Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Works for Me: Getting the Stinky Smell Out of Dishcloths

So I just wrote a long post about budgeting for this week's Works for Me Wednesday, and THEN I thought to check to see if it was a themed week--and it is. So budgeting will have to wait--even though it was quite a timely post, I thought, what with the government struggling mightily and so badly in need of my pointers. Oh well.

(Whoops. I hope Shannon doesn't count that as a political comment. Don't tell, 'kay?)

The theme is Kitchen Organization, and while this isn't exactly about organization, it'll save you having to throw out those nearly-new dishcloths that you swore you'd wash every day; you'd never use one for four days straight or leave one lying in the bottom of the sink overnight. You know the ones.

But you goofed just once and now they STINK. And they make your hands stink. And nobody wants to touch them. Or help you in the kitchen. (As if....)

So here's what you do. Invest in a bottle of oh-so-cheap white vinegar, put your washcloth in a cereal bowl and douse it good with the vinegar. Let it sit overnight, wash, and--yippee skippee--nearly-new dishcloth! (Sorry, this method will not remove food or coffee stains.)

Works for your husband's smelly t-shirt armpits, too. (Come on, I know Papa Rooster isn't the only he-man out there--I get search engine hits every day on this post!)

For more Works for Me kitchen organization posts, visit Rocks in My Dryer. And remember, mum's the word!

21 comments:

Michele @ Frugal Granola said...

Oh, I'm definitely going to try this vinegar trick.
Thank you!
Blessings,
Michele :)

Amy@ MomsToolbox said...

I feel better already. I HATE that icky smell and often, once it gets in there, I can't get it out. I'm definitely giving your tip a try.

Kathy in WA said...

Great tip! Thanks for sharing. Now we're all eager for your budget post as well. :)

Duckabush Blog

Nancy Sabina said...

Oh no. This post is not for me. I never let me rags get stinky. Nope. Never. And I especially never let two get stinky at the same time because I ignore the first one and just get a new one instead of dealing with it. Never.

Heather said...

Good tip! Does the vinegar on the t-shirts also get rid of the discoloration, or just the smell?

Anonymous said...

Thank you, thank you! It's so frustrating when my dish cloths stink even after washing them. Vinegar to the rescue... again!

Wanda said...

That was a message straight from Jesus!

I HATE stinky dishcloths....and no one wants to touch them. Including ME!

Thanks.

Frugal Finds said...

Great tip!!!

Jerralea said...

I put vinegar in the rinse water when I wash them but that doesn't totally take care of the smell. Soaking them in vinegar overnight might do it! Thanks!

Mindy said...

This is a great idea! I have a couple of not-so-fresh items I need to try this with! Thanks!

Kimberly said...

Oooh, and borax in the washer helps, too!

MamaHen Em said...

Oh I hate when my Rooster doesn't hang the dish rag up when he is done. The smell gags me and I just throw them out. I can't touch it cause then its on my hands and it won't go away. Next time I'll just put in the stopper, fill it with vinegar and be done! Thanks!

Kirsten said...

Jeannie:

I laugh my head off at most of your posts, which give me a welcome respite from most of my other computer-aided endeavors, such as researching my master's thesis! You capture the funny in the mundane so well! And, more seriously, your words are giving me a lot of hope and help dreaming towards being a wife and mother someday--even though that's not your sole purpose in writing.

Thanks for the inspiration!

At A Hen's Pace said...

I'm so glad everyone likes the vinegar trick, but Kirsten--you made my day! Glory be to God for the hope and encouragement you've received.

Dreaming and praying about your future along with you--

Jeanne

At A Hen's Pace said...

Oh, and Heather--No, vinegar won't help the discoloration on t-shirts. I think Oxi-Clean with really hot water has worked sometimes, or at least minimized it, but I don't know of a really good sure thing for that.

~Jeanne

Brenda said...

I was using bleach but it discolors the cloths, good idea!

Totallyscrappy said...

You mean I don't have to throw them away?

Audra Krell said...

It's the strangest thing, my three boys actually try to help by jamming the dishtowel in a drawer. Why they feel the need to clean up I'll never know. But it smells so bad in there!!!

Anonymous said...

I was just catching up on your site and had to chuckle cause I just discovered this little vinegar trick at the end of Sept. And I've been sharing it with my friends cause I'm so excited that my dish cloths are fit to use again. Smelly dish cloths are one of my pet peeves. It drives Brad crazy how I'll take out a dish cloth, use it once and then throw it in the laundry room cause once it gets wet it's all stinky. The vinegar trick is amazing! Ah, the little joys...

--Kim Johnson

Angie @ Many Little Blessings said...

I'll have to try this! I have had problems with sometimes not being able to get stink out of dish towels. Thanks for the tip!

Anonymous said...

I just tried a dischloth that doesn't get stinky. We bought it for camping but now we use it at home. It's called Scrubr and made by Lunatec. It dries so fast it doesn't have time to get smelly. Here is a link from our favorite gear reviewer, http://gearjunkie.com/camping-dish-cleaner-cloth