making dishcloths soapy

[jamielynn1985]

I've never liked dishcloths, I've always been a sponge user. I never really knew why, I just assumed it was because that was what I grew up seeing my mom use. I made a few crochet dishcloths because I've read so many things about people loving theirs and never going back to store bought. I do like them better than store bought but I still preferred sponges. I think I know why now. Dishcloths don't get the soapy, bubbly-ness that sponges do. I feel like they aren't getting clean without the suds. To me it's like I'm just wiping them with water and I keep putting soap on the dishes to get the suds and I'm wasting a lot of dishsoap.

 

Do crochet dishcloths "wear in" and become more sudsy? Is there something I could do to make them more sudsy? Am I the only person who has the "If it's not sudsy, it's not cleaning" problem?

[Needle Arts]

Since I fill my sink with soap and dishwater, then wash with either a dishcloth or sponge, then rinse, they are about the same in my estimation. My DIL uses a sponge with individual squirts of dish soap, washing while leaving the water running (too much wasted water for me). In that instance there may be a difference. The more you use a cotton dishcloth the softer it will become but I cannot say it would become any "soapier". DH prefers a sponge. I would prefer if a magical kitchen helper did it all without me!

[losingmymind2]

When you wash your dishcloths, don't use fabric softener, but you can add vinegar in the rinse water.

[Granny Square]

Ditto on the fabric softner; it adds a waxy coating and kills towels' absorbency (vinegar works great, is cheaper and greener--doesn't smell like vinegar when it dries). I also use a sponge strictly for dish washing and the 'dish' cloth for wiping the counter, table etc.

[123mama]

I dont like crocheted dish colthes but I love the easy knit one

[mclendon1]

Glad I'm not the only one! I love making them, but I don' like using them for the same reason. I like sponges, they do get soapier.

 

I also, do the 1 squirt, w/ the water running! Hubby hates it (tho he won't do dishes), says they dont get as clean if they aren't in a sink full of water. My reason is when I was little, my mom stuch her hand into a sink of dishes, came up w/ a broken glass, & a sliced hand.

[Real Deal]

The cloths have to have some air spaces to soap up better. Tight crochet will not soap up well. Although many people think it is too boring and plain, my favorite is to sc 1 row and dc the next row for as long and wide as you like a cloth to be. Then sc around once or twice, and you're done.

 

I usually make the rows in white or ecru, then do a colored edging. Having half the cloth in sc keeps it sturdy. Having it half in dc opens it up enough to make it more flexible and it will soap up better. I have found it to be a nice balance.

[happily hooked]

You're not alone, many people don't think that soap/detergent can't possibly clean what they are washing unless there are suds .... the formulators of cleaning products realize that this attitude is common so they actually put ingredients in that don't clean at all but make great suds (in addition to including the ingredients that do clean). Those sudsing additives are also put into shampoo and other products, but have no impact on how well the product cleans.

 

They sudsing agents aren't always added to a formulation ... sometimes you don't want your cleaning solution to suds, like with floor cleaners or clothing detergent.

 

Reminds me of a couple of engineers I worked with 30 years ago. They were roommates, we were all fresh out of college. They ran out of detergent for their dishwasher and decided it would be OK just to fill the compartment with liquid dish washing detergent (like Dawn, but I don't think Dawn was around yet). They had the biggest mess in their kitchen, the suds came out all over the floor about 3 feet deep! Had a difficult time cleaning it all up, but when they got through their kitchen floor was spotless .....

[CrossB4Me]

Your reply is similar to what I was thinking, Happily Hooked. I did a Summer Internship with Proctor & Gamble during my college years and learned ALOT of things Mom never taught me, one of those being that suds have nothing to do with clean. They are there for effect, just like the fragrances. Some countries have just the opposite mindset as Americans and prefer not to have sudsing, especially those where water is at a premium and washing out all of those suds is just too costly. So, know that whether your dishes have suds on them or not, as long as you've put the cleanser in the dish water, they should be clean. I know, I know...easier said than done!

[pixie56]

I've never used a dishcloth, they're too limp.

I use a green scratchy square for washing my dishes, and a sponge for glass ware. period.