Whether you’re wiping up a spill in the kitchen or drying freshly cleaned dishes, having the right towel for the job is important. But what exactly is the difference between a dish towel and a dish cloth? Understanding when to use each can help keep your kitchen clean and hygienic.
Dish towels and dish cloths are two of the most commonly used kitchen textiles. At first glance, they may seem interchangeable – after all, they both have the word “dish” in their names! However, these two towels are quite different in terms of their materials, texture, intended uses, and care requirements.
What is a Dish Towel
A dish towel is a towel made specifically for drying and wiping in the kitchen. Dish towels are almost always made from terry cloth – a fabric constructed from looped piles of cotton. This gives dish towels their characteristic soft, fluffy texture.
The loops within the terry cloth weave make dish towels highly water-absorbent. At the same time, the cotton material is quite durable to withstand frequent machine washing. Dish towels come in a rainbow of colors and prints to suit any kitchen’s style.
Key Takeaway: Dish towels are fluffy, absorbent terry cloth towels designed for drying and wiping kitchen items.
What is a Dish Cloth
A dish cloth refers to a woven cotton cloth used for washing dishes. Dish cloths have a flat, smooth texture that lacks the piled loops of terry cloth. Instead, dish cloths feature a tightly woven fabric construction using cotton threads.
The smooth, dense weave gives dish cloths less absorption capacity compared to fluffy terry towels. However, it makes them more suitable for scrubbing dishes clean and wiping down counters without leaving lint behind. Like dish towels, dish cloths are machine-washable to reuse over and over.
| Feature | Dish Towel | Dish Cloth |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Terry cloth (looped cotton piles) | Woven cotton |
| Texture | Fluffy, soft, and lofty | Flat and smooth |
| Absorbency | Highly absorbent | Less absorbent |
| Lint transfer | Moderate lint transfer | Low lint transfer |
| Common uses | Drying dishes, wiping spills | Scrubbing dishes, wiping counters |
Key Takeaway: Dish cloths are flat-woven cotton cloths designed for washing dirty dishes and wiping kitchen surfaces clean.
Intended Uses and Benefits
When to Use Dish Towels
The ultra-absorbent terry cloth construction makes dish towels ideal for:
Thanks to their high absorption capacity, dish towels excel at sopping up liquids. Wiping down drips, spills, and recently washed items helps prevent water marks and spots.
The soft terry fabric also makes dish towels a comfortable choice for tasks like protecting your hands from hot dishes when grasping oven-fresh pans.
When to Use Dish Cloths
The key advantage of dish cloths lies in their smooth, lint-free texture. This makes dish cloths ideal for:
The flat woven construction gives dish cloths an excellent friction surface for scouring and cleaning. And using a lint-free cloth prevents transferring pesky particles during wiping tasks. This makes dish cloths the better choice when a thorough, residue-free clean is needed.
Key Takeaway: Dish towels excel at absorbing liquids, while dish cloths shine for scrubbing and surface cleaning without lint.
Proper Care Methods
Caring properly for dish towels and dish cloths is key to prolonging their usefulness. Below are best practices for laundering and storing each type of towel:
Dish Towels
Dish Cloths
These care tips help maintain both types of towels for optimal cleaning functionality over time. Proper washing and rotation prevent the growth of bacteria and odors.
Common Confusions Between Dish Towels and Dish Cloths
Now that you know the key differences, it’s understandable why dish towels and dish cloths often get confused or used interchangeably!
On the surface, both towels may seem suited for any kitchen wiping or drying task since they share the term “dish.” Many people end up grabbing whichever towel is conveniently on hand.
However, reaching for the right towel suited to the specific job avoids problems like:
Clarifying when dish towels vs dish cloths should be used eliminates frustration and optimize how well each towel performs the kitchen tasks it’s designed for.
FAQs
Can you use a dish towel for cleaning/scrubbing?
It’s better to use a dish cloth for scrubbing stuck-on food and grease. The terry pile of dish towels doesn’t provide enough friction for removing stubborn residue. Using too much force can eventually damage the towel’s loops.
Why does my dish towel get a sour smell so quickly?
Dish towels absorb not only water but also food particles and bacteria during daily use. Frequent machine washing with hot water and avoiding bunching up the towel while wet helps control odors and prevent mildew growth between washes.
Should you use fabric softener on dish towels or dish cloths?
Skip the fabric softener, as it leaves an oily coating that reduces absorbency in towels. Softener residue on dish cloths also makes them less effective at cleaning. Wash both towel types with powder detergent only.
How do you get stains out of dish towels?
For stained dish towels, try soaking in oxy-clean solution before washing. Avoid bleaching terry cloth towels as it can damage the fabric over time. Badly stained towels may need replacing for the best drying performance.
What’s the best way to dry a dish cloth/towel?
For maximum life, it’s ideal to dry both dish towels and cloths either on the low or no-heat dryer setting, or hang to air dry. High heat can damage cotton fibers over time. Proper drying also prevents musty odors.
Conclusion
While dish towels and dish cloths may seem interchangeable at first glance, understanding the key differences allows you to use each for what it does best.
Dish towels made of ultra-absorbent terry cloth excel at soaking up drips and spills and drying everything from dishes to hands. Dish cloths featuring a flat-woven texture specialize at scrubbing stuck residue from dishware and wiping down counters without leaving lint behind.
By using dish towels strictly for drying and dish cloths primarily for scrubbing and surface cleaning, you ensure each towel performs optimally. This avoids pitfalls like scratching glassware with lint or failing to absorb large liquid spills.
Keeping dish towels and dish cloths separate also promotes better hygiene, as it prevents transferring food or grease residue between towels.
