How to Wash Dish Towels: Can You Wash Them with Regular Laundry?

Are Dish Towels Sanitary? What You Need to Know First

Kitchen towels are some of the most used items in your home, and they pick up a lot in the process: grease, food residue, bacteria from raw produce, and moisture. Research from the University of Arizona found that nearly 89% of kitchen towels sampled showed coliform bacteria, with a portion testing positive for E. coli. That number sounds alarming, but it is not a reason to panic. It is a reason to wash them regularly and wash them properly.

Dish towel bacteria build up faster than most people expect. A towel that dried your hands after handling chicken, then wiped the counter, then dried a glass, all in one afternoon, is carrying a lot more than you might think. This does not mean dish towels are unsanitary by nature. It means washing frequency and method matter.

The good news: cotton and linen dish towels handle heat well. A proper wash at the right temperature takes care of the bacteria problem completely.

How Often Should You Wash Dish Towels?

Wash dish towels every one to two days during regular kitchen use. If you use yours for heavy cooking sessions — handling raw meat, wiping up grease, mopping spills — wash them after each use. A towel left damp on the counter overnight becomes a breeding ground for bacteria within hours.

A practical setup that works well for most kitchens: keep three to four cotton dish towels in rotation. One in use, one drying after a wash, and one or two clean and ready. This rotation keeps things hygienic without forcing a daily laundry run.

Should You Wash Dish Towels Separately?

Not always, but sometimes, yes. The rule of thumb is simple:

Wash separately when:

• The towel touched raw meat, fish, or poultry

• It smells strongly of food or has visible grease stains

• You are doing a sanitizing wash at 140°F (60°C) or higher

Okay to wash with regular laundry when:

• The towel is lightly used (dried clean hands, polished glassware)

• You are grouping it with similar cotton or linen items

• Colors match, whites with whites, darks with darks

Washing kitchen towels separately gives you more control over temperature and detergent strength, which is why many people prefer it. But for day-to-day loads, clean towels can absolutely go in with your regular cotton laundry.

For more on keeping kitchen linens fresh and well-maintained, the guide on Why should you wash kitchen towels covers the full process in detail.

What Temperature to Wash Dish Towels?

Temperature is where most people get it wrong. Cold water is convenient, but it does not kill bacteria effectively. Here is a simple guide by fabric type:

For most linen kitchen towels, warm water at 40°C keeps them in shape while still cleaning thoroughly. Cotton handles the higher heat without issue, which makes it especially practical for deep-cleaning loads.

Can You Wash Dish Towels with Clothes?

Yes, with some conditions. Lightly used dish towels can go in with similar fabrics — think cotton t-shirts, kitchen aprons, or cloth napkins. The concern with mixing dish towels with clothes is bacteria transfer, especially when the towels are heavily soiled.

Avoid washing dish towels with:

• Delicate fabrics that need cold water or a gentle cycle

• Clothing that requires low-temperature washing

• Items that attract lint or shed fibers easily

The safest combination: batch your cotton kitchen towels with other sturdy cotton items of similar color, at matching temperature settings.

Can You Wash Dish Towels with Bath Towels?

It is possible, but not ideal. Bath towels and dish towels serve different purposes and accumulate different types of bacteria. Bath towels pick up skin cells and body oils. Dish towels carry food bacteria, grease, and kitchen residue. Mixing them regularly could transfer kitchen contaminants to towels used on skin.

If you do wash them together, keep it to lightly used dish towels only, matched with bath towels of the same color, in a hot wash cycle.

How to Clean Dish Towels: Step-by-Step

What you need: Laundry detergent, white vinegar (optional), stain remover, washing machine

Time: 5 minutes prep + 1 wash cycle

1. Sort by color. Whites together, colors together. This prevents dye transfer and lets you use bleach on white loads if needed.
   

2. Pre-treat stains. For grease marks or food stains, apply a small amount of dish soap or a paste of baking soda and water directly to the stain. Let it sit for 10 minutes before washing. For stubborn marks, white vinegar works well as a pre-soak.
   

3. Set the right temperature. Cotton dish towels: 140°F (60°C). Linen or delicate towels: 104°F (40°C). Refer to the table above for guidance by fabric.
   

4. Add detergent: Skip the softener. Fabric softener coats cotton fibers with a waxy layer that reduces absorbency over time. Use a mild, quality detergent instead. Half a cup of white vinegar added to the rinse cycle naturally softens the fabric without affecting performance.
   

5. Do not overload the machine. Dish towels need room to move freely during the wash cycle. Overloading traps dirt and prevents thorough rinsing.
   

6. Sanitize when needed. For a deep clean, add one cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle. For white cotton towels, oxygen bleach (not chlorine bleach) is effective and gentler on fibers.
   

7. Dry completely. Tumble dry cotton dish towels on medium heat. Remove promptly to reduce wrinkles. For linen tea towels, air drying or low heat preserves the texture and extends the life of the fabric.
   

How to Remove Stains from Dish Towels

Stains on kitchen towels are inevitable. The key is acting fast; dried stains are significantly harder to remove than fresh ones.

Grease stains: Apply dish soap directly and work it into the fibers before washing. Baking soda sprinkled on the stain and left for 15 minutes also draws out oil effectively.

Food stains (tomato, fruit, coffee): Rinse in cold water immediately — hot water sets these stains. Apply white vinegar or a gentle stain remover before washing.

How to clean smelly dish towels: A musty smell usually means moisture got trapped before drying. Soak the towel in a solution of warm water and one cup of white vinegar for 30 minutes, then wash as normal. This neutralizes odor without damaging the fibers.

How to clean stained dish towels with baking soda: Make a paste with baking soda and a few drops of water. Apply to the stain, let sit for 20 minutes, then toss into the wash. Works especially well on older stains that have already dried.

Can You Wash Dish Towels in the Dishwasher?

No. Dishwashers are not designed for fabric. The water pressure and heat distribution inside a dishwasher cycle will damage fibers, cause uneven shrinkage, and leave detergent residue in the fabric. Stick to the washing machine for all dish towel cleaning.

Best Way to Sanitize Dish Towels

For a proper sanitizing wash that goes beyond routine cleaning:

• Use water at 140°F (60°C) or above for cotton

• Add one cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle

• For white towels only, use oxygen bleach — it is effective without degrading the fabric

• Dry immediately after washing; leaving damp towels in the machine allows bacteria to return

A vinegar rinse once a week keeps towels deodorized and absorbent. It is one of the most practical cotton kitchen towels care habits you can build.

How to Clean Dish Towels.

How often should you wash dish towels? Every 1 to 2 days with normal kitchen use. After each use if handling raw meat or performing heavily soiled tasks.

What temperature kills bacteria on dish towels? 140°F (60°C) for cotton. This temperature effectively eliminates common foodborne bacteria, including E. coli and Salmonella.

Can dish towels go in the dryer? Yes for cotton. Use medium heat and remove promptly. Linen dish towels are better air-dried or dried on low to maintain their texture.

Are dish towels hygienic? They can be, with regular washing. The hygiene level of a dish towel depends entirely on how often it is washed and how it is stored between uses.

How to clean kitchen towels that smell? Soak in a warm water and white vinegar solution, then machine wash at the appropriate temperature for the fabric. Avoid leaving damp towels folded or bunched up — this is the main cause of musty smells.

Choosing Dish Towels That Are Easier to Keep Clean

The material you start with makes a real difference in how easy your towels are to maintain. Cotton is soft, absorbent, and handles hot washes without issue — a practical daily choice. Linen dries faster, resists odors naturally, and lasts longer with proper care. Both are far easier to sanitize than microfiber blends or synthetic options.

If you are looking for the best dish towels to buy for everyday kitchen use, 100% cotton or cotton-linen blends give you the best combination of absorbency, durability, and washability. Browse the full range of linen kitchen towels and cotton dish towels to find the right fit for your kitchen.

For deeper reading on what sets different kitchen towel fabrics apart, the guide on kitchen towel materials covers absorbency, durability, and care by fabric type in detail.

Know More: The Different Uses of Dish Towels