boiling teatowels

[ethandron]

do you?
i have a friend in her early 60s who insists on boiling her teatowels in a pan on the hob as she doesn't think they get a good enough wash in the washing maching.
personally i think she's making work for herself, mine go in a 30o wash along with all the other laundry and come out nice and clean.

[venator]

Humbersloop - I think it should have been a stool, not a stove, perhaps?

Dive girl - reference to dad doing it and big wooden prod thing could get Social Services calling round...

Oh, the times we live in!

[venator]

Jemisa - Ironing teatowels - arggh - do you starch your underwear? <]:-)

[cathfromsaron]

50 degs is good enough for mine! x

[boxtops]

I don't wash anything above 30 - I don't see the need. I do press teatowels (I too have a press) so they fit in the drawer, and I press pillowcases - apart from tops and trousers, that's all that gets ironed in this house.

[ladybirder]

The only thing I worry might have germs is the dish cloth and the way to ensure this is germ free is to put it, damp, into the mircrowave for 2 minutes on full. And if I was worried about my teacloths that is what I would do with them as well. But do make sure they are damp and let them cool down before you pick them up.

[Mosaic]

I can see where an older woman might be coming from - kitchens in the past would have seen much more raw meat eg I can remember rabbits and pigeons being processed for the pot on the kitchen table......
I used teatowels to aid my grip whilst dismembering a raw turkey at the weekend, and I considered boiling them afterwards but instead soaked them on their own overnight before rinsing out and washing 'normally'.
But I think factors other than the purely practical are involved here: female status / rivalry and standards of housework are closely linked. Others here have mentioned ironing socks - ironing bedsheets and knickers is another kitemark. In the past donkey-stoning the front step and mopping the pavement in front of the house were typical of these status-driven cleaning activities.
I once had a neighbour who would literally run her finger along surfaces if she popped in for a cuppa.

[venator]

Here's nasty for you - I use linen cloths for rising some breads, and in accordance with ancient tradition, they are never washed, just dusted with new flour.

Mind you, the dough is then baked at 200 degrees plus, which would kill anything.

[tamborine]

I have paper kitchen roll/jeyes cloths/mop to clean floor. Utensils all drip dry. Oven gloves for hot pans. No tea towels; what use are they ?

[hc4361]

I was all my dish clothes, towels, tea towels, face flannels, bed linen and undies at 75.

It does the washing machine good, too.

[shaneystar2]

I don't think it's much to do with status or rivalry .Germs more like .
You dry your body on towels and you dry your eating irons on teatowels .I'm sure washing them on 30 doesn't get towels really clean .Not clean enough for me anyway .

[ethandron]

well, what a lot of varied and interesting answers :o)
i totally agree, it's up to my friend, and anyone else for that matter, whatever they do, be it boiling teatowels, ironing socks, or anything else. i know that the boiling thing stems from years ago but am quite surprised that so many still do it.
what we all do in our own kitchens is one thing, those who work in a kitchen quite rightly have an altogether different approach to everything that takes place there.
i'm the same as boxy, i only ever use a 30o wash now, can't remember when i last did a 60o, and rarely ever did a 90o anyway.

[hc4361]

Eeek! Sorry, but it is not good practice to wash everything on a cool wash.

http://www.dailymail....g-dangerous-bugs.html

http://mrsaactionuk.net/mrsaathome.html

[Jimbo2]

Oh god sorry I have just seen this in latest posts and thought it said boiling testicles.
Must get myself down to specsavers

[Maydup]

I don't think my tea towels would stand a boil wash. I don't use the traditional heavy cotton ones, prefer the softer type. They go in 40degress with other stuff.

As for dishcloths, I tend to through them away after a while and use a new one. Either that or they get a wash and get relegated to the duster and rag bag.

[Hopkirk]

I used to microwave my dishcloths.

Now I just buy cheap J cloths.

[Jemisa]

Yes hc thats the main reason I mostly wash on 40o & do a 90o every month or so. Not only for cleanlinrss but for hygenic reasons too.

jem.

[hc4361]

I'm the same, Jem

[tenrec]

Be aware that 90 degrees is not a boil wash. However cooking in a pan on stove to boiling (100 degrees) is.

[NoMercy]

Boiling tea towels is bonkers.

Mine go on a 40 degree wash with a couple of sterilising tablets for germ-killing power.

[ethandron]

well it's good practice in this house hc, none of us ever died or got ill from an un-boiled teatowel, and my whites are sparkling ;o)
there are lots of things which i, and probably most of us do in our own kitchens which would, quite rightly, be considered totally unacceptable in a working environment - ever licked a spoon and put it back into the pan?? reheated something and not used a food thermometer to check??