For Longer-Lasting Kitchen Towels, Choose This Material

Kitchen towels are marvelous for drying dishes, but these handy essentials also moonlight in myriad other ways. Place them on counters to stabilize wobbly mixing bowls, employ them to strain homemade cheese, or use them like oven mitts; whatever you need, a kitchen towel has your back. But with so many versatile uses, these guys can really take a beating and become thin and shabby with use. For longer-lasting kitchen towels that don't need replacing too frequently, always select ones that are made of cotton.

Cotton is a fantastic, durable material because its natural fibers can withstand wear and tear as well as repeated washing. Plus, it's awesome at absorbing liquids and stays strong even when wet. The sturdy cotton kitchen towels chefs can't get enough of are made by Utopia. These restaurant-quality towels are perfect for mopping up spills, anchoring cutting boards, and drying the washing up.

Moreover, if you take proper care of them by washing them separately from your regular laundry and avoiding fabric softeners that leave a residue on the surface, they'll last longer. Washing cotton kitchen towels in a cold wash for a shorter period maximizes their lifespan, too. This is because lengthier washes in hotter water can cause more fiber loss and weaken the fabric, as well as adversely affect their color. Finally, try to air dry, versus machine dry, your cotton kitchen towels as this will prevent the fibers from becoming damaged.

While linen kitchen towels wick away moisture and dry faster than cotton ones, they are more expensive due to their labor-intensive production process. It makes better sense to stick with cotton because it's more affordable, has a tight weave, and is equally as good at absorbing moisture. (Just make sure your towels are fully dry after washing before folding them and putting them away to prevent them developing mildew or getting smelly.)

Plus, cotton has a smoother texture and doesn't wrinkle as much, which means it looks prettier hung over your oven door or drawer handle (this clever DIY hack for kitchen towels will stop them slipping onto the floor). The sheer abundance of cotton design options means you can easily find kitchen towels that match the vibe of your kitchen, too. In fact, Martha Stewart goes so far as to turn her dish towels into cute cafe-style curtains to lend her kitchen a whimsical country-cottage look.

With time and use, all varieties of cotton kitchen towels will eventually pill and wear out. Luckily, you can repurpose them to maximize their life span in new ways. For instance, instead of throwing out your old kitchen towels, turn them into Swiffer pads or use them as rags to shine mirrors.