How often should you really wash your tea towels?
18th Dec 2024
Tea towels are the unsung heroes of the kitchen - drying dishes, cleaning spills, and even doubling as makeshift oven mitts in a pinch. But did you know that without regular washing, tea towels can harbour harmful bacteria? Yikes! To keep your kitchen hygienic and your family safe, here’s everything you need to know about how often to wash your tea towels.
Why Washing Tea Towels Matters
A tea towel’s job isn’t glamorous, and it often puts them in direct contact with food, hands, and even raw ingredients. This makes your tea towels an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive (especially if they get damp!). If not washed frequently, tea towels can become a serious risk for food poisoning or cross-contamination in your kitchen.
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The Golden Rule of Tea Towel Hygiene
Never mix purposes! Assign different tea towels for different tasks, like:
● One for drying dishes
● One for hands
● One for cleaning spills
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The Risks of Skipping Regular Washing
Neglecting to wash your tea towels regularly can lead to:
● Bacterial growth: Damp, used tea towels are a breeding ground for harmful bacteria
● Health implications: Reusing unwashed towels can lead to foodborne illnesses, especially if you’re using them interchangeably
● Cross-contamination: Using the same towel for hands, dishes, and surfactant increases the spread of bacteria throughout your kitchen
So, How Often Should You Wash Your Tea Towels?
The answer? Way more often than you might think!
● Everyday use: Tea towels that dry hands or come into contact with food should be washed daily or every other day at the least
● Dish drying only: If your tea towels are exclusively used for drying clean dishes, you can stretch their use a bit longer - around 2 to 3 days
● Cleaning spills or raw food handling: These towels need to go straight into the laundry basket after a single use (raw food bacteria is not to be messed with!)
How to Wash Tea Towels Properly
To keep your tea towels hygienic and long-lasting:
● Use warm water: Washing with warm water ensures that bacteria and germs are efficiently killed
● Use a good quality washing liquid: Our Canningvale Signature Concentrate Laundry Liquid is enzyme-boosted, tough on stains but gentle on fabrics (meaning your tea towels will last longer, even with regular laundering)
● Boost with vinegar: Adding vinegar can give extra disinfecting power
● Replace them regularly: Heavily used tea towels should be replaced every year or whenever they show signs of wear, like fraying or stains
Pro tip: Rotate your tea towels daily so you always have a clean one at the ready. Keeping a stash of quality tea towels on hand—like Canningvale’s tea towel twin packs—can help manage your laundry load without sacrificing hygiene.
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Keep It Fresh with Canningvale
Our Tea Towels are durable, absorbent, and perfect for everyday kitchen tasks. Pair them with our Signature Laundry Liquid for fresh, clean towels every time. Your kitchen - and your health - will thank you.
Shop the range now and up your tea towel game.