Cleaning lovers are washing their dishcloths in the dishwasher

Some say it helps to disinfect grimy cleaning cloths

How to load the dishwasher correctly is something of a hot topic among cleaning fans. Cutlery handle up or down? To pre-rinse or not to pre-rinse? It's a minefield.

But cleaning obsessives are now putting dishcloths in there alongside their usual mugs and crockery. This care and cleaning hack is one of the more unconventional we've seen, however many cleaning lovers are raving about the trick.

sink with fairy liquid and cleaning items

(Image credit: Future Publishing Ltd)

We get through an alarming number of dishcloths each week - or even each day if we've done a lot of cooking. According to cleaning groups on Facebook, putting clothes in the dishwasher is an effective way of banishing grime and germs.

There are now endless cleaning hacks online, some claiming to help you perform standard household tasks like cleaning the oven in the blink of an eye. We think we'll stick to putting ours in the washing machine as we don't like the idea of cleaning cloths mixing in with our kitchenware.

raised dishwasher kitchen appliance layout idea in dark purple

(Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole)

While it might seem bonkers, some claim that it's actually much more hygienic than using the washing machine. This is due to the higher temperatures our dishwashers can reach.

Cleaning fanatics are placing the cloths on the top rack of the dishwasher. Others are even throwing washing up sponges in to be cleaned with their plates, bowls and cutlery.

Some people are saying it's a lot more effective than soaking cleaning cloths or putting them in the washing machine. There are some hardwearing scourers that can go in the dishwasher, meaning you can use them for longer, but it's not something we'd do all the time.

modern kitchen glasswasher

Dishwasher | Beautiful Kitchens tour

(Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole)

We think Marigold's microfibre cloths from Amazon are among the best cleaning products for everyday cleaning. When it comes to cleaning them, we usually keep used ones in a bucket under the sink and wash them along with tea towels when the pile starts to grow.

If your dishcloths have seen better days or have been burnt, stock up on some tea towels at Amazon to help keep the kitchen clean. Would you try this cleaning hack?

Millie Hurst
Senior Content Editor

Millie Hurst was Senior Content Editor at Ideal Home from 2020-2022, and is now Section Editor at Homes & Gardens. Before stepping into the world of interiors, she worked as a Senior SEO Editor for News UK in both London and New York. You can usually find her looking up trending terms and finding real-life budget makeovers our readers love. Millie came up with the website's daily dupes article which gives readers ways to curate a stylish home for less.