Expert shares how often you should wash tea towels - far more regularly than you think
Tea towels are essential in the kitchen due to their multiple uses, so given their frequent use, it's crucial to ensure they are kept clean.
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Tea towels are your best friend in the kitchen - from cleaning up spills to serving as a shield when handling hot items - they are versatile tools.
However, they can harbour bacteria, including those responsible for food poisoning, if not properly maintained.
Leaving them damp or neglecting regular washing could lead to illness if used for drying hands or dishes, especially after handling raw meat during cooking.
Researchers at the University of Mauritius advise washing tea towels daily in households, unless they haven't been used.
Having a stack of three or four towels would help manage the washes while having a replacement towel on hand at all times.
To maintain hygiene, avoid tossing damp tea towels into a laundry basket as they may develop mildew and bacteria, causing unpleasant odours and potentially contaminating other clothes.
It's best to allow them to dry before washing them or, ideally, wash them immediately after use.
Despite their aesthetic appeal, new tea towels are often not very absorbent due to excess dye and oils from the manufacturing process.
To enhance absorbency, it's advisable to wash them with warm water before initial use. This precaution will help prevent sogginess later on.
To prevent colour bleeding from new towels and staining other items, avoid washing colourful tea towels with your other laundry, especially light-coloured garments like white jeans.
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For added benefits, consider using diluted white vinegar in the first wash, as it can further improve the tea towels' absorbency.
For optimal cleaning of tea towels, the preferred choice, as per tests conducted by the Consumers’ Association and published in Which? magazine, is to use biological detergents.
These detergents operate similarly to non-biological ones but contain enzymes that effectively break down protein, fats, and starches present in food stains.
To ensure efficient cleaning, it's recommended to wash tea towels at lower temperatures, ideally no hotter than 50 degrees Celsius.
White cotton or linen tea towels can withstand higher temperatures, while coloured ones should be washed at 30 or 40 degrees Celsius to prevent colour fading or damage.
