storing and laundering kitchen wash cloths

[RubyWild]

I've always used sponges in the kitchen. I'm thinking about switching to wash cloths, but here's my problem: If I use a new cloth each day, what do I do with the dirty wet one? I can't put them in my laundry as they will mold and smell disgusting by the end of the week, which is how often we do laundry. This may be different in dry climates, but that's how it is in my house. I can't even put wet bath towels in the laundry. I have to allow them to air dry, first.

So, what can I do with the 6 or so cloths during the week before laundry day?

[Babytime]

Soak them? Not sure ... good question!

[HelloKitty]

Wow you only do laundry once a week?!?!?! I'm so jealous. Family of 6 here, I do laundry all day every day. So I don't have that problem but I'll try to help anyways

If you hang it over the sink at night will it be dry by morning and you can put it in the laundry then?

[RubyWild]

Originally Posted by HelloKitty

Wow you only do laundry once a week?!?!?! I'm so jealous. Family of 6 here, I do laundry all day every day. So I don't have that problem but I'll try to help anyways

You don't have that problem. Yeah, we do 1 load of whites, 1 load of mediums, 2 loads of darks, and 1 load of towels and polar fleece. I guess that's 5 loads per week, and I dread that. I guess I should keep it in perspective.

[Pinkdiva]

I put them in the washroom and usually wash them when my basket gets full of wash cloths. That is what I use and with 6 of us I wash about once a day.

[RubyWild]

Originally Posted by Pinkdiva

I put them in the washroom and usually wash them when my basket gets full of wash cloths. That is what I use and with 6 of us I wash about once a day.

Apparently you don't have a mold problem, but even if I weren't so lazy as I am (unwilling to walk into the living room, down the stairs, through the so-called library and into the laundry room everyday just to put a wash cloth down there). My Dh promised a laundry chute, but that's not happening. Even if it did, I still couldn't put wet things down there.

[phroggies]

Can you set up some sort of short clothesline? My system is this: I try to use wash cloths instead of paper towels (try), so I end up with around five at the end of the day. I rinse them thoroughly, stick them in the microwave for a few minutes, and then use clothespins to hang them from a metal rack that I have near my washer. The next day, those cloths are dry; I take them down and put them in a small plastic basket that sits on the rack. When the basket is full, usually about once a week, I launder them.

That may be kind of hard to visualize. I can post a picture if it will help, but the main point is, hang them to dry. Microwaving them beforehand may also help cut down on stinkies and moldies.

[meisterfrau]

I also use washcloths instead of sponges, and one of my personal hang-ups is constantly using a new one...I am very much squicked out by any kind of smell coming from them. I have a bucket that sits on the washing machine. I hang the cloths on the edge when I am done with them. When they are dry, I knock them in the bucket. When my stash gets low, I wash them all in hot water. I haven't noticed any problems with mold, unless my DH fouls up the system by throwing a wet one in the bucket.

[MotherWhimsey]

I have some hooks on the inside of my cabinet under my sink. I stick the wet one's there to dry (after rinsing them and squeezing as much water out as possible). and then I have a little plastic bucket in that cabinet, so when ever I notice they're dry, I just stick them in that.

[hellyaellen]

i just throw ,mine in the dipaper pail. everything get sanitized in the wash and its the only hot wash i do so anything with yuck potential goes in there.

[Red Sonja]

I have a round wicker basket with a liner & a lid in my kitchen & all the used kitchen linens (napkins, towels & dishcloths) all go in there. For the dish cloth I just drape it over the side of the sink to dry overnight then toss it in the basket in the morning.

[boongirl]

I'm just curious - what is wrong with sponges? I use dish cloths in the kitchen for a lot of things but not those that require a lot of water. For quick washing of dishes and scrubbing the sink, I use the sponge. I wash it in the dishwasher every other load and it never gets moldy or stinky. One sponge can last for a couple of months. I have to have the light scrubbing kind or I can't get the stainless steel pans clean. I could never use kitchen towels for that much washing unless I washed them daily. I am allergic to mold.

Is there something wrong with sponges?

[RubyWild]

Originally Posted by boongirl

Is there something wrong with sponges?

Until I find a solution, I'm using them; AND my family has never been made sick by them. However, they are said to harbor bacteria several hours after they dry out. Supposedly 100% cotton bar towels do not.

Plus, they should not be microwaved to sterilize them because that creates toxic plastic fumes.

Also, they should not be put in the dishwasher, because, rather than becoming sterile, they contaminate the dishes.

Finally, they fill up landfills with plastic.

All that said, I must repeat that my family is never made ill by my use of sponges and I don't like the feel of cotton cloths that have to be wrung with two hands and leave the counter extra wet. Still, I feel guilty using them.

[LovemyBoo]

I use rags/washcloths instead of paper towels and have for years. I usually hang them on the oven handle or sink faucet to dry overnight then put them in the hamper. If needed I'll use a little tupperware as a wet hamper until I wash. I also wash them in the whites load once a week. I've never had a mold problem.

[cancat]

I hang mine in a mesh laundry bag at the top of the stairs to the basement, and in there are also bibs, dinner napkins, and any of dds clothes that have tons of food on them...they dry out a little, but when they smell I do a load (sometimes including them with the darks).

[kamilla626]

We use a LOT of baby washcloths and plain terry dishrags, and I have what we call a "yucky bucket" in the hall outside the bathroom (it gets hidden when we have guests.)

I try to wring out everything and drape it on the edges of the bucket first, then drop them in once they've aired out. The yucky bucket is also for dd's "oops I dribbled" undies, nasty socks, and other stuff that's just grosser than gross.

For a while I was just letting things sit in the yucky bucket still damp, but I'd end up with gray fuzz collecting on the bottom if I didn't wash everything within a few days. But just draping them over the edge until they're dry is working fine, and there's no strong odor.

For storing all our rags... the white terry rags are just in a cardboard box under the sink. I was wasting a lot of time folding them, now I just toss them in that box. The washclothes are in a big plastic bin in the bottom of the bathroom closet, and I don't fold those either.

[sedalbj]

this is the perfect thread! my dh was just complaining about our stinky rags last night. i love the idea of hanging them over the basket and putting in when dry, we use about 5 a day (and only do laundry once a week) so we get the stinks a lot! off to find an appropriate basket, thanks everyone!

[onlyboys]

We put ours in a basket under the sink and then wash them about once a week. Never stinky that I've noticed!

[Robin926]

I hang mine over the sink faucet or my spray bottle until they dry out. Then into the hamper to get washed with the towels. I used to toss them into a plastic laundry basket until I had a load, and we did end up with a mold problem from that.

[Twocoolboys]

I hang them from the shower curtain rod until they dry out and then toss them in the hamper.