You might be surprised to learn that some expert recommend wash your kitchen towel every day . But do you actuallyneedto wash them that often ?
Kitchen towel or dish rag are helpful to have on - hand because they ’re an environmentally friendly cleansing tool that can take the place of single - use paper products . you could use them to take on daily task , likewiping down your counters , pulling blistering beauty from the microwave , or drying off your hands . But if you ’re using thesamekitchen towel for a multitude of spills , you could easily be spreading bacteria across your hand and home surface .
Think about it : When was the last fourth dimension you actually washed your kitchen towels ? Have you ever used the same towel for a week or longer ? If you ca n’t think back or the answer is yes , interpret on for the facts that ’ll make certain you never draw a blank to wash your kitchen towels again .
Credit:Left: John Bessler; Right: ANTHONY MASTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY, INC. | Design: Better Homes & Gardens
What Happens If You Don’t Wash Your Kitchen Towels
If you tend to pass over down kitchen counter Nox after nighttime without wash them regularly in between , you could be bring to the growth of harmful bacterium on your towel .
A 2018 study conducted at the University of Mauritius found that 49 percent of the kitchen towels tested after one calendar month of use showed bacterial growth that contained the same pathogens that are responsible for for causing food poisoning in adult and children .
In the same subject area , bacteria find on the kitchen towel increased according to the size of the family using them , the type of diet the family ate ( meat vs. vegetarian ) , and how long the towels were used without wash them . The bacteria was found to be more present in families that ate non - vegetarian diet , therefore leading researcher to believe that many people may not be handling uncooked heart in a hygienic room .
leave : John Bessler ; Right : ANTHONY MASTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY , INC . | Design : Better Homes & Gardens
How Often Kitchen Towels or Dish Rags Need to Be Washed
Kitchen towel can collect dirtand bacteria quickly , so how often should you be washing the lulu rag you habituate ? Well , it depends on a few things , including what you ’re using them for . If you ’re using kitchen towel to dry off impertinently wash hands only , they can last a little longer . If you’reusing dish antenna rags to strip upafter cooking core or fish , they should be tossed into the washing immediately . check that to launder these towels in hot weewee , and confuse them out or drop them off at a textile recycling shopping centre if they jump to rub or tear .
Some experts even commend washing towels daily or even after each single use . A 2015 sketch conducted at Kansas State University found that towel were the single - most contaminated item in the kitchen . participant in the study were handle towel much more often than one might realize , as “ many participants would affect the towel before wash off their hands or used the towel after washing their hand inadequately , ” the study found . “ Even after decently wash their hands , they reused the towel and contaminated themselves all over again . ”
The easiest way to combat bacterial material body - up from such frequent purpose is to purchase a few ravisher towel . Replace them with Modern towels when necessary and hoard the soiled ones in a bin until you ’re quick to do laundry . Of course , you should always do what you think is best for you and your family , but these facts suffice as a great reminder to scarper your kitchen towel through the dry wash a bit more often than you ’re probably doing now .
“ Kitchen Towels Could put up to the Growth of Potential Pathogens that Cause Food Poisoning . ”EurekAlert , American Association for the Advancement of Science .
" Towels Top Kitchen Contamination Hazards List . “ScienceDaily .
