Flour sack towels are a piece of history that still have a spot in homes across the globe. These towels have been utilized for centuries and have a strong grasp on future kitchen and home decor. They are very diverse in their offerings, which allows you to utilize them for virtually anything and everything. These types of towels are often classified as a tea towel. If you are not familiar with this term you may be wondering what the heck a tea towel is.

What is a Flour Sack Towel?

A flour sack dish towel is typically a large piece of cloth that is  made of cotton or linen. They are most utilized to dry dishes, and had a spot in history for serving tea in Ireland and England, as well as other countries that have daily tea rituals. You will find that many tea towels bear breathtaking designs, which makes them ideal to be used as a decorative piece.

Kitchen Towel Verses a Flour Sack Cotton Dish Towel

Kitchen towels differ in the way they are designed. They are constructed with a looped, cotton terry material, and are used to dry hands and wipe countertops. Kitchen towels are known for leaving behind lint, and should not be used around food or to dry dishes. Many people will save their best dish towels to hang on a hook in their kitchen, so that they can be utilized to dry your hands off quickly.

Why Choose a Flour Sack Dish Towel

A flour sack towel can be utilized anywhere in the home. It is also popular among those who enjoy DIY projects. They are being used anywhere you live, work, play or entertain. At one point in time, people use to purchase flour in 50 to 100 pound sacks. Flour sacks could be found in abundance. They were highly sought after because they are versatile, large in size, durable and contain a tight weave. These sacks were often cut up and used as towels, polishing cloths, pillow cases and also utilized for apparel.

However, over the years, individuals have realized the many uses of a flour sack tea towel. With this, we have seen a huge decrease in paper products that are being used in the kitchen, as well as around the home.

These towels are free of all dyes, which means you do not have to worry about causing any type of irritations to those in your home. They are super absorbent and have the ability to dry very fast. Best of all, and one of the biggest bonuses to using a flour sack cloth is the fact that they can clean without leaving behind any lint. This makes them the best choice when drying dishes, hands and countertops.

They are so versatile that you will even find decorators using them to implement in various designs. Flour sack towels come in a variety of colors, patterns, images, artworks and text. Best known by those who enjoy DIY projects, as they are highly customizable.

Benefits Of Flour Sack Towels

★ Constructed from 100% pure high-quality premium cotton.

★ Made for longevity and to quickly absorb the liquid.

★ Used within a home or business setting for drying, wiping or cleaning.

★ Perfect solution for covering food, such as bread dough while it rises.

★ Many individuals utilize them in crafting projects such as embroidery.

★ Machine wash and dry.

★ All towels are pre-washed and preshrunk to help enhance its quality.

★ Lint free experience.

★ Appealing

★ All natural – perfect for diapering your baby.

These tea towels are dye-free, lint free and have the ability to absorb liquid quickly. Perfect solution for drying dishes, hands or countertops. In this guide, you will find 50 ways to utilize these amazing vintage kitchen towels.

What are Flour Sack Towels Used for? - The Ultimate List of 50 Ways to Use Flour Sack Tea Towels

Here are just some of the ways we have found that you can use a flour sack towel for! We have broken them out into categories around your home and business.

Kitchen

1- Dry dishes and cutlery – one of the most popular uses for flour sack tea towels.

2- Potholder or oven mitt – you will need to fold it into quarters or half, but they work perfectly for protecting your hands.

3- Polishing silverware – will not streak and will help your cutlery have a prestine shine.

4- Lay over rising dough – it will not leave lint on your bread.

5- Keep food warm – these towels will keep condensation from forming while keeping in the heat.

6- Clean salad – run greens and herbs under water, lay out flat and roll them in the towel and this will absorb all the moisture in the salad.

7- Store greens wrapped in a tea towel in a ziplock bag to keep them crisp.

8- Line your refrigerator crisper drawer with this towel. Easy clean up!

9- Place towel under cutting board to help keep it in place. You can dampen the towel to help give it more grip to stay put.

10- The towel is big enough to wear as an apron.

11- Replace paper towels with this reusable flour sack towel.

12- Wipe hands, countertops and cutting boards.

13- Use as a drip dry surface – these cloths are super absorbent.

14- Use towels to line kitchen cabinets – provides a stable and scratch free surface.

15- Store breakable dishes with tea towels between them. This will help prevent chips, scratches and clanging of dishes.

16- Use the flour sack towel to line the lid of your slow cooker, as this helps cut down on condensation.

17- Create an extra tight seal by moistening the towel and laying it between the pot and its lid.

18- Cheesecloth or strainer – great for those who like to make preserves.

Dining Room

19- Tea cozy – help hold in the heat.

20- Line bread basket – looks nice and keeps your bread warm.

21- Trivets – put the folded towel under a hot pan so it protects your dining room table.

22- Placemats – perfect DIY placemat project.

23- Place on the dining table as a reusable napkin.

24- Bib – large enough to be used when eating messy foods.

25- Line a serving tray – very polished look that will fit into any decor.

26- Table Runner – makes a great DIY project idea.

Home Use

27- Hand Towels – perfect for the bathroom when guest are over.

28- Pillow or sham – another great DIY project idea.

29- Curtains – perfect for a small window that needs covering.

30 -Hair towel – absorbs water quickly and will not cause extra frizz like terry cloth does.

31- Furniture covers – use on the arms or backs of chairs or sofa to help protect your furniture investment from becoming worn.

32- Dusting – will not leave behind any lint.

33- Cleaning windows – streak and lint free experience.

34- Stain remover – they quickly absorb and do not contain any type of dye. Soak the stain in 3 to 1 water-vinegar solution, lay the flour sack on top of it and use an iron on top of the towel to lift the stain.

35- Art Piece – Bring out the inner artist within yourself. Conduct a DYI project or place your decorated tea cloth in a frame so it can be hung anywhere in your home.

Gifts

36- Gift wrap – forget the wrapping paper, tea towels can be reused and are a unique way to gift wrap a special gift.

37- Flour sack tote bag or bread bag - a little DIY goes a long way.

38- Embroidery – sew a nice design on a flour sack cloth and give them as a gift.

39- Line gift baskets or spa items.

Other Uses

40- Ice pack – place some ice cubes in the towel and gather it. You can use a rubber band to fasten the towel together.

41- Use as a canvas for painting – very rustic look for those who like country or modern style décor.

42- Handkerchiefs – super absorbent.

43- Costume – can easily be sewn into a costume for a play, such as a shepherds headdress.

44- Use to wrap breakable items when moving.

45- Cloth diaper – are very absorbent and gentle on your baby's skin.

46- Bib or burp cloth – gender friendly and easy to care for.

47- Wipe the car dashboard, windshield or interior – lint free and easily takes away dust and debris.

48- Take on a picnic – can be used to sit on or help prepare your meal on a picnic.

49- Drop cloth – use when eating lunch in your car to catch crumbs.

50- Donation – perfect item to donate to pet shelters as they can be used to care for animals in a variety of ways.

Towel Hygiene In The Kitchen

Since these flour sack towels are used for various tasks around the home, you will want to be sure that they are always kept clean. Most often found in the kitchen, where bacteria easily grow. Here are some tips to help keep your towel clean and safe for kitchen use.

★ Keep separate towels – one to dry your hands on and one for dishes.

★ Do not allow your towel to be on the same surface that you prepare meat.

★ The sink is no place for your towel, as there are a lot of germs that live there.

★ Avoid using harsh chemicals with your towel. You never want to contaminate food when using your towel for food prep.

★ It's best to hang your towel up when finished, as your countertops will be exposed to bacteria. Plus, hanging the towel will allow it to dry faster.

★ Wash your towel every few days or immediately when it has come in contact with food.

There are so many ways that you can utilize a flour sack towel. The roots of these towels run deep and only continue to find their way into homes all over the world. Forget about paper products, go green and utilize a bit of history while doing so.