Most Customizable: KitchenAid Albany Kitchen Towel Set
No matter if you prefer vibrant or neutral kitchen towels, this set comes in an option for you. Two of the towels have a white background with the occasional stripe with the color of your choice. The other two towels are made entirely from your preferred color.
Key Features
Four towels 12 by 26 inches each Made from cotton and polyester Machine-washable
What Customers Are Saying
Customers liked these kitchen towels because they didn’t wrinkle easily, were durable, and dried quickly. However, those who didn’t like these towels said that they were thin. Others were confused by the care instructions that said that they needed to be washed in cold water because they could be exposed to hot temperatures anyway in the kitchen.
Best For Cleaning: MR.SIGA Microfiber Cleaning Cloth Pack
These microfiber cleaning cloths are useful for wiping counters and drying dishes after you cook a meal. They’re made from 85% polyester and 15% nylon that are woven together to create soft, absorbent, and lint-free towels.
Key Features
12 towels 12.6 by 12.6 inches each Made from nylon and polyester Machine-washable
What Customers Are Saying
Positive reviews said that these towels were soft and absorbent. Customers also liked that they required minimal scrubbing to remove grime from surfaces. However, dissatisfied customers said that they started to shed lint or break down after multiple washes in the washing machine.
Best Reversible: All-Clad Textiles Dual Kitchen Towels
These kitchen towels are unique in that they’re reversible with a different texture and function on each side. One side has a flat-weave texture that’s made for drying dishware, while the other has an absorbent terry weave to absorb spills.
Key Features
Three towels 17 by 30 inches each Made from cotton Machine-washable
What Customers Are Saying
Customers who gave this pack positive reviews said that the towels were soft, absorbent, and versatile with their dual-sided design. On the other hand, unhappy customers said that they deteriorated in the washer.
Best Material: Utopia Towels Kitchen Towels
These towels are made from organic ring-spun cotton. This composition makes the cloths soft, absorbent, fast-drying, and durable for daily use. With a pack of 12, you’ll always have at least one clean towel that’s ready to use.
Key Features
12 towels 15 by 25 inches each Made from cotton Machine-washable
What Customers Are Saying
Customers found these towels to be durable, as they didn’t show wear after an extended period of use. Users also liked that they could hold a lot of liquid from large spills. However, other customers were disappointed when these towels shed.
Easiest To Store: Utopia Towels Kitchen Dish Towels
Made from ring-spun cotton, these durable towels are meant for repeated use and heavy spills. You can fold and store them in a kitchen drawer or linen closet until you need one. After using them to dry dishes, you can hang them from a hook using the built-in loop on the label until they’re dry and ready to use again.
Key Features
12 towels 15 by 25 inches each Made from cotton Machine-washable
What Customers Are Saying
Customers said that these towels were made from durable materials, easy to wash between uses, and absorbent enough to handle large spills. However, some users said that they shrunk in the wash. Others found them to be too thin.
Buyer’s Guide
From size to absorbency, kitchen towels vary from each other on a variety of factors. To help you make a purchase, we created this guide that outlines important elements.
Design
Kitchen towels should not only be absorbent and durable—they also need to look nice in your kitchen. Kitchen towels come in dozens of colors and patterns. It’s up to you to choose which one best matches your personal taste and kitchen design.
Size
The size of your kitchen towels determines how big of a spill they can clean. With small towels, you may need to use multiple to absorb a spill. However, towels that are too large may be difficult to store.
Quantity
Most kitchen towels come in packs. Common pack sizes include six and 12 towels. You can dedicate each towel to a different purpose, such as drying dishes or wiping counters. Even then, you will likely have extras that you can keep in a kitchen drawer or linen closet and pull out when the first ones are dirty.
Absorbency
Kitchen towels should be absorbent, cleaning up spills quickly and efficiently. You don’t want your towel to get so soaked that you can’t dry the rest of the dishes from your meal.
Washability
Most kitchen towels can be machine-washed, but check the label to be sure. This label often has specifics on what products and cycles to use for cleaning. For example, many manufacturers recommend washing their towels on a cold, gentle cycle without bleach and drying them on a low setting.
Material
Kitchen towels are usually made from either cotton or microfiber. Cotton towels are soft and absorbent, working well for drying dishes. However, because they soak up so much water, they take longer to dry. Microfiber towels are usually made from woven polyester or nylon. They’re slightly more abrasive and less absorbent than cotton, so they’re better at scrubbing grime on pots, pans, or counters.
How To Limit Germs in Your Kitchen
Keeping your dishes clean and dry and wiping any spills immediately are two ways to keep your kitchen clean. However, there are several other steps you can take to limit or get rid of germs. Here are our top tips.
Be Careful With Meat and Produce
Raw meat and fresh produce can bring in E. coli, salmonella, and other germs. To prevent these germs from spreading around your kitchen, bag these items separately from other foods. Wash the produce as soon as you get home. For meat, use a dedicated cutting board that’s separate from the one you use for other foods.
Disinfect Surfaces
Use bleach to disinfect the surfaces in your kitchen. You can use either a bleach-based wipe or a one-to-10 bleach and water solution.
Test Your Water
Getting your water tested for lead, microbes, and other contaminants can determine if your water is safe to drink and wash dishes with. You can use an at-home water test kit. If the test shows that you have high levels of any contaminate, look into installing a water filter.
Wash Your Hands
Washing your hands with warm, soapy water before you handle food or do the dishes is an easy but essential step in keeping your kitchen sanitary. Also wash your hands after touching raw eggs or meats.
How do I wash my kitchen towels?
Most kitchen towels are machine-washable. After cleaning them in the washer, either transfer them to the dryer or hang them to air-dry to avoid bacteria or mildew growth.
Where is the best spot to hang my kitchen towels?
If you used your towels to soak up water, you can reuse them after letting them air-dry. Hang them from a hook on the wall, a handle on the oven or dishwasher, or the edge of the sink.
When should I wash my kitchen towels?
You don’t need to wash your towels after every small task, especially if you only used them to dry your hands or dishes. However, if you use a towel to clean a spill, put it in the wash. Even if the towel has only touched water, swap it out for a fresh one every few days.
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