AIBU?
to not understand how people use a dish towel and dish cloth interchangeably?
MolyHolyGuacamole · 24/09/2018 19:37
(light-hearted...somewhat) Help me settle this 'debate' with a friend: dish towel/dish cloth. So, you have you dish towels, cotton and sometimes patterened, usually found hanging on the oven handle next to your oven mitts. Then you have your dish cloth (also known as a j cloth). Can range anywhere from cheap and disposable to micro fibre and washable. WHAT do you use each for? I use the dish cloth for cleaning up any spills/messes, wiping down counter tops etc. dish cloth for drying hands and dishes. But numerous people have come to my house, made a spill (most memorable was red wine) and before I could do anything they quickly dash up and grab my beautiful dish towel to clean up the mess. So now, not only does it have to go in the wash, but it's stained 
I've also witnessed people use it to mop up spills by the sink or sauce (with a dish cloth being within reach) then hang it back all damp and yucky like that's the norm 
so...is it?? Am I just abnormal? Surely as soon as you use it to clean up a mess it can't be used again, as it's now dirty? I only have a couple, so it's not like I run the machine the whole time
ilovepixie · 24/09/2018 19:39
Dish cloth to wash dishes and clean counter tops, cooker tops, doors and so on
Dish towel drying dishes
PestymcPestFace · 24/09/2018 19:41
No dish towels here (pesky southerner). We do have dozens of tea towels that are used to soak up spills and other messes, then straight to wash. Dish cloths stay in the sink for washing up purposes only.
Poloshot · 24/09/2018 19:42
A family member had a row with his brother in law about using the tea towel to dry his hands which ended up in him never seeing him again and both wives only ever seeing each other in coffee shops or cafes 😂
ShirleyPhallus · 24/09/2018 19:42
My parents have always had a separate hand towel to dish towel cos they thought drying your hands on the teatowel was rank (as a slight aside)
Candlestickchick · 24/09/2018 19:42
You use the same cloth to wash up as you use to clean the counter tops?
IfIWasABirdIdFlyIn2ACeilingFan · 24/09/2018 19:43
Dish cloth: washing counters and table. Dish towel: don’t have one but would be for drying dishes that were washed in the sink (I use dishwasher) Hand towel: drying hands.
Dontsweatthelittlestuff · 24/09/2018 19:45
Dish cloth lives by the sink and used for washing up and wiping surfaces. T towel hangs on a peg on the wall and used for drying dishes. Both are go in the wash mostly daily so not really an issue if someone uses the t towel on a work surface.
Bestseller · 24/09/2018 19:45
First it's dish cloth and tea towel. Second, neither is for hands, you have a hand towel for that. Generally, the dish cloth is for cleaning/wiping and the tea towel for drying but both need replacing at least daily so if a larger spill needs the bigger cloth, then tea towel may be used and replaced
Mummaluelae · 24/09/2018 19:48
Dish cloth for spillages and washing dishes! Tea towel for drying! Although my oh uses towel to clean up spillages. Arghhhh
DerelictWreck · 24/09/2018 19:50
Dish cloth and tea towel and 
to drying your hands on the tea towel or using the dish clothe to wipe down surfaces!
SoyDora · 24/09/2018 19:51
Cloth for wiping. Sponge for washing dishes (well the dishwasher for washing dishes but the odd thing gets hand washed by a sponge). Tea towel for drying dishes not washed in dishwasher.
Littlewhitedove · 24/09/2018 19:53
Dish cloth...for washing dishes. Tea towel...for drying dishes. Hand towel for drying hands. That's us.
Gindrinker43 · 24/09/2018 19:53
dish cloth for wiping surfaces, washing up sponge for the dishes, tea towel for drying up dishes, hand towel for hand drying. My old home economics teacher would have had a fit if at anything different!
Nothisispatrick · 24/09/2018 19:55
I use tea towels and sponges, so I’m no help to this debate. No dish towels or dish cloths.
MacosieAsunter · 24/09/2018 19:56
A dishwasher is for washing and drying dishes. Therefore a dishcloth is now relegated to wiping counters down and tea towel has by default become the hand towel. Both go in the washing machine daily, if not twice daily.
QuestionableMouse · 24/09/2018 19:57
Why wouldn't you use a clean dish cloth to wipe surfaces? Mine go in with the tea towels and are used for one day before being put through the wash again. Tea towel is for drying dishes or clean hands. Oh and I don't have oven gloves, I use a folded tea towel for that too.
Sparklingbrook · 24/09/2018 19:57
I don't use dishcloths or tea towels. So I am no help at all.
DolorestheNewt · 24/09/2018 19:58
Dishcloth for cleaning countertops, wiping up spills etc. Tea towel for drying the washing up. In three years, I've never got round to organising a separate hook with a hand towel for drying hands, but I keep meaning to because I do think it's a bit rank to dry hands on tea towels. That said, we have about sixty tea towels (thanks, MIL), so they never hang around for more than half a day before they're chucked in the machine and a new one is produced. OP, I recommend you buy a shedload of tea towels. A drawer bursting with clean tea towels is a happy thing.
brokenharbour · 24/09/2018 19:58
Had no idea what you were on about til someone translated. Tea towel is for drying dishes and hands. Dish cloth is for wiping down surfaces and sink.
NannyR · 24/09/2018 19:58
I have a cotton dishcloth for washing up dishes and a microfibre cloth for wiping down surfaces. The tea towel is used to dry dishes, then dry off the sink and draining board when I finish. I use a fresh tea towel and dish cloth every time I wash up - but there's only me at home and I only wash up once a day usually.
CloudCaptain · 24/09/2018 19:58
Dish cloth for washing things that can't go in the dishwasher and wiping down tops. Teatowel for drying the washing up. Handtowel for hands. Old teatowel/rags for mopping big spillages. Naice decorative teatowel for show only, when have guests (Mil or the Queen 
). Mop for really big spills.
viques · 24/09/2018 19:59
Hmm. Can I throw pillow and cushion into the mix? A pillow is a squashy thing you put your head on when you sleep. A cushion is a squashy thing you have on your sofa or chair. You can have a cushion , or indeed cushions, on your bed, but only for decoration, a cushion on your bed collects dust, looks naff, and you don't use it to sleep with. The cushions on your sofa or chair are not pillows, ever.
Sallycinnamon17 · 24/09/2018 20:01
No dish cloths here, we used one of those brushes. We do however have a separate cloth for cleaning small spills and surfaces. I don’t know why you’d want to wipe down dirty surfaces then clean your dishes with the same cloth . We also have a tea towel for drying pots and another draw full of spare tea towels to mop up large spillages.
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