Getting those kitchen towels super clean!

On yesterday's post I mentioned how I get my kitchen towels nice and clean, using a mixture of cleaning supplies and letting nature help out with it's heat from the sun.

I spent many a year just doing what everyone else did, going to the store, buying this and that product, trying bleach and all sorts of chemicals to help me with my housework.  I didn't really think about it, I just went with it like so many others.

As my homemaking journey continued, I started wanting to be more independent and self sufficient.  I would sit and wonder how our ancestors got by, what did they use, because we know for sure that they didn't have all of these hundreds of products at their disposal.

We know that they had to use a lot of what was available to them, and use it to the maximum of their advantage.

The tip I'm about to share with you, is one such way to make use of products you already have on hand, but also to make use of nature and what God has put at our disposal.

But let's gather your grimy kitchen towels, and get going.  The first thing you will need is a big tub.  I use my dish tub for this and it works just great.

You're going to start by mixing in 3 to 4 tablespoons of baking soda, 2 cups of vinegar and about a cup or so of powdered detergent.

Give it a good mix, you will notice that it will bubble up as the vinegar and baking soda combine.

Boil some water, I use a big pot to boil quite a bit because I want enough to cover all the kitchen towels.  This is where you can judge for yourself, if you're only going to do a few then cut back on the ingredients, but I tend to keep my towels and wash them all once a week, using this method.

Also, I don't just put in white or light colored kitchen towels, I put in my colored ones as well, and they get nice and clean too.  This mixture and way of washing them, takes out grease and even stubborn stains.  I've never had an issue with it and always get great results.

Pour the boiling water into the tub, and then start adding your towels pushing them down with a wooden spoon so that you don't burn yourself in the hot water.

Once all the towels are in and covered completely with water, just set it out in a nice sunny spot and leave it.

I do this first thing in the morning and leave them out until about 5pm or so.

After it's been sat out all day, the water will still be warm, but you'll be able to grab the towels with your bare hands.  Go ahead and give them a ring, and then pop them in the wash.  Once done, hang out to dry.  You can use your tumble dryer, but I always hang mine out because I find that the sun helps again with the last whitening that I need.

I tell you nature is your best friend when it comes to getting things done, especially if you use it the correct way.

Look how bright and white they look?

How to whiten kitchen towels in the sun:

One big tub
Boiling water, 1 gallon
Baking soda, about 4 heaping tablespoons
Vinegar about 500ml  (2 and a half cups)
Powder detergent, 1 cup
Plastic bag to cover


Mix the baking soda, vinegar and detergent well, then pour in the boiling water.  Carefully add in your kitchen towels, be careful not to burn yourself.  I use a big wooden spoon to stir the towels into the water.

Place a plastic bag over the tub to cover. You're basically going to give it a nice steam bath, or a sauna if you will.  You don't have to cover with the bag, if the sun is hot enough, you can leave it as is, and that is what I did today.

Let it sit in the sun for a couple of hours.  It's best if you place them out in the morning and leave them until later in the day, or even overnight.

Wring them out really well, then throw in your washer.


I now have a fresh pile of towels ready to be used in the kitchen.  They smell good, they look amazing and I know they're clean and sanitized.  Next week Friday I will again repeat the process, once I've used them up in my day to day kitchen chores.

I do hope this tip helps you, and if you decide to try it out, do let me know how it worked for you.