Used tea towels and dish cloths

[AlexaShutUp]

We change our tea towels pretty often, same for dish cloths (don't actually use them for dishes, more for wiping kitchen surfaces etc). I like to wash them on a hot wash, separately from other stuff, so I usually wait to build up a few used ones before sticking them in the machine. My problem is what to do with the used ones while they are waiting to be washed. Can anyone tell me what they do, please?

I also don’t understand why they need to be washed separately? I just shove them in when doing a wash of other things.

I chuck them in a lidded bucket with Milton fluid. That sterilises then whilst waiting for a hot load.

We have 4 ikea sortera containers above the washing machine and dryer. One each for clothes, difficult clothes (like wool), towels and the last one for microfiber cloths. When a container if full (or almost) it goes in the machine.

Tea towels are mixed in with bath towels at our house

We have a separate laundry hamper in the bathroom for used tea/bath/hand towels and cleaning cloths, we get through a lot of towels as DP swims a few times a weeks. I like to use fabric softner on my clothes, but it's not really good to use it with towels, so having two separate hampers works for us.

After reading that bio washing powder only works at 40 degrees (60 kills the enzymes- right?!) I wash cloths at 40 with all other stuff. If I happen to be doing a towel wash I’ll put them in there.

I don’t use fabric softener at all.

Cloths and tea towels get changed daily and go in with my normal laundry. Then I chuck every cloth etc in a hot wash altogether one day a week. Works well for us.

I chuck them straight in the machine to go in with the next wash - they come out fine.

@BrutusMcDogface

After reading that bio washing powder only works at 40 degrees (60 kills the enzymes- right?!) I wash cloths at 40 with all other stuff. If I happen to be doing a towel wash I’ll put them in there.

Hotter water is better at activating the detergents and bleaching agents in powder, though. My towels that have been sat around damp for a bit too long definitely smell sweeter for a 60C wash.

I bought an extra compost caddy to keep them in.

I have a laundry bin in my utility room for dish cloths, tea towels ect. If you don’t have space for that how about a small plastic composting bin under the sink? I use a small one in my bathroom for facecloths and washable make up wipes.

I burn them after every use, lest they infect my precious washing machine.

Compost caddy here too. Perfect size and can sit in cupboard or on counter top and not look too offensive.
I have another one that I use to steep white socks (school socks etc) in a solution of vanish. They then gets added to a white wash once a week.
You can get them pretty cheap in poundshops.

I wash desperately on a high temperature and also usually add bleach to the load. I put the used ones in a little basket above my washing machine until I have sufficient for a small load. Usually every 3 days or so. Guess it depends on the location of your washing machine and available storage.

I just wash them, in the washing machine with the washing. Goes in dirty, comes out clean.

I have a small bucket with a lid that I keep in the cupboard. I soak them in a bit of bleach and water till I wash them