Why do my e-cloths STINK ?

[puffylovett]

Been meaning to post for ages.

They're not old. They're washed every 2 days at 60 with no washing powder. (ecoballs)

They make my worktops stink, which makes me want to heave when I go in the kitchen. Particularly the green all purpose lakeland cloth.

Any ideas ?

[stickylittlefingers]

would it be worth having a go with washing powder (i'm hoping I haven't said anything sacrilegious here! ). I love my ecloths - don't have that prob, but then I do wash at 30 with persil.

[puffylovett]

I did try with daz the other day - no difference

Actually, mistake about the temp - they're usually washed at 30 or 40 then if they go in with the towels they're done at 60..

Cheers ! Might try wash powder on a higher temp

[nannyL]

i have this at work

what i do is boil the kettle... squirt on a bit of fairy liquid and pour boiling water all over it... boil the kettle again and repeat and repeat it all again.

it works

(beware when you pick cloth up cause it will get VERY hot when you squeeze it, i mean it feels cold enough to handle but when you squeeze it it is not!)

[puffylovett]

oh thanks I will try. Do you do it in a washing up bowl ? or just a flat plate... and do you leave to soak?

[nannyL]

we dont have a washing up bowl so just do it in sink with the plug in

[Bucharest]

My green lakeland one is the same
I soak it in boiling water with a drop of tea tree oil in it, but tbh, it stinks after each use. I think the fibres are so long that icky bacteria gets trapped.

[Bucharest]

My green lakeland one is the same
I soak it in boiling water with a drop of tea tree oil in it, but tbh, it stinks after each use. I think the fibres are so long that icky bacteria gets trapped.

[Bucharest]

Ooooh Puffylovett- are you the nutritionist??? I was looking through your immune boosting tips on a thread this morning and making a list of stuff for myself-

[FaintlyMacabre]

I boil mine on the stove-top with a bit of non-bio for about 10 minutes. Every few weeks should be enough. Just remember to keep the lid on or the kitchen will stink of wet cloth!

[FaintlyMacabre]

Must add, I do wash them in the washing machine (at 40/60) more frequently than that!

[Mintyy]

Blardy hell! seems like a lot of effort to end up with a stinky cloth! What's wrong with a common or garden j cloth? Or one of those white cotton dishcloths?

I pour boiling water over my dishcloths every time I have a cup of tea and am not going to use the rest of the water in the kettle. Keeps em fresh for days. And they get washed in with the towels or sheets at 60 with lots of lovely Persil! I'm obviously a terrible person .

[puffylovett]

I've just been using persil on DP's workshirts (the ecoballs just don't QUITE get the grimy neck stains out) and I'd forgotten how nice it was ! Mmmm fresh smelling line dried, freshly ironed washing. Yum.
Now if only I could get my stinky ecloths to do the same

Minty - I bought them because I didn't want to keep replacing my ordinary kitchen sponges and they sounded environmentlly friendly. But yes what a blummin palava !!

Right so I've tried this week washing at 95 with Daz & that's got rid of the smell.

But - isn't the whole point of ecloths that you don't need to use detergent with them because they're naturally anti bacterial

[Furball]

I shove mine in the top rack of the dishwasher everyday. Ring it out and it's good to go.

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

It does say on the packet not to wash them with anything else esp. towels as the fibres they will attract will stop them working properly.

Maybe yours have become clogged up with fibres, which have in turn become full of bacteria, stopping the cloths from being anti-bacterial?

Because of this I have always boiled mine on the stove as I didn't want to run the machine for such a stupidly small load (though I do have 7 e-cloths). I'm thinking as mentioned above that a hot cycle of the dishwasher would also be ideal.

I'm not sure if you can do anything to reverse this though.....

[abraid]

Hang them on the washing line and let them have a good blow.

[puffylovett]

washing line makes no difference



Maybe that's it then, I must've read the instructions about not using detergent and utterly missed the bit about nothing else in the wash - they usually go in with either DPs clothes, towels or teatowels

It's official, I am an idiot

I'll try stove boiling then and see if that works !

Thanks all

[stickylittlefingers]

Have you tried asking Lakeland? They're normally extremely helpful... I am a bit flummoxed tho because mine have never smelt as such - they've got dirty and obviously if I use one to wipe up curry it's then going to smell of curry - but after washing it it's fine again... Is it getting properly dry between uses?

Am puzzled, very puzzled (because I am generally not an exemplary housewifey type!! I do not deserve to have unstinky e-cloths )

[OurLadyOfPerpetualSupper]

I couldn't be doing with boiling cloths - but I only ever use a cloth once and then it goes in the grotty cloth basket for the next time I do a 60 degree wash, same with flannels and teatowels get changed daily.
They never stink unless, as someone said, they haven't been dried properly.