Washing teatowels

[17caterpillars1mouse]

Yes not the most interesting topic of conversation but I'm sick of buying pretty teatowels that so quickly look tatty or get stained. How do people keep their teatowels looking nice?

Moving house soon and want to invest in some lovely new ones but how do i keep them looking pretty (other than not using them obviously)

What do you use them for that they get stained?

I don't. They all end up stained. All get bunged on a hot wash which probably doesn't help as it sets any biological stains.
Tea towels are functional for me - I don't expect them to look pretty, just be absorbent and washed lots.

Not helpful ... sorry

Buy darker coloured ones.

Well ours are for general 'mopping shit up' so spilled tea, toddler face/hands etc or drying/polishing surfaces etc. Mainly tea and various pasta based sauces by the look of it
We have a big pile of them and they're used and washed on hot. We actually don't use them for drying crockery etc :)

At the risk of sounding like an 80's ad for washing powder, my tea towels always come out great.

I wash them at 90 with non bio. They are predominantly white.

I soak mine in bleach from time to time. Can't get rid of tumeric stains though!

I have a stack of microfibre cloths for mopping up kids and spills. Tea towels for drying dishes and clean hands.

Tea towels for best? Love it

Put them out in the sun. Even in winter a few days on the line brings out so many stains. Especially good on kids clothes and cloth nappies too.

I admit, I have tea towels 'for best' along with oven gloves. They're lovely Cath Kidston ones. I use the weathered, stained sainsbo ones for actual tea towelling

Mine aren't stained and I use them for mopping up spills. I get through about 3 a day.Aldi Bio detergent seems to do the trick, I don't hot wash either, just a 40 degree cycle.

Only buy cotton or linen. Wash in a hot wash with other towels. Never had a problem with stains. We use old terry towelling towels for mopping up spills and things. Stains like turmeric come out with sunlight - stick the stained item on a sunny windowsill.

I have a whole stack of cut up t shirt and towel rags in a box under the sink which I use for general mopping up spills or similar.

If they are lightly used, they get bunged in the wash, or binned if if badly soiled.

I get unreasonably annoyed when Tv and films show things like men wiping shaving foam off their faces with hand towels.

I buy cheap ones the 5 for £5 in Tesco type in a dark colour when they get tatty I bin them.

Mine are all white/very light colours and patterns; I buy cotton Terry ones.

Wash them with the white wash and use whatever temperature they need, depending on how grubby they are. I second the PPs who suggest sunshine and line dry if possible.

Whatever you do, don't mix with a dark or coloured load, they will look horribly grey and manky forever more.

You won't need 'show teatowels' ever again .