Dish cloths that last?

Al Freeman wrote:What to do with a stinky dish rag or sponge:  NUKE it in the microwave for about 10 seconds on high and then toss it in the wash.  Microwaves kill all the "wee-beasties" that make it smell bad.

I live on a small farm with NO dishwasher and septic (although I use a composting toilet).  I put a few drops of detergent into a sink filled with a couple inches of HOT water, soak my dirty dishes there until it cools down to where it doesn't hurt my hands to dip them in and then, I use a plastic scrub brush on a handle to give them each a good 'once-over'.  Next, they go into another sink a couple inches full of HOT water.  I grab them out of the HOT rinse water with baby-bottle tongs ($1 at the Dollar Store) and let them air dry in a wire basket thingy on the counter top next to my kitchen sink.

I rarely use a dishrag for dishes, but I do use one for wiping counters, cleaning up spills and so on. When they start smelling "ripe" I pop them into Mr. Microwave, then into my cloths washer and that's that.

Hope this helps someone.

Nope! It takes three full minutes in a microwave to kill germs on a sponge. It still won't be completely sanitary. You need an autoclave for that.

The best dish cloth ever is cotton diapers, my youngest son is 30 years old now and I am still have a few  

For a really nice dishcloth that you will use until it just wears out, I have to tell you to learn to knit or crochet or weave so that you can make your own. Use cotton, linen or hemp yarn. I knit and crochet and have made both types and they are lasting quite well. I have thrown my first crocheted one away because I just wore the thing out. Someone else mentioned rinsing your dishcloth out well and then putting it in the microwave for 3 minutes; this should work pretty well in-between washings and just let it air-dry overnight. Hope this helps. Richard in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Speaking of alternatives to paper towels, my Mom makes stained glass windows, and I remember her saying that newspapers are fantastic for cleaning glass. They actually work better than paper towels.

Here's an article I found about it, if you want to learn more: http://www.grandparents.com/food-and-leisure/did-you-know/uses-for-newspaper

E-cloth's kitchen cloth has served me well. They are very durable, washable and can be used without soap. They have a little scrubbing pocket as well for the harder stuff. The same company also manufactures scrub sponges and plain dishcloths.  I, too, enjoy using scrub sponges but upon taking stock of how many I go through I am making a conscious effort to not buy any more when this pack runs out.

I make the knitted garter stitch dishclothes. I know - Ho Hum.  BUT did you think to use recycled string?  I have used string off of bundles of towels from the laundry (for when I hsd my biz). But now I use the string off of chainstich "pull here" bags of rabbit feed (also oats, sweet feed etc).  They are not very thick or long so I just stagger the plies. No knots.  About an hour in front of the TV & I have recycled & have a brand new cloth that doesnt mildew.   Thanks to you who recommend the compost heap when it is done.  Never thought of it.

I use hemp fiber, wadded up into a ball.   It can be felted with a felting needle (see pic) or sewn across it to keep it in a certain shape which I do when I have time so it looks neater.  It can be composted and is inexpensive.  

Hemp fiber is said to be anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial and it must be because the fiber can sit wet for days and never smell bad.  My husband commented on how well it worked cleaning the stainless cooktop today.  

I have used hemp fiber for a face and body sponge also, it exfoliates just the right amount - not too coarse and not too soft.  

That would work well with flax and nettle fibre too.  Great idea.  

Thanks R, I will try those too and see which felts down the best.  

Dishcloths do have longer lifespan than regular sponges since they are not easy to fall apart. However, both dishcloths and sponges get stinky and dirty easily so you need to change both of them frequently. If you always wash and sterilize the dishcloths after use, you can prolong the lifespan of your dishcloth. Besides, there is a new type of scrubber which is durable and antibacterial. It's silicone scrubber. This type of scrubber has compact structure, easy to clean and dry. Not good enough for heavy duty washing but do work great for light duty washing!

r ranson wrote:I love chain mail scrubbers.  Real chainmail works even better than what most people sell, but it's hard to come by.  The stuff with the round wire rings works pretty good too.  Much better than a scrub bud and lasts longer too.

I caution against using it on steel pots as it will scratch the pot.

Most people don't realise that stainless steel pots can be more non-stick than teflon pots (rivalled, perhaps, only by cast iron).  When a stainless steel pot comes from the manufacturer, it's been polished smooth.  You can keep that smooth polish by treating your pot with care.  My technique is to never use metal inside the pot, never add salt to cold water (it pits the bottom), and never clean with something harder than wood.  Do this and you'll never need to scrub your pots because they will stay non-stick.  Even burnt on stuff comes off easily.  If you do get a scratch (like a guest using a metal spoon to stir your best pot - girr!) then some baking soda, a damp rag and a lot of elbow grease (preferably that of the offending person who made the scratch) will repolish the pan.

Now chain mail on cast iron - love it!
Never tried it on ceramic.  

Hi - some questions please:

a) How long do your chainmail scrubbers last?
b) Where did you get them from?
c) Though stainless steel, did they ever rust?
d) Have you considered the Ebay ones? (one can get a 7" for about $8 shipped in stainless)
e) Are you comparing the longevity to stainless steel pot scrubbers you can commonly get in the stores in Canada? (I find they fall apart)
f) What about scratching on glassware or ceramics - does it happen?
g) I have heard that one doesnt need soap with chainmail scrubbers. Your experience?

Thanks. I am the opposite of a germaphobe, believing that exposure to germs is good for our constitution and bodies ability to learn to fight off bad stuff. All in context and reasonably so of course.

They've been using the chainmail scrubbers for about 30 years it shows no sign of wear.  But theirs are made of real chainmail - with flat links - which is different than the modern round ring mail.

They made them in the SCA.

The ones they use the most aren't stainless steel - but no sign of rust as they are using these daily and the food and soap is oily.  I haven't seen any of the stainless steel ones rust, but I suspect it would be possible if it is left in a puddle between uses.

What about scratching on glassware or ceramics - does it happen?  

I probably wouldn't use this on those.  Glass and ceramics are pretty easy to clean with soaking and a cloth.

I have heard that one doesnt need soap with chainmail scrubbers. Your experience?  

depends on how greasy the food is and if we are on a water rationing - soap means less water and faster cleaning.  

I haven't found one I like on a comercial site yet.  

I also find that the home knit cotton dish clothes last way longer than recent store bought ones and they of course can be thrown in the wash and then set out in the sun for some UV rays.

A few months ago I bought some wool sponges, these are sort of locally made and helps support good land management and grazing.  They needle fet mats of wool and cut out the sponges then the sponge shrinks up, felts, in use.  I have thrown one in a hot water washing machine too.  Wool naturally is less likely to grow germs, and it can be set out in the sun to let UV work its germ killing magic as well as thrown in the wash.  The one I have been using has been lasting very well, it is not like a sponge maybe more like a thicker dish cloth but scrubs better so food particles do not get stuck in it.  They use no plastic in the packaging or mailing, they make their own glue to hold on teh package label.  

https://www.etsy.com/listing/525350767/wool-sponges?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=wool+sponge&ref=sr_gallery-1-22&organic_search_click=1

https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/samthesponge/

I keep a copper scrubber, standard from the store for rare use for burnt on mess, usually I just dont burn, and soaking does wonders and once every few weeks a spot that needs a bit of Bon Ami and that with the wool sponge will take care of most hard spots.  

r ranson wrote:They've been using the chainmail scrubbers for about 30 years it shows no sign of wear.  But theirs are made of real chainmail - with flat links - which is different than the modern round ring mail.

They made them in the SCA.

Thank you. Whats the SCA?

The SCA is a group of people interested in recreating elements of medieval life.

Thank you for that.

Yup. I gotta say I knit and crochet mine too.
When they get stinky I throw them in the wash and when they get too worn or holey they get thrown into the rag-bag.
It's very easy to learn and make for great little gifties too. <3

Hubby runs a small duck and chicken egg business. To sell eggs legally, we have to wash them, which we do with warm water (so long as it's warmer than the temperature of the egg by several degrees, any dirt or bacteria shouldn't move through the egg shell.)

Currently, we're using a scrubby made of artificial material and I'm not happy about the microplastics I'm sure they shed.

So has anyone tried (or are willing to try and report back here) using one of the stainless chainmail scrubbers to wash eggs?



I need something with a little "scrubbieness" and that will dry when hung up, because yes, the best way to kill anything nasty is to dry things out well.  But it also needs to not hurt the egg. We are very wet all winter, and our chicken shelters are open bottomed portable structures, so our eggs can be quite dirty at times.

Jay, I open up luffas to make flat 'scrubbies' for the kitchen...they work great and dry quickly,
We soak in peroxide periodically.
I have scrubbed eggs with them.

the ones in this photo have been in use at the kitchen sink for dishes for a couple months now.

I need to grow some more next year and that should do for a few more years...not really 'buy it for life' ....more like save seeds for life or grow them for life 🤔
just cut a luffa into 5"-6" chunks and then cut out the inner bits...a little awkward but pretty easy to do.

We use them in the shower also...a different set of course

Judith Browning wrote:...not really 'buy it for life' ....more like save seeds for life or grow them for life 🤔

Alas we really don't get hot enough or have a long enough season to grow luffa squash. I do have one friend with a greenhouse, but it's quite small and I suspect every square inch will be in demand in the spring.

If I can find a way to grow them without it being a major hassle, it is definitely on my ToDo list. I'm in pretty much the same ecosystem as r ranson and she suggested that part of the issue is daylength sensitivity. She did try with a greenhouse and was still unsuccessful.

They're not even all that easy to purchase here - seem to be considered a high-end "boutiquee" thing, rather than an everyday wash your dishes thing.

I do have a source of a fairly stiff coffee sack material. I'm thinking of taking that apart and crocheting a scrubby and seeing how well it will clean the eggs. It's supposedly an organic fiber, but I'm not going to say it's burlap as it could easily be a similar plant material like hemp or other.

I know that this is an old discussion, but I've used Knapp Made Chainmail Dishcloth for 7+ years now. The chainmail is so fine it doesn't scratch things. I even use it on crystal. I don't have any nonstick pans, however, so not sure if it would be okay for that. I run it through dishwasher to sanitize when dirty. One of my absolute favorite purchases.

I'm fortunate that my partner knows how to crochet and crochet well!

Crochet dish clothes

The texture provides enough 'grip' to really get things clean but is soft enough to not scratch/damage objects.

I'm a little bit biased, but I haven't found anything like them in the stores.

The only other 'dishcloth' type item that I utilize is a chainmail scrubber as mentioned prior to clean my cast iron cookery.

My dishrags are made up of layers of old flannel and stitched together with white cotton thread. I use flannel rags otherwise to clean counters. But I make up at least 4 layers of flannel for my "dish cloths".  We do have scrubbies, made from walnut supposedly we got at a coop, but more often I use steel wool.

I use something similar to the "Rainbow scrubbies" you linked to above. They are great at cleaning the dishes and because of the "mesh" style, they wash out pretty well. The big plus is they can go in the dishwasher for an extra deep clean or sanitizing, or in a bowl of boiling water with a squeeze of lemon. If you're able to find the slightly thinner ones, they are more flexible and clean cutlery well too.

I have recently come across a stainless steel dish cloth made of chainmail. They're fantastic! I used one for about a month when I was staying with my girlfriend's family. They scrub the delicate dishes clean they scrub the pots and pans clean they even scrub the non-stick pans without damaging the coating.

The only draw back is they are expensive, but once you have one you'll have it for life. Shop around to find a size, guage and peuce you can live with.

Very easy to clean. You can even put it in  boiling water if you'd like. It rarely gets dirty and thus it doesn't ever smell of rotten food. More here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+that+stainless+steel+chain+mail+dish+cloth%3F&oq=what+is+that+stainless+steel+chain+mail

I use a standard cotton dishrag for cleaning counters, stove, etc., but I wash my dishes with ScotchBrite Dobie pads.  They have a tough nylon mesh over an almost indestructible sponge.  Gets off stuck-on food but doesn't scratch my dishes like chainmail or other metallic items would.  When it gets stained or looks dirty, I toss it in the washer.  They last for years, and I bought enough of them when they were $1 a piece that I doubt I'll ever run out.  They are about $3 a piece now in a 3-pack, but I'd still buy them if my current stock gets depleted.  

For dish cloths (for drying dishes), I use huck towels from a restaurant supply store.  They are large, absorbent, and last years also.  I bought a 6-pack about 6 years ago and they still look brand new though used 3 times a day and washed at least once a week.  

I clicked on this one because it's a quandary for me. I used the green plastic scrubbies for years--till it got concerned about the shedding of microfibers --I'm working to eliminate plastic. I live in zone six and had no trouble growing luffas--to the green stage, which is good enough, there is a good Youtube video about how to cure them (using the oven). The problem is that they are not as abrasive as the green scrubbies, even when new--and after some use they get soft. Letting them dry helps some. I use washcloths, not for dishwashing--thing is, I prefer to let dishes accumulate for 2 or 3 days and then wash a big load in very hot soapy water-but for counter wiping. I use the same one for a week or more. After use I rinse it and drape it over the faucet to dry. When it get gooey I dry it and throw it in the laundry. I do plant grow more luffas, but will have to buy more seed--my own didn't germinate, probably because the gourds weren't fully mature. Come to think of it, the oven roasting might not have helped either...

Hmmm, I think sunlight is a better sterilization method than the microwave.  Especially since I don’t have a microwave.

I use an all cotton wash cloth.  Waffle weave commercial, hand crocheted, or turkish towel/terry cloth.

I put them through the washing machine frequently.  They get dried in the sunlight, and air tumbled to remove lint.  

I don’t towel-dry the dishes.  I say it’s because it’s more sanitary not to wipe everything with the same cloth, but, truth be known, I don’t want to spend the time🤪.  Air drying is my preference.

I use 600 grit or finer wet-dry sand paper to scrub stainless steel pots, and cast iron if I have burned something on. Then re-season the cast iron. I don’t have any other kinds of pots.  I soak dishes with dried on food, and use the cloth not the sand paper.

Just casting my mind around for alternatives, I think jute or sisal rope tied in a knot or spliced in a ring or knot could do a good job on dishwashing.

Allowing them to sit around wet, crumpled in a ball is a great way to get them to stink, mold, rot etc.  Probably boiling them or soaking in vinegar or hydrogen peroxide would kill the microbes but prevention is probably more effective and efficient than cure.  After using the cloth or luffa, wash IT and position it to have maximum air exchange.  Arid climate is advantageous here.  If you leave what ever you were wiping up in the wiper, it is going putrefy and feed the offending organisms.

This is a great purpose for burlap coffee bags.

I find that long handled brushes beat out dishcloths by a large factor.  Lever/place to stand/move the world etc.  

I use a "bottle cleaning brush" made with tampico fibre (agave I think).  The top portion flattens out and looks like it's going to fall apart after a few days, but it's been fine for 6 months now.  Might be a little precious as a solution, but honestly I wonder if the skills required to make them are that unreasonable.  Wood carving, source of hard fibre, glue....  we do far less practical things.  10$ and it'll last me a year, and it's very easy on the wrists.

I've seen many people advise/note the use of horsetail fibres because they're rich in silica, though I've not used them myself.  Useful for those who find that horsetail is coming up everywhere and they can't be eaten because of the sketchy soil.

I too am not a fan of dish clothes. I change them daily and I add the dishcloth to the wash every time I do a load of clothes.  I purchased some swedish disposable dish clothes on Amazon.  I've been using them for a little over a year,  they are washable and compostable. They do shed some of the 'cloth' fiber but not enough to concern me at this point. They have a little bit of scrub, but no more than a cloth washcloth.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07MX46M6H?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

They also have washable paper towels, but I have tried them.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0F4XJNPDS?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image

I knit my own from leftover cotton yarn. They last a lot longer than any store-bought dishcloth I've used. The downside is, I'm not a fast knitter so it's takes a while to make. But once made, they last about 1-2 years, depending on how hard I am on them.

When I bought materials from Open Your Eyes Bedding (through a link here at Permies) for my hemp sand/latex bed, I had her toss in a kitchen sponge kit. It's some hemp fibre you stuff into the provided pouch sewn from upcycled wool.

It works like a rag rather than an aggressive scrubber. I do my dishes at an outdoor wash station. I think I started using it this spring, maybe last year some time. She says it needs special care to last, but I've left mine variously sitting in dishwater for days, or on the table without wringing, all year. Constant UV exposure. It still looks and works as good as new.

The only negative shade I see is that, like a sponge, it isn't easy to get into irregular surfaces. Perhaps altering the fill could improve this. I use brushes for that kind of stuff. The "eco friendly" ones (please excuse the Amazon link) have undergone the same outdoor treatment for at least three years here. The soft tip is key to those brushes as the usual nylon 'bottle brush' usually has a metal tip that does nothing but scratch up the bottom of an actual bottle. For hard core scrubbing I have an old nylon brush on a handle that was bought long before I knew things were made with materials of variable merit, but hey, it is still in use at least.

The key hidden architect of kitchen maintenance is to appreciate the wonders of cast iron- anything I can't scrape off with careful application of a metal spatula becomes either seasoning or part of the next meal...

I like the Swedish dish cloths made of paper. Very absorbent and quick drying.  When they get  thin,  discolour and slightly tattered, I use in place of paper  towels  to  pat meat dry, or under bacon etc.
When they’re totally used, I cut into bits and use in potted plants.  I make all our bread and I LOVE that they don’t get gummy w dough like anything cotton.
They seem like a bit of an investment but prices coming down and there’s no plastic!!

Just don’t throw in the dryer. They shrink.  

Hi Olivia,

Welcome to Permies.