Talk to me about flannels / facecloths

[topcat2014]

We have always had sponges in the bathroom. I would like to move towards using facecloths/flannels. Nowhere seems to sell sponges as much.

Do you have one each? Should they get washed each day?

(we didn't have a sponge each)

We have separate ones (I'm not washing my face on the flannel that my husband has used on his hairy arse). I also wash after each use for this reason. In our house we have different colours for each person.

we use flannels.
absolutely one each and they are used once and then go in the wash basket.
we use them basically like a shower puff to scrub up with soap.
I use them to remove make up and wash my face in the evening as well.

We use a flannel each per day. They get washed after each use. Usually at 90°, a long with DH's handkerchiefs (we wait until there is enough to do a full load)

Two each, different colours (mine are black and white, his are grey and maroon) - one for face/getting makeup off with cold cream, one for everything else.

Chucked in a hot wash with towels twice a week, always rinsed out with very hot water, wrung out and hung up to dry thoroughly at the end of each use.

We all use a fresh one each every day in the shower. I like the baby ones that are thinner.

I only use them on my face. I tend to use a fresh one in the morning just to wake my face up and then reuse at night to remove my make up. Then it goes in the wash.

We have a stack of flannels, pick a clean one from the pile and then they go in the wash basket after each use.

🤢 at the thought of sharing sponges or unwashed flannels

I also have a big stack and take a couple into the shower each time. Some of mine are starting to fray, but I don’t care as I have so many. I have bought them from John Lewis in their essentials range at 35p per cloth. Great value and I love a good hearty scrub.

Those of you who put flannels straight in the laundry basket after use, do you put them in damp?
I’d love to use flannels rather than cotton wool for cleaning my face but I can’t bear when they’re left damp and get that musty smell, which I remember from childhood.

Fresh one everyday, when it’s used I put on radiator to dry then when I use new one next day chuck dry one in washing basket. I can’t stand wet ones being put in the basket.
I have a massive pile that we all pick from every day, put in the wash with other items so a constant rotation.

I used one every other day. £1 for ten from Ikea are the best coz they are thin and don't stay soggy.

I have a small laundry bin under the sink and put them in there still damp, I scoop them up whenever I'm washing something they can be mixed with so they're not really lying around long enough to smell damp and musty. I can see why that would be annoying.

DC grew up with a daily change of flannels or mitts and still use them, DC1 in the shower and DC2 for face washing and makeup removal, same as me.

I tend to pick them up wherever they’re on offer. The cheaper the better as they’re thin and dry faster. I got some at ALDI end of line clearance for about 10p each, so I bought 18!

It’s also a tradition to take those dry pressed blocks that turn into flannels under the tap in our suitcase, but they’re very bad quality (polyester backing) and don’t last a year.

I’ve been known to make my own mitts from old towels (you can get about 6 from a hand towel, just use the towel hems at your wrist and zigzag the sides) but IMO they’re too thick to wring out properly.

When they were little DC kept their daily flannel on the side of the bath but now they just go in the washing basket, wrung out.with brute force!

To quote Gina Yashere, "They're DIRTY!"

Why not wash with your hands?

We have a big pile of flannels and an old nappy bucket in the bathroom, one per use (so probably 6 a day between 4) and I wash every 2-3 days, when I do a white wash.

I also have a pile of them. Use one per day, let it dry overnight and pop it in the wash basket. Wash them with towels.

Why not wash with your hands?

it's not 'scrubby' enough and doesn't get make up off (I don't use wipes)

I only use then on my face with makeup removal. One a week here.

@TweeBee no, i don't like putting them in damp either. I usually wring them out and hang them over the bath over night and then put them in the laundry bin in the morning

@dudsville I only use them for makeup removal too but I use 2 per evening (double cleansing), can't imagine using the same one for a week before washing. When I'm on holiday I only take a few with me and hate having to reuse them without properly washing them.

I have a stack of flannels in a basket in the bathroom. I use a flannel a day for make up removal in the evening, leave it to dry overnight and chuck it in a specific laundry basket in the morning/once it’s dry. (All towels/flannels go in that basket - once it’s full I do a hot wash. I just do cotton wash at 60.)

Oh @TweeBee I remember that smell too !

I hadn't thought of using them for makeup removal. I had bought the little bamboo face pads a while back to replace the cotton wool I get through but really don't like them. They don't seem to take off as much make up as a cotton wool pad.

My kids use face cloths in the bath - ring out to dry after use and then into laundry basket to be washed with towels.