August 27, 2015

How to Launder Kitchen + Cleaning Cloths

How to Launder Kitchen and Cleaning Cloths main via Clean Mama

It is not a secret that I am a big fan of using cloth when it comes to cleaning. I use microfiber for many cleaning tasks and prefer using cloth over paper whenever possible. I’m often asked how I care for microfiber cloths and how I launder kitchen towels and rags to keep them clean and performing their best. Today, I’m here to help!

Microfiber Cloth Care:

If you were to take a peek in to my laundry room, you would see a bucket with my microfiber cloths in it. After using them, I drape them over the side until they are completely dry to prevent mildew and/or or stinky odors. When they are dry, in the bucket they go. I wash them on a weekly basis or when the bucket is looking a bit full.

Keep a Bucket for Dirty Cleaning Cloths in the Laundry Room via Clean Mama

Microfiber is a real workhorse in the cleaning supply world. It’s durable, very efficient at cleaning all sorts of things and environmentally friendly. It also is very good at picking up the fibers of anything it is washed with. Here’s how I launder microfiber to keep it performing at its best:

  1. Wash microfiber all by itself. If you wash it with other rags or towels, the fibers from other cloths will transfer and stick to the microfiber.
  2. Wash on hot with detergent and no fabric softener. Fabric softener will coat the cloth and render it far less absorbent. Stick to detergent only.
  3. Dry on hot with no dryer sheets. Just like fabric softener, the chemicals in the dryer sheets will put a thin layer of on the fibers and make them less efficient.

Looking for the best microfiber? Check out Clean Mama Home!

Bar Mop Towels, Rags and Kitchen Towels:

As a general rule, I prefer using white towels and rags as much as possible. I love their clean, bright look, that they match with anything, are easy to clean and non-fading. I also love using cute patterned dish towels to add a little fancy to the kitchen.

Tips for Washing Kitchen Towels via Clean Mama

If you have followed me awhile, you’ve probably seen the glass canister on my kitchen counter with rolled up white bar mop towels in it. I love bar mop towels (come see the Clean Mama Home bar mop towels here) over rags in the kitchen for several reasons. They are larger in size than the typical kitchen rag and are more absorbent. I use them for cleaning up drips and spills, wiping down counters and general kitchen cleanup. I prefer using sponges for washing dishes as it is easier for me to just put it in the dishwasher nightly rather than having to launder another item. I have a hook hanging in the interior under my kitchen sink that I hang damp items on until they are dry. This method keeps any stink away.

Hang Kitchen Cloths on the Back of Cupboard Door to Dry via Clean Mama

As for laundering kitchen towels and rags, it doesn’t look too much different than how I care for microfiber. Unless it is a brand new colorful kitchen towel, I wash all my kitchen towels and rags together.

  1. Wash using just hot water and detergent. Using fabric softener might help add some scent, but it also leaves behind a residue that causes towels to get dingier, be less absorbent and have a shorter life span.
  2. Dry on hot or high with no dryer sheets.

Have stains or need some general brightening? I like to add a scoop of oxygen safe bleach. You can use Oxi-Clean or a similar product. For a powdered version, I especially like The Laundress All-Purpose Bleach Alternative or if you prefer liquid, Seventh Generation’s Bleach Alternative.

What’s your method for laundering your kitchen towels and cleaning cloths?

How to Launder Kitchen and Cleaning Cloths via Clean Mama

Posted Under:

Cleaning, Laundry