Dishcloths and washcloths: do they still look nice after washing?

Dear users, dear designers,
There are lots of great dishcloths / washcloths with delightful designs in the shop. Are they just for decoration, or are they actually used and then washed too?

I can’t say anything about the dishcloths made of cotton yarn. I’d be interested to know if they take a long time to dry and if they “shrink” in the washing machine. In any case, I don’t use any myself.
But I think the dish sponges from Creative Bubble are great. They dry almost immediately after washing and really do look like new even after repeated use and many washes.

I use cotton dishcloths and really like them.

I use them as a liner in my vegetable crate to prevent excess moisture and, of course, for washing dishes in the kitchen. My knitted dishcloths don’t hold their shape as well after washing, but once they get wet again, no one notices.

The crocheted ones are sturdier and keep their shape well.

I use smaller knitted or crocheted cloths in the bathroom for my skincare routine.

 

We have countless knitted washcloths for the whole family and dishcloths in use. First, they’re a ton of fun to knit; second, I think they’re much prettier than the store-bought ones; and third, they’re really practical. For washcloths, I use either soft cotton or a cotton-bamboo blend, each with a yardage of about 155 m / 50 gr. They feel very pleasant against the skin—even my kids prefer them to terry cloth washcloths. In the bathroom, I also clean the faucets and shelves with my hand-knitted cloths.

Some of these cloths have been in use for years and have been washed many times. Over time, they lose some of their color, but they hold their shape well and come out of the washing machine just fine—or sometimes accidentally end up in the dryer, which they can handle just as well. Perhaps their shape retention depends on the yarn and the knitting technique? I knit quite tightly these days. A while back, I knitted double-faced dishcloths relatively loosely; they don’t hold their shape as well after washing and end up feeling a bit “floppy.” But as Petra already mentioned, once you start using them, you don’t notice that anymore.

Which yarn weight is best for dishcloths is probably a matter of personal preference. But that’s the beauty of DIY—you can experiment to find what works best for you.

In our household and my son’s family, the knitted washcloths and dish towels are very popular. They’re actually much more comfortable to use for washing than the terry cloth ones. Mine don’t suffer at all in the wash. They hold their shape well and dry quickly, too. I knit them using 100% cotton.

My dishcloths also hold their shape well—I’ve been using them for years. Sure, if one eventually turns into a colander over time, I’ll just make new ones; they’re quick to knit, and I have plenty of them. I haven’t knitted any washcloths yet—that might be worth considering :-) Definitely cotton, maybe with some bamboo—nothing else makes it onto my needles.

Best regards, Inge