How many uses can a man find for a clean tea towel?

grandtanteJE65

I have no idea at all, being happily married to a man who asks me for a cloth for any of the purposes you describe, and who knows very well what and what not to use a tea-towel, dish-cloth, floor-cloth or towel for.

I return the compliment by asking him which saw or hammer I may use when I on rare occasions want such an item.

I wish mine would ask for a "cloth" !! He insists on using the word"rag" aaaaargh!!!! Conjure up a pair of Pater's old undies used by ma as floor lotus in the b&w days- or WORSE! "Can I have one of your rags to clean the bathroom?" Yuk!

sandelf

Oops Yammy - I did nearly all these. Have put them aside and use micro cloths now - one box for 'clean' jobs and one for dirty and then hot wash.

Please give some thought to the environment.
These fibres wreak havoc on marine mammals ?

Hand it to a workman who was having trouble with some sealant. I still.have the cloth and occasionally pick off bits of sealant that that have come loose.

My late husband was very good but, like ExDancer, I have seen people (usually women!) who think the tea towel and hand towel are interchangeable and have just one for both purposes.

Cutlery was the thing with my husband. I ever found out why I kept finding dinner forks and teaspoons in the garden!

Made me laugh what a funny post.

I and my husband use tea towels for many things. None of which are drying the washing up.
If he would use one to wipe his hands while cooking that would be great. He just rinses them and wipes them on his shirt!

I'm certainly not letting DH see some of these answers they will give him more ideas.
As for the ironing, he can iron shirts but only the front and collar that was the only place that showed under the white coat. I worked with men who left dirty mugs lying around and when we complained they wiped them out with a Tea towel.
Our neighbour saw him fly swotting and gave him a plastic hand on stick!

Its not only men. I have a neighbour who pops in for coffee, and as she leaves she rinses her cup under the tap, wipes it dry then proceeds to dry her hands on the tea towel and carefully hang it up.
I used to be awed by her because her house is always tidy and sparkling, but now I think of her tea towels and feel happier in my cluttered, lived-in, clean teacloth house.

Lagging the outside tap over winter. Then bringing them back inside in Spring and insisting they will be fine after a “ rinse” ?

Callistemon21

I don't iron properly, apparently, GSM

It's a good ploy ?

I'm not familiar with that iron thing either

This is so true yammy, I even see it at work. The tea towel is soaking wet and filthy at work and the men still just put it next to the sink even though the washing machine is right next to the sink and there is a cupboard FULL of clean tea towels

Lots of use fly swatting over the last few weeks!

I had a guest who broke the cafetiere, used a special tea-towel to mop up, and then threw it away without telling anyone.

Oops Yammy - I did nearly all these. Have put them aside and use micro cloths now - one box for 'clean' jobs and one for dirty and then hot wash.

Polishing the splash back
Swatting flies
Drying the worktops
Dusting the microwave top
I am sure there's loads more too!

Callistemon21

^My father forces trained never had the same problem^

Perhaps we should bring back National Service - they don't just learn how to march, they learn not to clean their boots with the cook's tea towel!

The majority of ones in the 40's and 50's never learned how to push a pram or change a nappy. Young men of today are certainly much more hands-on with their babies and children. Maybe it's a good job we have disposable nappies though, that tea towel might have come in handy.

My father forces trained never had the same problem

Perhaps we should bring back National Service - they don't just learn how to march, they learn not to clean their boots with the cook's tea towel!

MawtheMerrier

grumppa

Now that's what I call sexism!

Hear, hear!
Are people saying women never grab the nearest thing or do any of these things?
(I don’t think DH was ever guilty of the above while he was alive either )
But as an aside, I do dislike this jokey “men are so useless” type of generalisation. It’s like saying women can’t park, or Essex girls wear white stilettos and blondes are dim.

I'm certainly NOT a sexist only an ex-teacher and I think when an intelligent person does not learn after 40+ years of suggestions there is something wrong in their attitude to the other sex they are the sexists." A lot of his attitude was learned at work.
My DH's profession allowed him to ask and be given anything he wanted, he never had to collect , sort anything, or tidy up after himself. I was warned by friends what it would be like when he started to help.
I am very thankful for all the help he now gives around the house which is a lot.
I meant the post as light-hearted and tongue-in-cheek. Why did I bother, although quite a lot of people seem to have a similar problem?
My DH certainly isn't useless at anything except grabbing the clean tea towel to do any job. My father forces trained never had the same problem.

My DH is the other way round. He won’t use a tea towel to dry up but uses kitchen towel which he says is more hygienic!
He also uses the argument that washing tea towels is bad for the environment.

Aha! Thanks!

I don't iron properly, apparently, GSM

It's a good ploy ?

Callistemon21

Is mine the only man who uses a tea towel for the proper purpose? Besides grumppa of course?

He irons them beautifully too (yes, I know ?)

I use clean ones for drying fruit & veg after washing, draining blanched vegetables before freezing (then straight to the wash). Covering baking etc.

I rarely dry up.

Mine uses the tea towels for their proper purpose too but is not terribly familiar with the iron.

My husband used a clean tea towel to clean the windscreen on his car. Never got the marks out.

I have silicone mitts to use when removing pans from the oven and grill. OH prefers to use a fresh tea towel. As a result the tea towels get badly stained.
He is very good at spraying chopping boards with bleach but will then wipe the excess spray off the worktop with a tea towel bleaching it in the process.
He has the cheek to comment about the amount of tea towels and hand towels I buy but happily takes the old ones to use in the garage. Wait a minute, could this be a deliberate ploy?

Is mine the only man who uses a tea towel for the proper purpose? Besides grumppa of course?

He irons them beautifully too (yes, I know ?)

I use clean ones for drying fruit & veg after washing, draining blanched vegetables before freezing (then straight to the wash). Covering baking etc.

I rarely dry up.