Replace This Kitchen Tool Every Week, Per Martha Stewart

If your kitchen is flooded with gadgets, sometimes it’s best to go back to the basics. Small and minimalist spaces require versatile tools that can accomplish multiple tasks without taking up too much space in the cabinets and drawers. But no matter how small your kitchen is, you’ll need a sizable stack of quality dish towels. While you may be tempted to reuse the same dishcloths over and over again in an effort to save space, homemaker maven Martha Stewart recommends replacing them more often than you’d think: “Change dishcloths at least once a week,” she advised in a 2009 column in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Zeppoli Classic Dish Towels, 15-Pack

According to Stewart, “sponges can harbor more bacteria than dishcloths because they’re thicker, dry more slowly, and have lots of holes that can trap small food particles.” For that reason, many of our editors prefer using dishcloths to wash and dry dishes, wipe down countertops, and tidy up other kitchen surfaces.

Like sponges, dish towels can accumulate bacteria and odors over time. Storing them correctly between uses is essential if you want them to last a whole week. “Whether you use a cloth or a sponge, rinse it thoroughly under hot running water after each use and wring it well,” Stewart suggested. “Store it so that it dries quickly and remains dry. Don’t fold a cloth or leave a sponge in the sink.”

To keep your kitchen odor- and bacteria-free, stock up on this 15-pack of dish towels from Zeppoli (and maybe snag one of these editor-loved kitchen candles, too). The towels are made from 100% natural ring-spun cotton, so they’re soft and flexible from the first use. They’re gentle enough to use on fragile dishes and glassware.

After testing dozens of kitchen towels from popular brands, our editors named this set the best value. The set comes with 15 towels for less than $2 apiece, and they feel surprisingly luxurious for the price. Not only were they the most absorbent towels we tested, but they’re also lint-free, so they won’t leave streaks or tufts of cotton on your dishes. Plus, they’re machine-washable, so it’s easy to remove stains, and we found dryer shrinkage to be minimal.

Ready to make your kitchen spick, span, and Martha-approved? Head to Amazon and snag this 15-piece set of Zeppoli towels for just $28.

More Kitchen Towels to Shop

Utopia Cotton Bar Mops, Pack of 12

Infinitee Xclusives Cotton Kitchen Towels, Pack of 6

Lazi Kitchen Dish Towels, Pack of 6

Homaxy Cotton Waffle Weave Dish Cloths, Pack of 6

Utopia Dish Towels, Pack of 12

At the time of publishing, the price was $28.