Towels and Dishcloths
A dishcloth is used to clean and dry items in the kitchen. Aesthetically, they add to the kitchens look. Kitchen towels should be durable and absorbent.
What materials are used to make kitchen dish towels?Kitchen dish towels are often made of the following materials:
- Cotton – Cotton towels absorbent, soft, and gentle on hands and dishes. Look for a tight weave or thicker material for enhanced durability.
- Linen – Linen hangs nicely and has natural anti-microbial properties that help inhibit mildew build-up.
- Microfiber – Microfiber absorbs water well, leaves no lint, and dries quickly. It is ideal for cleaning and spills.
Kitchen towels are extremely useful tools. They are ideal for drying dishes and hands. They can double as oven mitts, wipe up spills, prevent slippage under bowls or cutting boards, and much more. It is not unusual to have several kitchen towels at once. Often, one is used solely for drying dishes or hands, while the other is reserved for the dirtier jobs.
How do you choose a kitchen towel?The choice comes down to efficacy and aesthetics.
- Color – Dish towels come in every color and print imaginable. They can be changed seasonally or plain white can be used every day. They can match your kitchen paint or appliance color. The variety is half the fun.
- Style – Classic dish towels have stripes. Dishtowels also have decorative prints from bicycles to roosters to teacups. You can easily find dish towels to match your decor style.
- Material – Choose a kitchen dish towel that you like the feel of in your hands. There is an array of materials available, each with their own benefits and limitations.
- Size – Standard dish towels are 11 or 13 inches square, but can be larger or smaller. Depending on where you hang your towel and how you use it, you may prefer one size over another.
Beyond material, they are several fabric variations of dish cloths:
- Floursack – These kitchen towels are very thin. They are great for drying hands but become quickly saturated when drying dishes. They often come in cute patterns.
- Terrycloth – This material is more like a bath towel; they are thicker, fluffier, and rougher. They quickly absorb water and are mostly about function over form. These make good bar towels.
- Waffle weave – These kitchen towels have a fluffy, grid-like texture. They hold a lot of water and are quite strong.
- Basketweave – Smoother than the waffle weave, these kitchen towels are suitable for everyday use. The woven fabric easily whisks away water and food particles.