Tea towels have been the most significant kitchen essentials. They are made in a size of a hand towel with elegant designs and colors that add to an overall presentation at your tea times. You can use them when expecting some guests for tea to make your table more tempting and bright.
People often confuse tea towels with kitchen towels or hand towels. Though they mostly come in the exact sizes, they offer different purposes. Let's find what tea towels are used for and the difference between a hand towel and a tea towel.
What are Tea Towels?
Tea towels are flattened cotton linen cloth, unlike run-of-the-mill and fluffy hand or terry toweling bath towels. They are not thick instead, they are thin, so they come with no fear of lint. They are made more decorative with prints and vibrant colors.
The use of tea towels dates back to the 18th century when using them on ceremonial occasions was a tradition. Its use is not confined to tea only; we can use it for multiple purposes, making it a must-have. Tea towels are generally soft, plush, and highly absorbent. They are crafted to be made less airy to keep the things warm within them, such as tea or baked stuff.
Tea Towel Size
There are varied tea towel sizes available in the market. But the average tea towel measures 16 -20 inches in width while 24-30 inches in length. Some might come in larger sizes as per the personal preference of manufacturing brands.
Large-sized tea towels can be used for multiple tasks, such as covering bread dough or drying off wet dishes.
Tea Towel Fabric
The tea towels are made with lightweight linen or cotton, which makes them different from the terry cloth bath towel or burlap thicker sack towel. They are mostly made with Cotton to make them super absorbent and durable.
Other than cotton and linen, kitchen tea towels are made with synthetic microfibers such as polyester and polyamide. Hemp tea towels are the most convenient since they are eco-friendly and have anti-microbial properties.
Why Is It Called A Tea Towel?
The name roots back to British culture, which used to decorate their tea cuisine with tea towels. People of that age use cotton tea towels to dry off their tea sets or cover tables to prevent the tea from spilling during teatime.
Since then, these colorful tea towels have been used for tea.
Multiple Ways To Use Tea Towels
Due to varied sizes, and designs, tea towels offer varied functionalities. following are the most common ways to use tea towels:
You can make your breakfast more colorful by adding a colorful tea towel. Wrap your bread into it to keep it warm. You can use the tea towel as a Cloth dinner napkin by placing it on your lap during breakfast to prevent food from spilling. Placing them under our mugs or tables further adds to the placement of mugs on the table.
You can pull over a kitchen towel over the kitchen culinary to prevent dirt or other stuff from hampering the hygiene. Further, you can also pad a cotton tea towel between the stacked plates to prevent them from breaking.
Tea Towels Prevent Your Freshly Backed Items From Drying. By Wrapping It Within The Tea Towels, You Can Maintain The Optimum Moisture Within Your Food Items.
You can place your hot food items over the tea towels to prevent your hands from burning. Let your food items cool down a bit, keeping the moisture intact, and then you can enjoy it once it cools down.
Clean or dry your green vegetables with a soft tea towel. Wiping them off with a soft tea towel dries them off and keeps the delicate greens, such as fresh olives, thyme, or celery, intact. Using tea towels for vegetables also keeps the crisp maintained.
Placing the wet dishes over a tea towel prevents them from slipping from a plate stand or shelf. Placing them right away over the wooden shelf will damage the wood, plus you might end up falling off some plates due to slippery surfaces.
- To Add Aesthetics To Your Guest Bathroom
Instead of using terry toweling every time, you can enhance the aesthetics of your quest bathroom by using a nicely sized decorative tea towel.
Just imagine you want to gift a tea set to your friend or have backed banana bread and send it to your friend’s place. You can simply wrap your bread or the gift in a tea towel instead of the mundane gift wraps. It is an eco-friendly way of wrapping gifts.
Line up your kitchen cabinet shelves with tea towels to absorb all the water spills. It prevents the cabinets from damaging and makes them more appealing and well-organized.
How Do You Use A Tea Towel In The Kitchen?
In the Kitchen, tea towels have multipurpose functionality. You can use tea towels to wipe your hands or shelf off after cooking. For handling hot burning pans, you can use tea towels to hold them and to prevent burns. Thanks to their lint-free properties, you can use cotton tea towels to wipe wet dishes.
Beyond practicality, you can hand vibrant and decorative tea towels to enhance kitchen ambiance.
What Is The Difference Between A Hand Towel And A Tea Towel?
The main difference between a hand towel and a tea towel lies in the intention of use and varied sizes. Hand Towels are generally more compact to make them handy. They are also made with more fluffy, soft, and absorbent material to dry hands quickly.
On the other hand, tea towels are more extensive and offer more pronounced purposes than a hand towels. They can be used for kitchen cleaning, shelf mops, or wrapping.
While both hand towels and bath towels are meant to dry off instantly, tea towels have a broader horizon of applications. This feature makes tea towels a suitable replacement for hand towels.
What To Do With A Decorative Tea Towel?
You can use decorative tea towels for multiple purposes. Decorative tea towels may be used as fabric for various sewing and craft tasks. Use the colorful designs on the tea towels to make tote bags, aprons, or pillowcases. Decorative tea towels are a fun addition to any holiday or particular occasion table setting. Use them as party décor by hanging them on walls, draping them over furniture, or placing them in interesting places.
Where to Buy Tea Towels?
If you are looking for durable, vibrant, and super-absorbent tea towels, you can get them from Weave Essentials. They offer various towels, bath robes, and kitchen essentials range to enhance the ultimate elegance of the kitchen and bathrooms.
Conclusion
As said, there are several possible ways to use tea towels in the best possible ways. Not just for tea, you can use tea towels as a hand towel and wrapping cloth to keep your foodstuff warm and free from dirt and flies.
You can make your kitchen chores hassle-free and convenient by getting soft, durable, and super-absorbent tea towels.