Tuesday Tip | Boil your stinky kitchen washcloths
Hat tip to my friend Stacy for this idea!
You know how your kitchen washcloths get a funky stink over time, even if you are a responsible washcloth user?
- I'm super faithful about using a fresh one every single morning.
- I rinse mine out and hang them over the oven handle to dry overnight.
- I never leave them in a wet lump in the sink or on the counter.
- I always make sure they are entirely dry before I put them in the laundry room.
And still, they get a bad smell after a while.
In the past, I've just bleached them every now and again, but I kind of hate to use bleach unless it's super necessary.
Anyway, Stacy posted on Instagram saying you can boil your washcloths for 10 minutes to get the stink out.
I tried it, and by golly, she was right! Ten minutes in a pot, then a run through the wash, and the smell was gone.
This also works with stinky kitchen towels, as long as you have a pot that's large enough to accommodate the towels.
It does feel a little strange to cook a pot of kitchen linens, and the smell while you're cooking them is weird. But I feel like it's totally worth it for a non-bleach de-stinking method!
And it's so great to be able to un-stink kitchen linens without bleaching the color right out of them.
Give it a try! I'd love to hear how it works for you.
P.S. If you have a kitchen sponge that isn't helped by a run through the dishwasher (my usual de-stinking method), throw it into the pot as well. Such an improvement in smell.
Love this suggestion, and plan to try it.
Better yet, use your kitchen sink 2 soak stinky dishcloths and washcloths. All you have to do is boil water in your teapot pour it into the sink along with the vinegar and soda. stir it with a long-handled wooden spoon, let it sit until the water has cooled, wring the items out and put them in your washing machine to go through a normal wash. Then, release the water down the sink drain while the garbage disposal is running. Wala! Not only have you cleaned the stinky items, but you have also cleaned your sink and the garbage disposal at the same time.
The sponge sanitation method recommended by both Cook's Illustrated and Consumer Reports is [drumroll please] microwaving them for a couple of minutes. The dishwasher doesn't eliminate nearly as much of the bacteria as nuking does.
The interesting thing is that nuking wet fabric is, essentially, boiling it. So boiling for 10 min and nuking for 2 min should have the same benefits for both sponges and washcloths.
I wonder if ironing would work? It's extremely high heat, applied directly.
I'm going to try the microwave next time I have washclothes to wash because all of them are stinky. I'll let you know what the result is. Can nuking a towel start a fire? (not that it'd be the first time I lit something on fire in the kitchen...)
Lol! My family says that everything I make is either delicious or burned. I have an attention span issue, very easily distracted. About 1 out of every 20 things I make is at least overdone, sometimes actually black. Usually breakfast.
It can burn if it's dry so just make sure it's wet, even dripping wet. Dripping wet won't interfere with the sanitation process.
More wet = more better for heat-based sanitization! Water and steam are better at transmitting heat, which is one of the critical parts of killing the bacteria that make the stink.
Another reason water helps is that it keeps the bacteria from going into a defensive state that can help protect them from harsh environments - water encourages them to be in their normal life cycle as if everything is all good. If you want to know more about it you can do some reading on Tyndallization or spore-forming bacteria.
This has been your frugal science minute. /out
I will say that in my experience, boiling a sponge stinks less than microwaving one. In fact, a whole pot of washcloths/stinky sponges does not smell as bad as microwaving one bad sponge!
Maybe my microwave emits smells too much or something...
I always put a little vinegar in the wash to eliminate tough smells but boiling costs nearly nothing so it seems like a better idea. If I accidently let a load of laundry get soured, cheap vinegar works great. I also boil toothbrushes when we have colds or a sore throat. I hate throwing out a brand new toothbrush just because we got a cold! ...And I boil lids to my grandson's silly cups. Those things get gross!
Sippy cups! Darn autocorrect...
I read something recently debunking the microwave method. It gets rid of weaker bacteria, but it can assist the strongest in remaining & growing. The article said boil & disinfect & probs move it to the bathroom or laundry after a few rounds.
PS: Historically, boiling cloth is how people got their fabric clean and santiary. They'd put their clothes in the kettle on the stove, and stir till it was clean. Then let cool a bit, then rinse in a series of other pots, then bluing (for whites), then wringing out (one of the hardest steps), then hung to dry. Ironing and mending would happen over the next couple of days.
The boiling water would be used first for whites (which need the hottest and cleanest water), then for good quality colored, then work clothes, then rags; with the water getting dirtier and kept at a lower temp for each step.
At the same time, there'd be a pot of beans cooking for the day's food. Low effort and taking advantage of the hot stove that's already going.
This is something I remind myself of, when I think "Laundry time AGAIN? Too much laundry work!"
I actually have a sanitize cycle on my washer that we use but this is a neat idea as well.
Ooh! Going to give this a try next time I have a disgusting bunch of dishcloths. Who would have thought???
I have a book written by Mary and Russell Wright in the fifties about simplifying housecleaning -- it's "The Guide to Easier Living" or a title very like that. (The Wrights designed a popular streamlined set of dishes that are worth moola these days if you find it). In it, they said they liked to use sponges because they can be boiled. That was the first time I'd heard anyone mention boiling them. Since then, I've boiled regular sponges, but not the kind with scrubber sides, since I'm not sure how that would do in boiling water. So, it's not a stretch to boil dish cloths, but do you think I'd thought of that? Noooooo, I hadn't. Hah. Now I'll start boiling them.
For those of you who are into the fifties, that book was still available online, last time I looked. It's like a time capsule. Formica was a new invention when they wrote it, and they highly recommended it. Seriously, though, they have good ideas about organizing and simplifying.
Formica IS crazy durable!
I've boiled a sponge with the scrubby side and it came out fine. So, go forth and boil with confidence.
I'll try that!
People like to poopoo Formica but I prefer it over granite countertops.
I have Formica countertops myself. :)I hear so many people who hate them, but the only really good options I've read about, as far as cleaning ease and durability, are the quartz countertops, which aren't cheap. It was fun to read how Formica was the fantastic new option all those years ago.
I love formica because of the durability and low cost. I did a paint and epoxy layer over mine last year and it's holding up great. I had a big crack in it that we repaired with caulk, supported with boards underneath, then poured the epoxy over top.That spot happens to be right under my dish drainer so it's get lots of abuse yet it's still holding up.
@Battra92, my counters are Formica, much more affordable than granite and easy to clean. When we rebuilt our kitchen I went for a granite table. It is durable, beautiful, easy to live with, still looks perfect 18 years later. And much cheaper than counters! Formica comes in wonderful colors & patterns. If I had a chance to do anything different it would be for one big basin sink, not divided sink.
@Battra92, I learned recently that Formica is made of PAPER! Really!!! It's many layers of paper with resin (I think) over.
My biggest problem with my white Formica countertops is that they stain. I have learned that leaving bleach on top overnight gets MOST of the stain out, but I haven't been able to fully return them to white. Anybody have any tips for me?
@Kristen, My Formica is slowly fading away. I would love to have quartz counter tops but who knows when? I think my Formica is 40 + years old.
WOW - you are WAY better at keeping your dish towels cycling than I am.....so I was disappointed to read that you still get a funky smell...but also delighted to find out how to get rid of it. What I do with mine is throw them all (maybe twice a year) into a bucket of hot water mixed with a cup of baking soda. Let it sit 24 hours, then drain and wash....but I might try your boiling method....THX!
I usually soak stinky towels, etc. in hot vinegar water prior to washing. That works too.
Thank you so much for this tip! So helpful......
Chris, I’m the same way. Too much on my mind snd too much to do. I set s timer for 30 mins ( or however much time do food doesn’t burn) and that solved that problem.
I will def try the boil method.
This is an awesome idea! Thanks for sharing!
I will have to try this, but one of my big problems is that my dishtowels all end stained. I wipe up regular kitchen spills - nothing obviously super crazy - and throw them into the wash with borax powder. I've even soaked the white ones (um, gray blotchy brown ones now) in bleach for hours - nothing touches the stains! I even have bluing and also regularly wash with vinegar too. I hate hiding all my stained towels when someone comes over. 🙁
Maybe boiling them will help with stains too?
I have found that soaking my kitchen towels in a tub of HOT water and a scoop of Oxyclean for 24 hours does the trick.
Yes! My mom always did this when I was growing up. I have done it in my Osbourne and yes, it works. The towels also seem to cry better! (No wet streaks)
I recently started Swedish dishcloths, and I find they almost never smell because they dry so fast (like within an hour).
I always microwave sponges because people leave them soaking wet in the sink. Leave them very wet and 2 minutes. Have not noticed it smelling real bad.
I've done this before and it really works - our cloth napkins tend to get stinky too, probably because it's hard to get the grease/oil stains out of them and they go rancid. But I always thought you had to put dishwashing soap in with the water when you boil them - does plain water do the trick?
Very helpful tip! I also appreciate the subtle reminder that one should not leave a wet towel in a lump in the sink if you do not want a stinky towel the next morning :).
I have heard of nuking the sponge in the microwave to kill bacteria, but since I do not have a microwave, I will run my sponge through the dishwasher tonight.
I am bleach user as I love to keep my white towels white. I buy the 12 pk of wash cloths at Wal-mart for about $3. They last me a year. If one get ruined or stinks too much I just throw it out. Quit using sponges years ago. Good old vinegar water for all surfaces. Great idea to boil washcloths.
(Laurie, that's exactly me, too.) We use all white cloths and towels at our house, and a little bleach gets added to every load. When the bath towels wear out, though, I've been cutting them down and hemming them to make washcloths. They turn out more heavy duty than the Wal-Mart ones, but I like both. I can't see myself boiling them. I switch out cleaning cloths every day and do laundry fairly often.
I will definitely try this.
I’m also looking for tips to de-stink workout/running clothes. Leaving them in the sun for a day is the best option I have. Not perfect, though.
I’d also love to know how to get kitchen cloths un-dingy. I have tried bleach, oxi-clean, and bluing. Still dingy!
Oxy-Clean with boiling hot water! I wet whatever I want to clean, lay it in the sink with the stopper in, sprinkle with Oxy-Clean and maybe a little regular detergent, layer it with whatever else needs to get the stains out, then pour boiling water over the whole thing. Let it sit until the water is cooler, then squeeze and rinse...
Great for bibs, washcloths, microfibre cloths, napkins and such...
To de-stink work out clothes (or any other textile): Soak them in water with vinegar or just add some vinegar to the rinse cycle when you wash them!
I've tried it all on my son's stinky synthetic clothing. The most effective thing I have found is to soak in very salty water for a couple hours before washing.
I'm definitely trying this!
I wonder if your readers have any other household tips?
Great tip! I am definitely gonna give this one a try.
Very true! I read a report from Good Housekeeping that said you can boil or microwave sponges to get them clean. They did say it's ideal to soak sponges overnight in bleach, but that heat does a good job, too.
Hi Mel,
My mum used to do this with cleaning cloths and tea towels as well. Never tried it myself but what I do do is zap the dishcloth in the microwave for a minute to stop any bacteria. Have a lovely day, Fi
What I want to know is why this happens in the first place?! No matter how clean, dry, laundered... it happens every time. Any scientists out there with an answer?
I'm not a scientist, but my better half is, and this is my/his best guess.
Issue 1: Bacteria. Dish cloths see a lot more food stuff than normal laundry, so more food for bacteria. Plus, they tend to spend more of their lives being wet, hence, more opportunity for bacteria to grow. One would hope this would be washed away during normal laundering, but maybe not all of it? Boiling would definitely kill any lingering bacteria.
Issue 2: Rancid Oils. Dish cloths (and napkins/tea towels) see more oils & grease than run of the mill laundry, and if you don't get it all out during washing, it will hang around and go rancid. This is the smell that I notice even after laundering. Boiling gets the oils out, so no more rancid smell.
I got a bit confused about this post until I remembered that washing machines are different in the US vs. Europe (I’m French). Do you by any chance have a HE (high efficiency) washer, or a ’US Classic’ washer? I call US classic the kind of machine where you can actually see the water filling up the washer and add clothes while the water is filling the washing area? In France we only have HE washers and I’ve never had any problem with stinky cloth/towels. And I’ve never heard of people around me who had this issue after washing their clothes, unless their house itself has draft/humidity issues and clothes take days to dry. Might be something to investigate? I recently visited a friend from France who lives in the US and she told me washing machines over do not work as well as the ones we have in Europe. This is what a HE washer looks like: https://goo.gl/images/dxKixp (although some, like mine, also open at the top!) Apart from needing less water and electricity than ‘US classic’ washers, one big difference with HE washers is that you put all your clothes in the washer, close it/launch the washing program, and then the door locks, and the water comes and the cycle starts. You cannot open the machine during the cycle - unless there’s a huge problem and you absolutely need to stop the cycle midway of course 🙂 just thought this might be of use to you or your readers!
I just switched from an "old" US washer to the new kind and I wish I had kept the old. It worked much better. Anyway, this post makes me think that we used to wash everything in hot or very warm water- now we use cold and IT DOESN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB! Yes, I know it's better for the environment, but things don't seem very clean.
Agreed on the hot water thing. I've been washing in cold water out of an abundance of ecological guilt and it really doesn't work as well. I think it sorta depends on the type of grime you're dealing with though. Anything that's at all oily or greasy (including yuck like ring around the collar) definitely doesn't get as clean in cold. I suppose one could try to put that sort of stuff in separate loads, but it seems like you'd need to have a LOT of laundry to make that work.
Our washer is an LG brand top loading HE washer, and it took me a while to figure out the best settings. The "rinse" cycle is laughable - it's more like the "squirt" cycle. So in order to get a good rinse I always push the fabric softener button - even though we don't use fabric softener, because then you get an actual rinse cycle. If there's anything that's actually visibly dirty in there (as opposed to just having been worn a few times), I use the heavy duty cycle because it uses more water and seems to do a better job, and in extreme cases I'll use the bedding cycle because it fills the tub completely just like the old style washers.
Saving water is great, but if you end up having to wash everything 2-3 times to get it clean, well... I don't think you're really saving anything!
I just switched from an "old" US washer to the new kind and I wish I had kept the old. It worked much better. Anyway, this post makes me think that we used to wash everything in hot or very warm water- now we use cold and IT DOESN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB! Yes, I know it's better for the environment, but things don't seem very clean.
Yeah, we have a supposedly water efficient washing machine, the problem is it uses a ton of electricity ticking over and thinking about the next step in the cycle so even the shortest cycle takes the best part of an hour; adn if you stop it to add something it ususally has a coniption and won't get going again it will just keep ticking away til I switch it off, unplug then plug back in and switch back on . I've moved to wash most things on delicate just to get a load done in 45 min - although as a work colleage has said; this is a first world problem but i loved my old simpson that you could stop/start and would get more than 2 loads done in a morning without having to get up at dawn.
Our second HE Front-loading washer was like that -- then the electronics died. It's just the two of us, so I was quite happy to get a smaller Danby top loader (we also had the issue of a narrow basement access, so getting a smaller machine really worked well for us). It does its full load in 35 minutes (our other washer took 50), and for a light load of not deeply soiled stuff, I can get it done in 15! Its electronics work fast and reliably-- no more wondering if the machine is actually going to start!
YES. This has been my experience too. I have a pretty old top-loader washer and I think it does a better job than my brother's brand new top of the line washing machine. My mom has a new top loader and it's definitely not as good at cleaning clothes as her old one was, although I'd say it's better than my brother's front-loader, especially if the laundry is super dirty.
@Jenny, detergent manufacturers don’t define temperatures.almost all detergents work better on “warm” or “hot” wash cycles; then rinse in “cold” and you’ll get better results. Where they do specify, the temperatures tend to be warmer than the cold water faucet. My old machine has wash option for wash warm, rinse cold, which I use most of the time.
My mom says if you rinse the dish cloth in cold water after each use, it won't stink.
Interesting! I'm going to have to try this one too!
I recently washed some dishes that had raw ground chicken on them, and even though I had rinsed them before washing, I still didn't want to just rinse my sponge and dishcloth. I poured boiling water over both. Something in the back of my mind, from reading many old novels while I was growing up, is reminded that housewives used to scald their dishcloths. I can't think of any specific information though.
You can also sanitize your cutting boards after cutting raw chicken, by pouring boiling water over them.
@Tammy, dish racks used to be designed so you could pour boiling water over all the dishes as a final rinse, good sterilization as long as you are careful to air dry them. Dish towels spread germs!
My name is Kristyna. I don't like using bleach and I have stinky cloths. I need this advice.
Thanks Kristen.
(I'm also going to try the cold water rinse mentioned above!)
I boiled until I had to purchase a new washing machine last year. It has a sanitize setting on it that is just short of a miracle. It saves cloths that even boiling and sun bleaching couldn't save. Downside, it is a 2 hour cycle.
Oddly enough I never had a problem with stinky kitchen towels/washcloths until I replaced them all about 5 years ago. The next 4 years I had to toss and replace several times. I was so frustrated. My old ones were at least 20 years old. I only replaced the old ones because they were threadbare, not due to odor. I only buy cotton so presume it is something to do with modern processing.
Guess what I'll be doing when I get home?
Wow! Thank you, thank you! I was just telling my husband last night that I don't understand why I can't get those stinking things to smell good!
I am heading home after work and finding my biggest pasta pot to get my water boiling!
Appreciate the ideas. I always choose dishcloths that dry quickly and yes, no leaving them in a bundle at the bottom of the sink.
Years ago, our grandparents often boiled their kitchen cloths. I remember my mother doing this in a large copper tub on a wood stove we refused to depart with.
Fast forward into motherhood and I met wonderful senior citizen. She invited me for tea and I noticed she poured the extra boiled water on her washcloth in the sink. She was taught this by her mother. This is my method. I usually pour the boiled water on the cloth.
And I also like to use white towels. I don't like using bleach but they are easily touched up with just a dab of water-downed bleach. LOL... I've become an expert at taking stains out of white T-shirts with this method. 🙂
I've noticed that since I use the 2nd rinse cycle on my washer that I don't have any problems with stinky clothes, dish clothes, or anything. I also leave the lid open on the washer after finishing the last load so it has a chance to dry out inside. Occasionally a load will get left after washing for a day or two and then I re-rinse with some added vinegar. That has always taken care of any smell from the day or two in the washer. It also has kept the inside of my washing machine clean and not looking like a nearly 20 year old machine. I wonder how much of the smell factor people are getting is from the residue water one is using in the washing machine--especially if you only have one rinse and never leave the door open so the tub can dry out?
Too much laundry soap and use of liquid fabric softener is the reason why they stink. The fabric softener builds up in the fabrics and after time they can't come clean or breathe. Then for dish rags you are adding more soap (cleaners and dish soap) to it along with organic material like food matter. It's a breeding ground for bacteria. My bath towels started to small musty too. So after some research, I cut back on my laundry soap, I use vinegar for the rinse and wash on sanitary. I have a front loader so this also helps rid it of the excess build up of detergent and fabric softener used on every thing else. Also, leave your door open on your front loader, you won't get the mold/mildew smell or build up.
We don’t use any fabric softener other than vinegar, in part for this reason. It just makes such a mess in both the washer and dryer over time.
You know those white Gerber burp cloths? Those were the “comfort item” my daughter latched onto as a baby/toddler. When the first set wore out, I bought another package or two. She declared them “not soft enough”.
So we boiled them! Took all the sizing right out, and broke the fibers down enough to make them soft and cuddly enough. 🙂
I have a much simpler suggestion. Now that you have the smell gone - Change your dishrag after EVERY meal or every time you wash dishes. I have washed ALL of our laundry exclusively in cold water for the past two years. I use a cup of vinegar in the final rinse. I hang my laundry outside to dry or in the basement in the winter where our woodstove is. I have never ever had a funny smell in my dishrags or sponge. The sponge goes in the dishwasher every time it is run. I wash my kitchen linens once a week. I have made my own dishrags from used bath towels for many, many years. The thought of boiling pots on the stove, dumping and wringing out the whole mess sounds like a lot of work, dangerous and costly. I might suggest that you change your dishrag more frequently and be positive they are completely dry before putting in the hamper. I have a wooden drying rack in my basement for just this purpose. Everything goes there to completely dry before it goes in the hamper.
Just tried this tip for some old smelly dishwashing cloths last night, and it worked like a charm! Simple and frugal! Thank you again for sharing the great tip.
I thought I would take this boiling thing 1 step further by adding some baking soda to the pot. I put everything in at once & brought it to a boil. It boiled over & made a mess on my stove. Don’t make my mistake!!
Thank you for the warning!
Remove the food out of dishes and pans with a brush and a good rinse first, before using a dish rag. Then scrape all food off of the rag when done. I always use boiling water every meal to melt fats and residue off of them.
How much ammonia do I use? Do I mix with water?
How much ammonia do I use? Do I mix with water?
I don't use ammonia at all! I just boil the washcloths in water.
Pretty dress! Bright colors boost my mood. I buy solid colors—easy to mix with other pieces, and scarves.
Thanks for the boiling tip—I don’t like to buy dishcloths once I find ones I like.
Years ago when diapers were cloth you would boil them for sanitation
I live off grid so this is something I often do as I NEVER use chemicals! To everyone reading this please try to live chemical free. its not just what they can do to us, our loved ones and animals but also what chemicals do to the environment. Water gets polluted, soil gets polluted and the rain that comes back down is polluted by chemicals. There are so many ways to clean with natural products which are safer for us to use and for nature.
I know a of of people still use Roundup in the garden!! This is horrific. If you have the time and inclination please watch 'Kiss the Ground' Great documentary and its free on Youtube! Thanks for listening and sorry for going on! Its just that once you know, you know! Thank you and God bless.
You can also microwave a dish sponge to get rid of stink and bacteria. Rinse it out REALLY REALLY well first, then pop wet sponge into microwave. Let it "cook" for one minute. Check to see if it's dry. If not, repeat for one more minute. Ta-da! Clean, not smelly sponge!
Yes! I do that sometimes.