Can we talk about tea towels?

[bod111]

I cannot believe I am asking this. This is a laughably luxury problem. I recently replaced my totally gross ancient tea towels with new ones following an attempt to lift the scummy slummy vibes in the kitchen. All my new tea towels - variety bought from different places, Habitat, local haberdasher, supermarkets have all shrunk to about half their original size within - like - about a month. Any advice much appreciated.

I have Ikea ones. 100% cotton. They don’t shrink, I wash them at 60 degrees and tumble dry them.

Hábitat is rubbish now alas
agree with ikea

Are they waffle fabric? Because I find those ones do. Normal flat ones don't. Last new ones I bought were Dunelm I think. Didn't shrink.

I bought a couple John Lewis tea towels - I was them regularly at 60 degrees and they haven’t shrunk. Very nice pattern too

Linen tea towels are the best IME. IKEA sells them sometimes and they don’t shrink. So much more absorbent than most cotton ones. They are a bit more expensive than cotton if you hunt around but last longer.

Lidl aren’t bad.
100% cotton and they often do sets of 2 tea towels and a hand towel in the colour of the season.

As a nod to DM I often buy National Trust tea towels which are Ulster linen and work better the older they are! Maybe you can find them in charity shops.

Oooh, I love to talk tea towels! I have an extensive collection, some inherited from my mum from whom I presumably also inherited the strict rules to be observed for the hierarchy of use of tea towels - clean, best ones for covering baking while it cools or food out on the table, then the everyday regular crockery drying towels, then the ones which may be used for polishing windows and mirrors, and then the lowest of all may be used for mopping spills or wet floors.

Proper thick linen glass towels are the best but I haven't seen any for sale since we were in a very old fashioned shop (sadly about to close down) in Bridlington a couple of years ago. Some of mine must be several decades old and they just get better with washing. Waffle ones are not good, I have a couple of very shrunken ones too - must get round to chucking them out.

As the linen ones get very thin with age they are good to use as pressing cloths for my sewing, and for drying salad leaves by wrapping them in the cloth and whizzing them round my head in the garden. Much more fun than a salad spinner.

Dunhelm ones are good

John Lewis waffle style. Currently reduced to £3 each from £5. Out of all the waffle towels, these are the best quality, dont shrink etc

I have such an image of you in the garden with your salad-filled tea towel in my head … 😄

😄A regular sight round our way in summer!

Warms the cockles of my heart to hear people washing their tea towels properly compared to the usual laundry horror stories! 😊

My favourite tea towels are vintage (but new) IKEA ones off eBay or I go to TK Maxx and buy some of the nice expensive cottony thick ones.

John Lewis or next are good.

Ulster weavers. However I think they are more declarative than functional as you won’t want to use them they are so beautifully designed.

This is next-level tea towels with new lore.

I am making careful notes thank you

Yes they are - I now see the error of my ways

Oh really enjoying reading all these responses thank you all - some key take aways I’ve noted:

Recommended: IKEA, new vintage, Dunhelm, National Trust for linen preferably Ulster linen.

John Lewis waffle ones don’t shrink as much. Habitat officially rubbish on this score.

Hierarchy. Different tea towels for different things.

Whizz around salad in special food-designated tea towels instead of a salad spinner. I will be doing this I don’t have a spinner they are too huge for our kitchen.

Clearly I don’t need to struggle alone on this anymore.

I only buy these. I don't like smooth tea towels,

https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-check-terry-cotton-tea-towel/grey/p1535177

And I iron my tea towels. The waffle ones do shrink until ironed then they go back to their regular size 😝

Amateurs, the lot of you! 😄

https://www.home-landing.co.uk/collections/charvet-editions?srsltid=AfmBOopZktrIbmNZQpzQOTvL6-8PtSaTehwz5CTsR4auW7QCAZkqOk_9

(Scroll for pretty colours. I’ve been buying these for years and years.)

My Ulster Weavers tea towels are still going strong after 7 years. They just seem to get softer and nicer as they age. Chuck them in a hot wash and tumble dry them - no ironing needed. The ones I bought from Ikea were awful and ended up in the recycling bin.

Dock and Bay are the best tea towels I’ve ever used. Large and absorbent and great designs. I’ll never buy anything else!

I also do the salad spinning thing - though more often in the kitchen than outside. 😂

Like a PP I dont like smooth tea towels. I only like waffle ones (not terry towelling).

Mine are all at least 20 years old though. Im very strict that tea towels are for drying washed things (not hands! There are hand towels for that). No special laundry treatment, nor ironing.

Ah so, as I suspected, it's not that they shrink at all it's that they pucker! Drawback of waffle. I like having a few waffle though. Not sure why.
We have usually about six tea towels out in our house: DH's personal tea towels, a yellow for hands and a blue for drying. Both microfiber and ancient. Possesses 2 of each. Bleurgh, I don't use them. My tea towels: one flat and thick, one flat and thin, one waffle, one actual towelling. All 100% cotton. Usage a bit mysterious but embedded in my rituals. Occasionally can be 3 or 5 on the go for no discernible reason. There's only us 2 living here. He doesn't use mine either! 😂
Tea towel drawer bursting at the seams. Probably about 50-60 altogether. Some very decorative but still used when I'm feeling a bit luxurious. Kept safely in drawer if I'm feeling abstemious.
Favourite tea towels: Paris souvenir, blue and white and large, purple waffle, getting old and thin, pink towelling, much used and a bit stained.
Lol. 😂