How to Keep Your SPRUCE Swedish Dishcloth Looking Fresh
SPRUCE are built to last.
They replace 17 rolls of paper towels.
They can handle 200+ washes in your washing machine or dishwasher.
But they can benefit from a little care.
And most “staining” issues aren’t about hygiene - they’re about timing. Let’s talk about how to keep them looking fresh.
First rule: rinse before it dries
This is the big one. Especially if your cloth has wiped up:
Red wine
Turmeric
Tomato sauce
Coffee
Beetroot
Curry
Rinse it before it dries.
When pigments sit in the cotton fibres and dry out, they settle in. Once they’ve set, they’re harder to shift.
The cloth will still be clean after washing. Just like a T-shirt with a stain is still clean.
But if you want to keep it looking bright, rinse while it’s wet.
Quick rinse. Squeeze. Hang.
If your cloth feels slimy or neglected:
Sometimes a cloth gets left scrunched in the sink. Or used for something gross. Or just forgotten.
If it feels a bit slimy, here’s what I suggest:
- Fill a shallow bucket or sink with warm soapy water.
- Drop the cloth in.
- Scrunch it firmly.
- Push the soapy water through the cloth at least 10-15 good squeezy scrunches.
You’ll feel the texture change as you work the water through it. That slimy feel will disappear as you squeeze and squeeze.
Then wash as normal:
- Dishwasher (top rack), or
- Washing machine
- Dry in the sun if you can. Sunlight is a brilliant natural steriliser.
Refreshing the background back to white:
Over time, the white background can dull slightly. Totally normal. If you want to brighten it:
Start gentle.
Try oxygen bleach first. Or a mild whitening agent.
If you need more you can use a small amount of standard bleach.
Important: Do not walk away.
This process is quick. 1–2 minutes is enough. You’ll actually see the white brighten while it’s soaking.
Rinse thoroughly afterwards.
I only suggest doing this once or twice in the lifetime of your SPRUCE. Any more and you’ll shorten its lifespan.
The good news:
Our prints are screen printed and embedded in the fibres.
Bleach won’t lift the design.
However: If you try this on solid-colour SPRUCE, it will lighten the base and create a slight tie-dye look.
And if you try this on some cheaper supermarket cloths (usually digitally printed designs), the print sits on top of the fibres and can become slimy or lift off. They aren’t made with the same composition or durability.
Other tips to keep your SPRUCE fresh:
To sterilise
Maybe your cloth was used to clean up meat juices or something icky. You can microwave a WET cloth for 1 minute which will nuke 99% of all bacteria. Or drop into a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Does the same job of sterilising.
Rotate them
If you have more than one, rotate use. Just like tea towels.
Avoid fabric softener
It coats fibres and reduces absorbency.
Wash regularly
Every few days if in heavy rotation.
Let them dry flat or hang open
Don’t leave scrunched up in a ball.
Don’t panic about colour transfer
Turmeric and beetroot are aggressive. It’s not a hygiene issue, just pigment.
A reminder about “looking clean” vs “being clean”:
Your SPRUCE is made from:
70% FSC certified cellulose
30% cotton offcuts
It’s natural. It’s porous. It’s designed to absorb. A faint shadow of turmeric does not mean it’s dirty. It means it’s been used. Like your favourite tea towel. These cloths are built for real kitchens. Real mess. Real families.
And with a little rinse-before-dry habit, they’ll stay bright and fresh for months.
