They are essential in the daily cleaning of the house and are among the elements that we always have on hand and that we use the most to clean the kitchen. And so that they can meet all their expectations, it is essential that we also keep the rags and dishcloths that we usually have near the dishwasher or in other areas of the kitchen very clean and disinfected.
Rags accumulate a lot of dirt throughout the day. Food scraps, liquid spills on tables and counters, oil and grease from stoves and other stains. But, in addition, if we are not careful and leave them well spread out and aired after use, it is very easy for them to absorb humidity, which causes them to end up giving off bad odors.
This crop field also means that if they are not maintained properly, they are a source of bacteria; This is exactly what we must avoid in the kitchen where we handle food and where we need the environment to be well disinfected so as not to contaminate anything.
Before giving you some very useful tips so that they are always clean and disinfected, it is worth considering the possibility of having tea towels for different uses in the kitchen. We can use just one to clean, for example, the kitchen counter and the table where we eat, and have another to clean the stove, where the most stubborn grease and dirt always accumulate. If our kitchen has a ceramic or induction cooktop, we will need to get soft cloths.
We will also have cotton or cellulose cloths to dry our hands and kitchen utensils that we scrub after use. In this case, it is also necessary to differentiate one use from another. And don’t use the same fabric for both things.
As a final tip, it can also be very useful to have rolls of absorbent paper in the kitchen with which we can first clean very greasy areas or quickly collect spilled liquids. Especially if they are very viscous like oil.
Vinegar, baking soda or chlorine
We now give you a series of tips to ensure that your tea towels and tea towels are always ready for use. They are a basic instrument for kitchen hygiene and we cannot use them if they are dirty and give off bad odors.
- A very obvious and simple but no less effective formula is to clean it with a little hot water and detergent. We can use a drop of the same dish soap that we use to clean glasses, plates and cutlery. If, in addition, we boil the water – in this case the speed provided by a kettle can be very useful – we will be able to disinfect the cloths and eliminate any bacteria that may have accumulated.
- If we want to add an additional disinfectant, we can use a little white vinegar, which is a very effective antibacterial while eliminating bad odors and stains from fabrics in one go. We can immerse them in a small basin with hot water and vinegar and let them soak for 15 minutes or half an hour. Then we will rinse them and let them dry well.
- For bad odors you can also use baking soda. We can use it in different ways. One of them is to dissolve a quantity of baking soda (normally a tablespoon is enough) in a little hot water and leave the rags and tea towels to soak for about an hour. You can also add it to the washing machine drawer and clean the cloths in the machine.
- For the smell, we recommend using a few drops of essential oils on your cloths. Lavender leaves a sweet and pleasant aroma. If you also want it to be antibacterial, we recommend purchasing one made with tea tree, cinnamon, thyme or rosemary.
- Another point to keep in mind is that cleaning kitchen rags and towels should be done daily. At most, every two days. You can’t wait any longer to avoid unpleasant surprises.
- For deeper cleanings we can use bleach diluted in water in a basin, where we will soak the rags and dishcloths for about 15 minutes. Then we will clarify well. This is a very effective method but it should not be overused to avoid damaging the tissues. Or use a short machine wash cycle at high temperature.
- And for quick disinfection, you can use the microwave. To do this, we will first have cleaned it with detergent, vinegar, baking soda or chlorine, we will have rinsed and drained it very well and we will put it in the microwave for one or two minutes. No more. We will remain nearby at all times to supervise the process. You must ensure that the fabric or fabric in question does not contain any metallic components.
Drying and storage
On the other hand, after cleaning the rags and rags in the way we have decided, it is very important to let them dry completely. To do this, it is best to do it outdoors and in the sun, if possible. This way we will be sure to avoid humidity.
Once we have the rags and rags very clean and disinfected, we must also follow a series of guidelines when storing and storing them to prevent them from accumulating moisture and, therefore, bad smells.
Cotton cloths or other fabrics that we use to dry our hands or kitchen utensils should be stored in a drawer or a dry space and protected from moisture. Although the cloths we use should be avoided on wet surfaces that accumulate moisture, they should allow the fabric to breathe.
And of course, if cleaning kitchen towels has gotten out of hand and there is no cure, the best thing to do is to get rid of them, buy new ones and do some maintenance suitable to prolong their use as much as possible.
