Every kitchen runs on cloths. They wipe worktops, mop up spills, polish stainless steel and dry dishes and glasses. In a home kitchen, a muddled drawer of cloths is an annoyance. In a café or restaurant kitchen, it can become a hygiene problem. This guide covers the main types of kitchen cloth, a simple hygiene routine, colour coding in food areas and when to replace your cloths.
The main types of kitchen cloth
Most kitchens use a mix of three types, each with its own job.
Microfibre cloths for wiping and cleaning
Microfibre cloths are made from very fine synthetic fibres that pick up crumbs, grease and spills and hold them in the cloth. Used slightly damp with your usual cleaning product, they suit worktops, hobs, splashbacks, fridge doors and stainless steel. Used dry, they buff surfaces and appliances.
Because they are washable, microfibre cloths are a good fit for kitchens that want a steady, reusable stock. Our 40 × 40 cm, 350 GSM microfibre cloths come in packs of 24 in yellow, pink and blue. See how to wash microfibre cloths to keep them working well.
Tear-away rolls for quick wipe-downs
Many cafés, bars and takeaways keep a roll of tear-away sheets at each station. Staff take a fresh sheet for a spill or a table, then move on, rather than reaching for whatever cloth is nearest. Our microfibre cleaning rolls have 50 sheets of 30 × 30 cm per roll, in green and blue, and come 9 rolls to a box.
Tea towels for drying
Tea towels are for drying dishes, glasses and cutlery, not for wiping worktops or hands. Keeping drying and cleaning separate is one of the simplest hygiene habits in any kitchen. Our tea towels come in packs of 20 in green, yellow, pink and blue, with 10 packs to a trade box.
A simple kitchen cloth routine
Cloths are only helpful while they are clean. A damp, dirty cloth left in a warm kitchen can spread dirt from one surface to the next. A few habits make a big difference.
At home
- Keep one cloth for worktops and tables, one for the sink and dishes, and tea towels for drying only.
- Use a separate cloth, or kitchen roll, after handling raw meat, poultry or fish.
- Rinse cloths after use and hang them to dry rather than leaving them balled up in the sink.
- Swap in a clean cloth every day or two, and wash used ones regularly.
In a café or restaurant kitchen
- Clean cloths at the start of every shift. Have a stock ready so no one starts with yesterday's cloth.
- Change cloths through the day. Set points for swapping, such as after service, after raw food prep or when a cloth is visibly dirty.
- Keep raw and ready-to-eat apart. Use different cloths, or single-use sheets, for raw food areas.
- Have a dirty cloth bin. Used cloths go straight into a labelled container, not back on the worktop.
- Follow your food safety procedures. The Food Standards Agency's Safer Food, Better Business pack covers cleaning and cross-contamination, and your local authority can advise. Your own documented procedures come first.
Colour coding in food areas
Colour coding gives each area its own colour of cloth, so a cloth used in one place never ends up in another. In many UK kitchens, green is used for food preparation areas, but sites adapt schemes to suit how they work. You might, for example, use one colour for front-of-house tables, another for the food prep area and another for the washroom.
The rules only work if everyone knows them. Put a short colour chart on the wall where cloths are stored, and include it in staff training. Our guide to colour-coded cleaning cloths sets out the common UK scheme.
Wash each colour separately too. Washroom cloths should never share a wash with kitchen cloths. General advice for microfibre is to wash it on its own with a normal detergent, without fabric softener or bleach, and to dry it on low heat or air-dry. Always follow any care instructions supplied with your cloths.
When to replace kitchen cloths
Even well-washed cloths wear out. Replace a cloth, or move it to rough jobs such as bins and floors, when it:
- smells even after washing
- has stains that won't shift
- feels stiff or rough, or no longer picks up crumbs and spills
- is thin, torn or fraying at the edges
- has been used for a job it shouldn't have, such as a washroom cloth that ended up in the kitchen
For busy kitchens, it helps to plan stock in sets: one set in use, one in the wash and one clean and ready. That way no one is tempted to keep using a cloth past its best.
Buying kitchen cloths for a business
Cafés, restaurants, pubs and catering businesses usually buy cloths in bulk so they never run short mid-service. All three of our kitchen staples are sold in trade quantities: microfibre cloths in boxes of 12 packs of 24, tea towels in boxes of 10 packs of 20, and cleaning rolls in boxes of 9. See microfibre cloths for hospitality for trade options, or request a quote for regular orders.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best cloths for kitchen cleaning?
Most kitchens use washable microfibre cloths for wiping worktops and appliances, tear-away sheets for quick single-use wipe-downs, and tea towels kept for drying only. Using the right cloth for each job is more important than any one type.
How often should you change kitchen cloths?
At home, every day or two, and straight away after wiping up raw meat or fish. In commercial kitchens, start every shift with clean cloths and change them through the day, following your food safety procedures.
Should tea towels be used for wiping worktops?
No. Keep tea towels for drying dishes, glasses and cutlery. Use separate cloths for worktops, tables and spills so dirt isn't carried onto clean crockery.
What colour cloth is used for food areas?
In many UK kitchens, green cloths are used for food preparation areas. Sites can adapt the scheme, as long as the rules are written down and everyone follows them.