tea towels

[WhyOhWine]

Apologies if this has been done (I know towels is a regular theme), but i wanted to ask about tea towels:

1. do you have matching tea towels or a random selection (in the way of mugs)

2 how often do you wash them? 3 how often do you get rid completely? 4 where do you keep the ones that are in use at any given time (e.g. hung over the handle of the oven, a rail somewhere etc.

Just getting our kitchen done and want to order some new tea towels to replace our random selection, and it just got me thinking about all things tea towels.

I've got a random selection. Use one at a time, wash it about 3 times a week, hang it over the oven door handle. I don't have much of an interest in tea towels 🙂

Random mix of sets - probably buy a set of 3 in a gingham pattern a year from primark when my old ones are looking extremely filthy. Clean ones folded in a drawer. I have a holder for the broom with hooks on that I drape ones in use on, usually 2 on the go at once. Wash them weekly.

Mine are random, VERY like our mugs! I tend to have one towelling one and one cotton or linen one, on the bar-handles of the ovens. They get hurled into the washing basket about two or three times a week. They go into the rag box if hopelessly torn or stained, where they will either end up being used instead of kitchen roll for really grim jobs, or go to textile recycling. I think the last time I bought new was about four years ago, a pack of three in the central aisle of joy in Lidl. We've just had a top up of supplies from clearing out my late MIL's kitchen after her death late last year so I doubt we'll be buying any more soon.

I just bought 3 new tea towels, threw two old ones out. They are pink and cupcake themed. I also bought the matching oven glove. Don't want to use them though as I don't want to ruin them. I have a dresser that separates my kitchen from living room and have hung them with hooks on the side.
Good luck finding your dream tea towels.

Random selection. I occasionally buy them as souvenirs.

Ones in use get hung on the handle of the dishwasher, or one of the drawers but they don't tend to stay out very long.

I don't find they get worn out that often, most of mine have lasted many years. Tatty ones are used to clean worktops rather than dry dishes.

I tend to buy sets that vaguely coordinate. I have one over the oven rail and one over the handle by the dishes.

I have dozens of the buggers. Two usually hanging on hooks on the wall in the kitchen, get changed daily (or more often if used by DH for something grubby which he is prone to do, even though I tell him not to) and they get thrown straight in the washing machine.

They are all different ages, patterns and stages of distress.

1. do you have matching tea towels or a random selection (in the way of mugs)

Random.

2 how often do you wash them?

When they're dirty. I usually get through two or three a day which go into a covered bin in the corner of the kitchen. When it's full (once a week?) the contents get a long hot cotton wash.

3 how often do you get rid completely?

Never. Once they're too knackered to be used as tea-towels they get turned into floor/general rags and eventually end up in the compost heap.

4 where do you keep the ones that are in use at any given time

Handle/rail of the oven. Wife and daughters cunningly hang them in a damp crumpled pile behind something on the work surface.

Definitely like mugs. I did buy three lovely floral ones (which were on special offer at £3 each or three for £10 - I kid you not! - I bought them one at a time obviously) but otherwise they've all been gifts.

Some should probably be ditched as they're looking a bit ropey. I even have one with mice on that my mum gave me when I left home with the warning that I would be overrun [with mice] if I didn't keep up with my washing up. That one is at the bottom of the pile and never gets used because it's over 30 years old.

They hang on the oven handle and I bung them in the wash every couple of days.

I collect teatowels really, I have so many! Funny ones, ones from places we've been, ones people have brought back from holidays for me (Italian teatowels are huge and especially wonderful) and ones I just, y'know liked...

And a whole bunch of cheap-ass terrycloth ones for more heavy-duty use too.

The joy of tea towels is their randomness!

in our new kitchen they will need to hang on the oven or dishwasher handle and i am worried my current random tatty selection will ruin the look of my lovely new kitchen. i was hoping someone would come up with some clever discreet place to hang them!