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Smelly dishcloths become the real problem when you need to use them to clean your freshly washed dishes, or surface of the kitchen. In fact, stinky dishcloths are not pleasant to be around when you can detect the faintly odd smell in the air. Smelly dish rags may even spread odours to other objects, surfaces in your kitchen, and worse your hand!  

Then you start to wonder yourself why do my dish rags smell bad? Technically, the odd smell coming from the dishcloth is not just unpleasant, it’s the bacterial breeding odour. Dish rags usually contains a significant amount of protein from food particles, grease, and water – a perfect living environment for bacteria to develop.  

Not just that, the bacteria easily transfer from dish cloths to your dishes, kitchenware, especially your hand, when you use them to wipe things. It’s a short way to food contamination. Sounds scary right? Don’t worry you can avoid this situation with useful tips below! 

Easy tips to keep washcloths from smelling 

1. Use the dishcloth made from cotton. Cotton is known as the fastest drying fabric when it gets wet. It’s also highly absorbent which is efficient for cleaning or drying the kitchenware. 
2. Hang dishcloths dry on the rack. Never let the wet dishcloth sit on the surface or in the bottom of your sink, it won’t be dry. After use, wash them thoroughly with soap and water, allow them dry on the rack where the air can circulate.  
3. Change your dishcloth usually. It is recommended to change your dishcloth once in a while in order to prevent the mold, bad bacteria grow inside it.  

If you have already had the stinky dishcloths, don’t throw them away just yet, below is the way to clean dishcloths without bleach. 

How to get rid of the stinky kitchen dishcloths 

Things you need: 

• 1 large pot 
• Vinegar 
• Drying rack 

Instructions: 

Step 1: Boil a large pot of water on the stove 
Step 2: Add 1 cup of vinegar 
Step 3: Put your stinky dish rags in the pot 
Step 4: Let it boil for 15 minutes 
Step 5: Let it cool down then wring the rag and place it on the drying rack under the sun or in a drying place. 

The combination of vinegar and the boiling water kill the bacteria and mold which are the cause for the odour. With this method, you can completely get rid of the unpleasant smell for your dishcloths.