do see is a different Kitchen Cloth. I have these for when I go camping. They are not as strong, IMHO, as the waffle weave cloths I am using in the kitchen.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Scotch Brite Kitchen Cloth

  • runninginplace
    15 years ago

    I use something my dear MIL suggested, a very old hints-from-Heloise tip that really works: nylon netting!

    I buy multiple yards at a time of the 'rougher' type, with larger holes than the wedding/prom style tulle netting. Cut it into sections and use for dishes. It works like a charm especially since it has a bit of roughness but not enough to scratch or damage dishes or cookware. You can easily rinse it thoroughly, more so than a dishcloth because of the structure of the open netting. And, when it starts to get dingy just throw it out and replace with a new square!

    It really is a wonderful use for netting. Oh, and my husband recycles the old squares for use out in his workshop to clean whatever it is he is currently working on.

    Hope this helps.

  • kansaslady
    15 years ago

    I also use nylon netting and have for many years. It loosens stuck on food very easily. I also love it for washing glasses as it's much easier to get a bunch of netting and your hand in a glass than to get a cloth and your hand in the glass.

  • jobird
    15 years ago

    I love microfiber cloths for cleaning windows,etc.,but never tried them as a dish wash cloth. I did a Yahoo search for:"Waffle Weave Microfiber Dish Cloth" and found many available. I'm not purchased any yet,but will look for waffle weave mf cloths locally.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Waffle Weave Microfiber Dish Cloth

  • breenthumb
    15 years ago

    Another Heloise net-user here. Anyone remember her suggestion about making NN curtains? Back when we were first married (mid-60's) DH went into the Army and I stayed at home while he was in Basic Training. Needed cheap temporary cafe curtains for an enclosed porch on a very busy corner. Bought enough net for 11 windows, doubled it over, ran a hemming stich along the top and gathered them onto rods. Cheap, easy, and cheasy. But they served the purpose and I got years worth of scrubbies out of them afterwards. Sandy

  • shaun
    15 years ago

    I use Handiwipes for hand washing dishes and wiping down countertops. After using them, rinse them good and hang to dry. No smelly cloth. I wash them and re-use them a few times and when they wear out, I just send them out to the garage with hubster and when he's done with them, he tosses them.

  • grainlady_ks
    15 years ago

    I knit my 100% cotton dish rags (I think I officially now have a lifetime supply - if I can keep my SIL and daughter out of them ;-). I change it daily and the towels daily (one towel color for hands, and another towel color for dishes).

    When I'm done with the dishes and clean-up, I spritz the flat surfaces, like the table, counters, refrigerator door/handle, etc. with a mild solution of Grapefruit Seed Extract and water to kill bacteria. You can do the same thing with 1 t. bleach in a quart of water (placed in a spritz bottle). This solution will, in effect, also prevent bacteria from growing on your dish rag while it's wet waiting for the next meal. I also hang the dish rag on a rack to air dry between uses.

    I have a drying rack in my laundry room. I hang the dish rag and dish towels on it after the end of the day to dry over night before tossing them in a designated basket just for kitchen towels. Drying helps prevent bacteria from growing on them and making them smell "sour".

    -Grainlady

  • xine
    15 years ago

    I, too, use Handiwipes (or, even better, dollar store generic versions!) instead of a traditional dish cloth. I tend to use it mainly for wiping the counters and sinks. I use a dishwand with a sponge on the end (not a scrubby) to hand wash any dishes that need it, and a baby bottle brush and soap/water to clean the sippy cups and assorted kid paraphenalia that would get lost in the dishwasher. Finally, I keep a blue scrubby (scotchbrite?) pad (no sponge, just the scrubby part) to get any stuck on food that the dishwand won't take off. I replace the handiwipe about once a week (into the laundry 2-3 times before it looks too tattered to use in the house).

  • jobird
    15 years ago

    Walmart has quilted microfiber dish cloths. The quilt isn't very large,but it is quilted. They also have microfiber scrubber dish cloths (it has a mesh on one side.)