Kitchen towels are essential in the kitchen and it is difficult to do without them. But because they tend to get dirty and quickly become breeding grounds for germs, it’s important to properly clean and disinfect them. How to take them off and disinfect them effectively? We explain everything in our article.
Cloths to clean the dishes, the work surface or even to clean your hands… Each of them has a particular use to prevent dirt and the spread of germs and bacteria. But it happens that even when you wash the fabrics, they are stained and bacteria can remain on the fabric. Thanks to a trick that we are revealing to you, you can wash and disinfect your dirty cloths and return them to their original cleanliness and whiteness.
Why disinfect kitchen towels?
Cloths are used to clean surfaces, clean dishes, take dishes out of the oven, but they can also contaminate when they get dirty and are not cleaned properly. Once they get wet, they become smelly, indicating that they contain germs and bacteria . Dirt, moisture and food debris cause bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli that can cause intestinal or skin infections. A study by researchers at the University of Mauritius shows that rags used for various uses in the kitchen could contribute to the development of pathogens, leading to possible food poisoning. A plausible reason to be attentive to the multipurpose use of kitchen towels, not to leave them wet and to disinfect them well after use.
What trick to clean and disinfect kitchen towels?
Although kitchen towels are slow to die, the fact is that even after multiple washes, germs and bacteria are still present. To remedy this, it is recommended to put them in the microwave to disinfect them . We explain how to do it in several steps.
The microwave to disinfect kitchen towels – Source: digitaltrends
Paso 1
Put the dirty rags in the soapy water. You can use laundry detergent or castile soap or liquid black soap. Wash the kitchen towels, then remove them from the water and wring them out without rinsing. Add a little soap to the stained areas, then add a few drops of lemon or white vinegar.
2nd step
Place the dish towels in a microwave-safe plastic bag, but do not seal it.
Paso 3
Put the bag in the microwave and heat it for 5 minutes. With the high temperature of the microwave, the bacteria will be eradicated.
Paso 4
Remove the plastic bag with large tongs or an oven mitt to avoid burning yourself. Let the bag cool down. Then rinse the cloths in a bowl filled with cold water until the rest of the soap is removed. Then spread the kitchen towels to dry if possible in the open air.
Kitchen towel – Source: spm
Why the microwave?
This oven can do more than just heat or cook your food. Microwaves are characterized by electromagnetic waves. The latter have the ability to penetrate bodies to a depth ranging between 5 cm and 12 cm. The high temperature heating of the microwave oven allows to kill the microorganisms.
Other ways to disinfect kitchen towels
– Use boiling water
If you don’t have a microwave, there’s another way to sanitize your kitchen towels. Simply boil them in a saucepan filled with water for 15 minutes. Adding 1/8 cup of baking soda will help eliminate odors . Then remove the cloths with tongs and allow them to cool before wringing them out and hanging them up to dry.
Clean and disinfect kitchen towels with natural ingredients – Source: The kitchen
– Use baking soda and vinegar.
The two most popular household ingredients come into play to effectively clean kitchen towels. To do this, soak them in a container filled with warm water and vinegar for fifteen minutes. Then sprinkle with baking soda and let the product act for a few minutes. The vinegar acts as a disinfectant and the baking soda acts as a deodorant. Finally, wash the kitchen towels in soapy water, wring them out and let them air dry.
With these tips, you are sure to freshen up your kitchen towels and remove all bacteria for safe reuse.
