4 Ways To Disinfect Dishcloths

One of the objects that we use the most in the kitchen is not the frying pan or the microwave, it is our rags. These can be of many kinds, made with cotton, synthetic fiber, microfiber or absorbent paper. No matter what material they are made of, they get dirty in the same way.

Washing the rags effectively can be difficult because many times we see that they continue to give off a very bad smell. If you are also concerned about the health of your family due to the accumulation of bacteria and microbes, you can rest assured: today you will learn how to clean the rags with our following tricks.

Best ideas to clean your dishcloths perfectly

Mold, moisture, germs, bacteria and microbes will all disappear if you follow our tips to root them out. Its effects are almost immediate. They will surprise you!

1. Ammonia

Ammonia can be a great help for multiple household tasks. In this case, place all the kitchen towels in a basin with a few drops of ammonia, let them rest there for a few hours to soak up and loosen the dirt.

• Then, take out the rags and put them in the washing machine. Do a wash with only the rags and do not mix it with other clothes. Don’t use fabric softener.

2. Dishwasher

Most of us choose to wash the rags in the washing machine. However, a good way to wash them is to take advantage of the high temperatures in our dishwasher. You will get a total cleaning and disinfection. The only thing you have to take into account is how to place them inside.

• Try to find a way so that they do not catch on the rails and with the spirals or blades that throw the water.

3. Boiling water

The boiling water is very effective to release the dirt and especially the fat embedded in rags. It is one of the most used techniques.

• To do this, heat water in a pot and pour it into a basin that supports high temperatures.
• Put the rags in with a little detergent and bleach and let them soak in for a couple of hours until the water is cold.
• Rinse with water and hang outside or use the dryer.

4. Vinegar

Vinegar is highly recommended to eliminate bad odors and, in addition, it acts as a natural disinfectant. Although vinegar can be very aggressive in killing bacteria, it will not spoil fabrics.

• In the same way as in the previous case, you can prepare a basin with hot water. Add the rags along with a good amount of vinegar and leave for a few hours.
• Then rinse with water and let it air dry.

Practical tips for your kitchen towels

In addition to good cleaning techniques, we must have good procedures for using those rags that we use daily.

To do this, you should always keep these tips in mind whenever you enter the kitchen:

• Don’t use the same cloth for everything. The ideal is to have different rags for different areas of the kitchen: for fish cutting boards, another for meats, another to clean surfaces and another to dry your hands, for example.
• Do not directly dry your hands once you have handled raw food: wash them first.
• If you clean the surfaces, use the cloths whenever you need, but then rinse them with water. Don’t let it dry dirty. If you do, more germs will build up.
• Dry the dishcloths properly and do not make them into a small ball. It is better to stretch or lay them out.
• You have to ensure that when washing the rags the water you use is above 60 ºC  for this cleaning to be effective.
• Take advantage of the sunlight. The sun can help you remove the toughest and most stubborn stains. Tend to sunlight when it is direct. Fruit or vegetable stains will magically go away.

Difference between cleaning and disinfecting

When we talk about cleaning, saying “clean” is not the same as “disinfecting”. We tell you the differences:

• Cleaning requires the use of soap and water to remove dirt and some germs, but not all that are on the surface or product are removed.
• To disinfect, stronger solutions are needed that eliminate almost all the microbes, bacteria and germs present.

Generally with daily cleaning we could have a clean kitchen suitable for cooking our food. However, it is convenient to disinfect the surfaces, rags and cutting boards with more aggressive and strong products so that we do not get sick from germs.

As you have seen, there are many techniques to clean kitchen towels, so do not hesitate to put them into practice. Did you already know any?