How to clean kitchen towels: odor and greasy stains

Kitchen towels are the only textiles in the home that are often the dirtiest. After all, they wipe not only hands, but also dishes, tables, kitchen area, so various yellow, greasy spots, as well as an unpleasant odor appear on the product. At the same time, any housewife understands that it is not so easy to wash kitchen towels, but it is quite expensive to constantly acquire new textiles. Here are some of the most effective ways to remove greasy stains and odors, as well as methods to keep your kitchen towels fresh.

Features of washing kitchen towels

Often inexpensive textiles are purchased for the kitchen, for example, the so-called waffle towels. In addition to their attractive price, they have a beautiful appearance and are very easy to use. In addition, preference falls on natural fabrics such as linen and cotton, because they are not afraid of frequent washings, which have their own characteristics:

• white and light-colored towels can be washed at high water temperature in the washing machine;
• colored and patterned textiles can be washed at a temperature of no more than 60 degrees;
• in the presence of stubborn dirt, it is necessary to soak the kitchen towels before washing with the addition of substances acting as an active stain remover or bleach;
• antiseptic solutions can be used to disinfect kitchen textiles;
• do not wash kitchen towels with other linen;
• if the stains are old, you can use the boiling method;
• after washing and drying completely, it is necessary to iron the textiles in order to maintain a neat appearance.

Clean and tidy kitchen towels tell a lot about the hostess.

At what temperature to wash kitchen towels

The temperature of the water used for washing kitchen towels may vary depending on the type. The most optimal one will be indicated on the product label, and if it is absent, you can use the general recommendations. So, for example, a temperature of up to 95 degrees is permissible for a white natural fabric, and about 60 degrees for a colored one.

How to wash kitchen towels using folk methods

There is a considerable number of reviews from housewives trying to wash kitchen towels using folk methods. As a rule, many of these methods are quite effective.

How to wash kitchen towels with citric acid

Use citric acid to remove stubborn dirt from white kitchen towels without soaking or boiling.

It acts as a natural bleach that can remove stains from tomato juice, pomegranate and other old stains. The whole process is as follows:

1. First, the towels are rinsed in warm water, then a small amount of citric acid is poured onto the contaminated area (you can use natural citrus juice).
2. In this form, the product is left for a certain time, depending on the age of contamination (10 minutes for fresh stains, and for old ones - 1 hour).
3. Then the acid is removed, and the towel is thoroughly rinsed, washing away the remaining dirt.

Citric acid not only removes various impurities, but also provides a whitening effect

How to wash very dirty kitchen towels with boric acid

Boric acid can help not only treat stubborn stains, but also eliminate unpleasant odors.

The method of application is as follows:

1. First, prepare a solution in a ratio of 2 tbsp. l. boric acid per 5 liters of water.
2. Then kitchen towels are placed in the prepared composition and left to soak for at least 2 hours.
3. If the contamination is heavily ingrained, then it may be necessary to change the solution and re-soak for the same time. After this procedure, the towel is subjected to a standard machine wash.

In addition to washing various stains, boric acid acts as an excellent neutralizer of unpleasant odor, and also provides a pronounced disinfecting effect

How to wash kitchen towels with mustard

Mustard can also effectively remove grease from kitchen towels. This method is suitable for any product, including soft fabrics, with a color pattern.

The washing process itself is concluded in the following steps:

1. A solution is prepared, for this, 1 tbsp is diluted in 1 liter of water. l. mustard powder, let it stand for at least 3 hours.
2. Then the resulting liquid is filtered through cheesecloth, towels are immersed in it. The soaking time can vary from half an hour to 3 hours, depending on the degree of soiling.
3. After removing the fabric product, wring it out. You can then wash kitchen towels by hand in warm water or in a washing machine.

For old and stubborn stains, dilute mustard powder with warm water to obtain a mushy mass. Apply the agent to the dirt and leave it for 6-8 hours. Then peel off the mustard and wash well with a towel.

In addition to bleaching, mustard powder also disinfects fabrics well and neutralizes unpleasant odors.

How to wash kitchen towels with baking soda

Soda (baking and soda ash) is one of the safe and versatile remedies for all kinds of contamination. It allows you to effectively remove yellow stains from kitchen towels, for this they are soaked or a creamy mixture is applied to the area with the stain. Experienced housewives have their own recipes on how to remove stains on kitchen towels with soda:

1. White and light-colored towels with a little dirt are machine washed at high temperatures. To achieve a better effect, 2-3 tbsp. l. soda is poured directly into the detergent compartment. This method washes away fresh dirt and also neutralizes unpleasant odors.
2. Terry dishcloths can be soaked in a baking soda / salt solution to remove stains and soften them. 2 tbsp are poured into 5 liters of water. l. soda and 3 tbsp. l. table salt of fine grinding. Towels are placed in the resulting salty-soda solution and left to soak for 45 minutes. They are then washed by hand and rinsed thoroughly.
3. You can wash greasy kitchen towels by soaking them for a long time in a specially prepared solution of soda ash, detergent and water. To prepare the solution, use hot water (7 l), in which 1 tbsp is dissolved. l. soda and powder. Then towels are soaked in the solution for 4 hours. After this time, the fabrics are sent to the machine and washed as usual.

Soda acts not only as a stain remover, but also as a conditioner, making the fabric soft to the touch

How to clean old kitchen towels with potassium permanganate

Although it may seem strange, but potassium permanganate also effectively copes with various dirt, whitens light fabric well. Naturally, this method requires special attention and time, but the result will meet all expectations. In addition, manganese is an excellent disinfectant, which is important for kitchen textiles.

With the help of potassium permanganate, you can wash both waffle and terry kitchen towels. And they do it in the following way:

1. Hot water is poured into the basin and washing powder is dissolved in it in a standard amount (on the package you can see how much powder is recommended for 1 liter of water).
2. Separately in a glass, also with hot water, dissolve 2-3 g of potassium permanganate.
3. Manganese solution is poured into soapy water and everything is thoroughly mixed. Then pre-washed kitchen towels are soaked in this composition.
4. The basin is covered with cling film and the textiles are left soaked until the water cools completely.
5. After cooling down, remove fabric products and rinse them thoroughly.

A small amount of potassium permanganate has a whitening effect, while it disinfects the fabric well

How to use hydrogen peroxide on kitchen towel stains

Hydrogen peroxide is an affordable remedy found in almost every home. In addition to medical use, this solution can be used in everyday life. In addition to the disinfecting properties, the preparation also has a strong whitening effect. It can be used to easily remove white tea towels. And to use it as an improvised bleach, you should perform a number of such actions:

1. Before the bleaching process, kitchen textiles must first be washed in normal lukewarm water.
2. Then a special solution is prepared, for this, peroxide is added to the hot water at the rate of 2 tbsp. l. for 6 liters of water.
3. The washed towels are soaked in the prepared solution and left for 20 minutes.
4. After the product is removed and rinsed well several times in warm water.

If you need to remove one or more stains, then you should pour peroxide and leave for 30 minutes, and then wash

How to properly wash kitchen towels with vegetable oil

The whitening method using sunflower oil can help to wash white and colored kitchen towels from grease and any other dirt, as well as eliminate yellowness. This process is quite simple and very effective. In addition, it is versatile, suitable for any towels.

Washing method:

1. First you need to bring 5-6 liters of water to a boil in a saucepan (this amount is enough to wash up to 8 medium-sized towels).
2. Boiling water is then poured into a basin, add 1 tbsp. any washing powder and 2 tbsp. l. dry stain remover. Mix everything thoroughly and pour in 2-3 st. l. vegetable oil, stir everything again.
3. Soiled towels are gently dipped into the mixture. Leave them to soak for 8-12 hours (ideally from evening to morning).
4. After the textiles are removed, lightly wrung out. Then they are washed in any convenient way. After this method, towels are perfectly washed both by hand and in an automatic machine.

The very method of how to wash kitchen towels with vegetable oil is clearly described in the video.

How to quickly wash kitchen towels with salt

You can also wash kitchen towels at home using regular table salt. Using this method to remove stains from kitchen textiles, you can get real results. In addition, the method itself is quite versatile and is suitable for white and colored fabrics.

Washing process:

1. First, a solution is made with salt, for this they take 1 liter of water and dissolve 1 tbsp. l. table salt (if the pollution is old or very strong, then it is better to make the solution stronger, for example, 1.5-2 tbsp. l. per 1 liter of water).
2. Then the product is soaked for at least 1 hour.
3. After this time, the towels are removed and washed in the usual way (by hand or in a typewriter).

Table salt is good at removing stains, helping to maintain color saturation and softening fabric

How to remove vinegar stains on kitchen towels

Plain table vinegar can also be a great help for fresh-looking kitchen textiles. The most interesting thing is that such a common tool allows you to achieve several effects at once. In addition to removing stains, vinegar removes unpleasant odors and helps preserve the vibrant shades of colored fabrics.

This method, like most others, is based on soaking. Also prepare a solution in a ratio of 3 tbsp. l. vinegar in 5 liters of water, immerse soiled towels in it. Leave them in a vinegar solution for 15-20 minutes. Then they are taken out and washed in the standard way with ordinary washing powder or laundry soap.

Vinegar can also be added when washing in a machine, but in this case it will act more as a neutralizer of odor than a stain remover

How to remove stains from kitchen towels with specialized products

Despite the fact that many folk remedies effectively deal with various contaminants on kitchen towels, some housewives still prefer to use specialized formulations.

The very first laundry detergent that can help remove fresh and greasy stains is regular laundry soap. Moreover, there are several ways to use it:

1. A soiled kitchen towel can be soaked in "strong" soapy water for 1-2 hours, followed by washing. To do this, rub the laundry soap on a grater and fill it with warm water.
2. Thoroughly lather the soiled areas on a towel, and then wash in any usual way.
3. Moisten a fabric product in warm water, lather it strongly on all sides. Then put in a plastic bag, tie tightly and leave for 12 hours. Then wash in any way.

It is best to use 72% brown laundry soap for washing, and not its white counterpart

Ordinary dishwashing detergent does a good job of removing recently left greasy stains. You can even call it "emergency" if vegetable oil is accidentally spilled on a textile product.

The detergent, without diluting with water, is applied to the place with a greasy spot, rubbed slightly and left for 30-40 minutes. Then the textiles are washed off, soaped and washed as usual.

Dye detergent should not be used on white fabrics

Also, do not forget about modern specially developed bleaches and stain removers. Among all the existing ones, it is worth highlighting the following:

• bleach "Bose"»- a budget and effective powder for removing stains from white kitchen towels, but be careful with colored cloth as it can shed;
  
• stain remover "Ace Oxi Magic»- is universal and suitable for washing stains on white and colored (effective in hot water);
  
• stain remover "Vanish»- a product that allows you to remove various stains, can be used on colored and white fabrics, is effective when soaking;
  
• stain remover "Sarma Active 5 in 1»- helps to remove fresh stains from kitchen towels, shows the greatest efficiency with prolonged soaking.
  

In some cases, housewives resort to whiteness, but it is only suitable for white kitchen towels. In addition, it spoils the fabric very much. Therefore, after washing textiles with whiteness several times, they can simply be thrown away.

How to get rid of kitchen towel odors

In addition to removing stains, tea towels often need to get rid of the unpleasant odor that can form from frequent contact with liquids and foods. To combat musty odors, dampness, and moldy odors, you can use the following products:

• table vinegar;
• soda ash;
• boric acid;
• citric acid;
• special fabric conditioners (rinses).

Any of the above mentioned means is enough to add an automatic machine along with washing powder to the compartment of the machine. Some add at the time of rinsing.

Ordinary baking soda can also act as an odor neutralizer. To do this, make a solution in the ratio of 100 g to 2 liters of water. Then soak the kitchen towels before washing for 3-4 hours.

Conclusion

Washing kitchen towels can be tricky, so proper care of them is also important. It is best to change the textiles in the kitchen every 2-3 days, and immediately wash the stains that appear. It is in this case that it will not be necessary to often resort to radical measures to eliminate old and ingrained pollution.