Why Hanging Kitchen Towels On The Oven Door Is Unsafe

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Keeping a tidy kitchen is a must for any home. Whether through cleaning hacks to help declutter or tips for removing soap scum from kitchen sinks, there are tons of helpful ways to assist. However, anyone hanging their dish towels on the oven might want to think twice. While it might seem like an easy way to add some cozy decor to a kitchen, this might be counterproductive. Hanging the towel from the oven not only creates a potential fire hazard but also a possible source for pathogen cross-contamination in the home. To that, there are better storage options for kitchen towels, as they're a solid choice in personalizing the home — not to mention handy for cleaning and handling hot items.

Firstly, the dish towel is a hub for harmful microbes. Depending on the kitchen, this is influenced by dish towels touching the floor whenever the oven door opens. Even for those who regularly disinfect and sanitize the kitchen, the floor is one of many places germs hang out. Additionally, that towel is likely being used to dry dishes — but, of course. Hanging it back up after doing so could be bad news, as the combination of leftover moisture and the oven's warmth could generate harmful bacteria. Hanging on the oven handle also subjects dish towels to high temperatures and cooking debris. This includes grease spatter, which, when combined with oven heat and a dish rag, could cause spontaneous combustion, leading to a possible kitchen fire.

Of course, washing kitchen towels is a great way to lessen the chance of germs and their catching fire. With that said, although it depends on their usage, it's recommended to wash and replace dish towels every few days. When laundering, they should be cleaned separately from clothes, in either warm or hot water, detergent, and bleach as needed, to eliminate germs and bacteria. It'd also be wise to soak or pretreat the dish towels beforehand in either a baking soda and vinegar mixture, laundry detergent, or dish soap. This will help cut into any grease that got into the fabric, and adding laundry boosters like borax can help break down the grease. In between uses, hanging dish towels up, rather than folding them in themselves over a bar, can minimize the risk of bad odors and pathogens building up.

Aside from the oven handle, there are plenty of stylish and clever methods to store kitchen towels that also keep them nearby. Employing adhesive hooks like 3M's Command 5lb Large Utility Hooks would be the simplest way. These can be conveniently placed on the side of a cabinet or open wall space, and even assist in creating a makeshift towel rack. Those preferring to keep towels hidden until needed may choose to install towel rings on the inside of a cabinet door. Additionally, establishing a rack with sliding hooks in an upper, well-ventilated cabinet could allow the stored towels to freely dry while hanging.