It's a very small towel - about the size of a hankerchief - that Americans use to rub their bodies with to get clean.

Thanks - that's more or less what I imagined the answer would be. I still can't figure out why not just use a facecloth to do the same thing while in Europe...

The terms "facecloth" and "washcloth" are often used interchangeably in the US.

"Americans" (as in the US)are not the only people who use these items.

Getting along without one can be a bit difficult for those of us who are used to using them in showers, baths, etc.

Not everyone in the US uses one but I suspect the majority of folks probably do.

Aashcloth is a flannel in UK speak - and hotels don't supply them over here. Apparently they do in the states.

littlejane:

Washcloth, facecloth or flannel are all the same thing. Think separated by a common language i.e. lift/elevator for example - you get the idea.

Many of the hotels and B&B's that I have stayed in did not provide a washcloth, facecloth or flannel.

Sandy

It shows up on a "bring to Europe" list because in many parts of Europe, take Italy for example, hotels no NOT provide these. Nor do they at most of the hotels I've been to in Germany either.

Bath and hand towels, yes. Facecloths or washcloths, no.

As for flannels, in the US that term is reserved for:

a) flannel pajamas
b) flannel sheets
or maybe sometimes
c) flannel shirts

>As for flannels, in the US that term is reserved for:

woolen trousers

To me, it's a face flannel: flannels on their own are flannel trousers, as for cricket.

But then, I'm old-fashioned.

I have to say the hotels I've stayed in in London all supplied them.

Maybe we can talk about the difference between a "pudding" and a dessert, too.

Thanks for clarifying.

Sandy/J62 I've never noticed the absence of a facecloth in Italian or German hotels but that just goes to show how mucky I must be.

I'll make sure to bring my flannels with me next time. (incidentally is Flanner a person who uses flannels a lot? Doubtful but wouldn't it be nice...)

I just take a sponge with me (or a flannel). Prob. solved!

Flanner using flannels..as in trousers or facecloths?

When living in Germany we bought washcloths sewn up as small pockets into which the soap fit. Use them with the soap inside and you never have the soap slip out of your hands.

I must be a mucky pup too, but I wouldn't fancy using a cloth more than once especially for "possible". That's the bit that gets done last when you wash down as far as possible and up as far as possible
I would never use a flannel on my face and I suspect that most European women are like me and use disposable pads or cotton wool to clean their faces.
For the rest of me, I use soap.
Many good quality British soaps actually have one side slightly concave, so that the soap is easier to grip.

MissPrism,

Please understand that for some of us it has absolutely nothing to do with gripping the soap and everything to do with how the washcloth feels on the skin.

I suppose washing "down there" (are we talking about the front of "down there" the back of "down there" or both????) with your bare hands isn't much different than using a nice "stimulating" cloth but to each their own in the shower/bath I guess.

I saw "a washcloth" for the first time in my life at the Hilton Metropole in London two weeks ago Oh, well, at first I thought it was a bidet towel..till I began to think logical and thought that was not possible because there was no bidet.

I'm curious about those who really don't understand the idea of using a cloth to wash themselves in the bath or shower.

Have those people ever washed dishes? Do they just use their hand, or do they use a sponge or cloth? Just like dishes, if you only used your hand on your skin, you wouldn't be doing nearly as good a job of removing whatever needs to be removed.

>at first I thought it was a bidet towel
Now you scared to death many many Fodorites in just one sentence

We use dishwashers here, Siemens or Constructa, they get the job done. No manual intervention needed.

We're not a third world country and we have dishwashers too. But MOST people know what it is to actually wash a few dishes by hand. Those are the people I was asking. And I wouldn't be surprised if many people who don't use washcloths on themselves actually rinse dishes using a dishmop or cloth or sponge BEFORE even putting them in the dishwasher. The whole point was -- you can't get things very clean by just using your hand -- a little abrasion from a cloth or sponge does wonder in getting things cleaner -- including the human body.

I use a brush for dishwashing. That sort of thing does not exactly feel pleasant on naked skin.

As for washcloths, I would not want to have a moist and soon smelly thing in my luggage. I was taught to use them as a child but have abandoned them long ago.
In the shower, bare hands with shower gel work just as well as a washcloth. No slipping piece of soap either.

I had exactly the very same question as asked by the OP, but I disn't ever dare to ask.

"I use a brush for dishwashing. That sort of thing does not exactly feel pleasant on naked skin."

Huh? I think you just proved my point. If your hand and some soap work pefectly well on your skin, why do you bother with a brush on your dishes? Why not just your hand? Because as you know, the brush -- a little abrasion -- gets them cleaner. It is the same with your body, and no one says you have to use the same brush -- that's why WASHCLOTHS were invented. They do the same job yet feel good on the skin.
And I will take issue that you are removing as much bacteria, dead skin cells, and other matter with your bare hands and gel as you would be if you were even lightly "scrubbing" your skin with a washcloth and soap or gel.
It just isn't so.

A smelly thing in your suitcase? You're washing it out with soap and rinsing it when you are finished. What could be cleaner? If I'm departing that morning, I slip one into a little baggy in my luggage and take it out at the next stop. Why would it be smelly unless you left a wet one packed in your luggage for a few days?

OK now, Not everyone from the U.S. uses a washcloth. Some people just use soap & their hands. Like me.

It get mentioned because 'washcloth' size pieces of terry cloth are not routinely provided at every hotel in Europe.

I have never understood the big fuss myself.

I don't like to pack a damp washcloth, either, so I buy them on sale or at the "Dollar Store" so they can be tossed. If I'm carrying one of those puffy scrubbers, it goes in a baggie if it hasn't dried out from hanging on the doorknob or somewhere.

I use a washcloth/facecloth/flannel. I suppose it's just what we were taught as children. It's invigorating, and helps the circulation.I usually buy a bundle of 12 really cheap ones for a few dollars at Target, or a similar store and keep them on-hand. When I travel, I take 3-4 with me, and just trash them every few days.

And while it looks like I'm making a "big fuss", my only goal here was to help some understand WHY someome might WANT to use a washcloth. Some posters seem to indicate the whole idea seemed silly to them. My goal was not to convince everyone they SHOULD use one. We all know there are cultural differences and people have different personal preferences. Some people would NEVER wash their hair every day. Others MUST wash theirs every day. Some people don't feel really clean unless they've SCRUBBED away all the bacteria and dead skin cells. Others use a loofah to nearly scrub their skin off every day and don't feel good unless they do. Others feel perfectly content simply rinsing off with some soap or gel and water. Whatever you're comfortable with.

I won't make fun of you for not scrubbing yourself really clean, if you won't make fun of me for doing so.

NeoPatrick:

I'm an American, wash my dishes by hand and don't use a washcloth in the shower.

For dishes I use a sponge with an abrasive "scrubby" side. The sponge gets rinsed out thoroughly with the dish soap and micro-waved frequently to kill off bacteria. I don't feel it's gross to use/reuse a sponge on dishes while I am disgusted by a reused washcloth - the main difference being that there is not generally pubic hair, sloughed-off skin, and fecal matter on my dishes.

More on the "Washcloth Conspiracy":
http://tinyurl.com/2cf4en


By the way, this is my first somewhat non-travel related post - am I becoming addicted to Fodor's?

littlejane, it's the same thing that in France you have shaped like a mitt
made of terry cloth

I found a dinner sized paper napkin with more like cloth quality. It does not rip or tear when wet. In fact, cut in half it is more than an adequate size for bath or shower use.
I take those along and toss them after one use as I dislike using something more than once to wash my body.
Of course, most of our trips are for two weeks or less. I wouldn't want to fill up a suitcase with paper.

But..if the reason to use it is to remove the bacteria, the dead skin cells..why is it sooooooo fluffy ???
My mom uses a "guante de crin" (I really don't know how to translate it..it would be something like an esparto glove) twice a week. And I use a sponge, but not a very soft one.

Without a wash cloth, how does one get his/her back clean? I don't take washcloths to Europe when traveling so my back only gets soapsuds and a rinse the whole time. I can hardly wait to get home and get a good back scrub.

I use a rinse-off cleanser to take my makeup off at night. I can't imagine that a cotton pad would rinse the cleanser off my face. I never mastered the art of bending and splashing to finish the job. I get more water in my hair and on the floor than I do on my face.

"But..if the reason to use it is to remove the bacteria, the dead skin cells..why is it sooooooo fluffy ???"

Too much fabric softener? I've never seen a facecloth/washcloth that was fluffy when wet. Towels or cloths that have a lot of fabric softener added when being washed are very fluffy but that is about it to my knowledge.

I didn't know , vipbloveitaly..I just saw them at the hotel and thought they were fluffy towels...

Along the line of buying washcloths at the Dollar Store and throwing them away--I saw a travel hint in a magazine that works quite well. Cut up an old towel (I have many) washcloth size, and throw them away as you go. I do it, as we rarely seem to get washcloths when we travel outside the US.

Using fabric softener to finish a wash cycle for towels does make the fluffier(is that a word?) but it also limits their absorbtion.

Speaking of "disposable" travel washcloths, I find that washcloths do get worm fairly quickly. (Can you tell we really do SCRUB?). But I take some older ones with us and throw them away after a week stay -- or less. And before I toss one, it makes a great "rag" for washing muddly or dusty hiking boots or shoes.

3M has invented another super consumer product. Microfiber cloth. It is formulated for different uses. We use one to wash dishes and another to clean furniture as well as one to clean windows! A real wash cloth. After reading this post I will try the dish washing model in the shower. Personal washing is often done with, brushes, pumice stone and textured plastic.

When traveling I like to use the Oil of Olay facial cloths that come in packs of 30. There are other similar brands and they are sold at drugstores and Target, etc. Toss when used once.

They have just enough abraison to take off any dead skin on your face without making one chapped. Also contain lanolin. I have a sensitive face and they work great.

I also bring the scrubbie for the shower for the same reason and it dries quickly and can be packed in suitcase without being smelly and wet.

A washcloth is just a very small towel for washing your face. Don;t know if a face cloth is exactly the same - or is a different type of fabric from regular towels.

The reason people say to take one is that many hotels on the continent don;t supply washcloths. Some supply only bath towels, some also hand towels - which may have the same consistency as regular towels or may be like dish cloths (those semi-towely things that you dry pots/pans with).

I always use one (I"m American) and don't understand how people can really clean themselves well without one. However, I don't even agree with some of these definitions, like the one above. I have never called it a "facecloth" and do not use it to wash my face. It's to wash your body, that's the only place I've used it. I know some people do use it for their face (don't know why as that is the one part that does not get really dirty and is easy to wash with your hands over the sink). I don't know why littlejane would claim a "facecloth" is in every European hotel, as I've only found one in a couple European hotels ever since I've been traveling, at least 20 years.

I do find it hard to grasp soap, as it's slippery, but it isn't easy to wash certain areas by grasping a bar of soap in your hand. They don't clean that well, as some areas need scrubbing (and the exfoliation helps). I don't grasp a bar of soap in it, I rub the bar over it, or squirt the gel in it nowadays, and then rub it to lather it up a bit. I particularly like to use it on areas that get dirty and need some scrubbing, like elbows, feet, and I can use it by grasping one end in each hand to rub and clean my back well in areas that aren't that reachable otherwise.

I really thought the OP was being facetious as Europeans do know what this is, they sell them in stores over there. Why the British in particular are obsessed with calling it a "facecloth" is something I don't get as an American.

Just a thought for those who are appalled at the idea of using a washcloth again AFTER washing their private parts. The next time you shower with just your soap and you're washing your face, think for a moment about the last place you had that soap the last time you used it.

I clean myself perfectly well without a flannel, I use either a soft sponge or one of those netty exfoliating scrubbing things.... which is like a sponge. Flannels remind me of the seventies!! lol... although I do use one occasionally.

Why the British in particular are obsessed with calling it a "facecloth" is something I don't get as an American.~>>>>>

We don't call them face-cloths we call them flannels or, at a push, face-flannels.

I think wash cloths are essential when visiting the UK and Europe. How else can you get warm water to wash your face? Cupping your hands over the sink and trying to get a bit of water from the cold tap, to mix with scalding water from the hot tap never works. Until it is universally understood that water, unlike beverages, is best enjoyed warm, I will bring a wash cloth.

Specs, maybe us ladies find it easier as we have various creams, cleansers, wipes and cotton wool with which to do the job

I grew up calling them "washrags." Took me a while to learn the more genteel "washcloth." I've also noticed that young people here us US also prefer to use those net type things, but personally I don't like them. It just feels like it is sliding over my skin and not getting the job done. Give me my old washrag any day!

Specs
Sinks and washbasins have a thing called a plug.
You insert the plug and mix hot and cold water in the sink.
The plug stops the water escaping.
It also stops wastage of water because the water stays in the sink impeded by the plug.
When you have washed your face, you remove the plug and hey presto, the water escapes.

Interesting.....such individual ideas! and I guess the bottom line is whichever way one prefers to handle their own "body washing" is the BEST way.
We lived overseas 5 years, and travel once or twice a year, and washcloths are/were pretty much non exhistant in European hotels....but some are using them now. They are easy to find in the upper priced OR large American hotel chains in Europe.
I use to think they are a "necessity",but have changed my mind on this.
Many ladies use only cleanser on their faces and NEVER ever put water on it,...and they have gorgeous complexions.
Also: I think a lot of things are better in UK and Europe than in America...,however the exception is :.. I've never understood the reluctance to still have a hot and a cold tap/faucet separate, instead of channeling them into ONE faucet.

eurogals: re; the Oil of Olay Cleanser cloths. You say they have lanolin! I an not allergic to much , however lanolin is one thing that really make me itch...and have heard this from other people. I didn't realize they still used lanolin in many things anymore!
Well, a good old bar of Ivory with no washcloth can cleanse many bodies well...IF one rolls it around before shower to "cleanse the bar".

All these responses from one question about washcloths!!! Fun and kind of silly when we think about it.

Josser,
How do you keep the water from splashing on your hair and the floor?

I pretty much do what you do, fill the bowl, then swish the washcloth in the water, ring it out just a tad and wipe off the makeup/cleanser from my face. Rinse and repeat. No muss no fuss.

I'm one who must have a washcloth too. I can get by in the shower with just soap, but in the morning I like a cloth to wash my face with. And I like a fresh one each morning. I don't take actual washcloths; I buy Handi Wipes and cut them into squares. I tried the old towel cut up, but they unravel and make a mess.

Hey, everybody in Spain has one faucet only. I remember to have the two when I was a child..but that was 30 years ago (minimum)

Our hotel in BCN did not provide a washcloth/facecloth. Just a sponge, like what we could clean the sink with. We went to a local department store and bought the smallest size of cloths we could find and used those. Took them on our cruise as well and brought them home. it is a little larger than our traditional washcloths here in the states, but still smaller than a hand towel. He really likes it. We should have bought more!

This has been quite fascinating, as a Canadian from a British family now living in France, I thought that I understood washcloth, facecloth and face flannel as all being the same thing - a square towel like device for washing face and body. In France we have 'gants' or gloves, also terry towel, but a different shape. I thought when i first came to France that it was a local aberration not to provide them in hotels, but I understand from British friends that historically hotels in Britain have not provided them either. It is considered by many Europeans (including British ) to be too personal an item to find in a hotel. Therefore many people carry them in their 'sponge bags. - another Britishism.

I really don't understand why people who use soap and water and then towels that others have used would object to using a facecloth/washcloth that has been laundered.

Finally, if you do like to take your makeup off with cleaners etc., would you please not use towels to remove the cream? I occasionally find in the houses that we manage that someone has wiped great gobs of makeup onto our formerly white towels. At least if you used the facecloth it's easier and cheaper to replace!

I have facecloths and mitts purchased in Dublin, Paris, and Amsterdam because my face doesn't feel clean until I wipe off all the cleanser and exfoliate with a wet terry cloth. Now at home I remember to toss shabby or torn facecloths into my suitcase so I can discard them on my foreign travels.

I bring several older washcloths with me to Europe. Since I do laundry regularly, they stay clean. When I am about to change cities/locations, I just throw the used ones out. No need to be carrying wet stuff around in my bag!

Also, I throw in a bath sponge when I go overseas, since they only weigh an ounce. Best used with shower gel.

As a Canadian, facecloth and washcloth have always been interchangeable and refer to the same item - a smalll piece of terry cloth fabric used to wash.

Personally, I usually shower in the evenings. I have long, thick hair that takes a long time to dry even with a blower, so prefer to do it when I'm not doing the morning rush. So, when I wash up in the mornings, I use my facecloth on my face/neck. The soft scrubbing helps me wake up. I also take them travelling because I use it on long plane rides to freshen up as well.

I'm curious about British "flannels". Are they made out of flannel material, i.e. the same material that pajamas, sheets and some shirts are made out of? If not, why are they called "flannels"? I can't imagine using something made of flannel as a washcloth, seems too flimsy to me...

I don't object to use anything, really. It's just something I'm not used to here, that's all. We just use different methods on the "bathing and exfoliating" issue.
I don't have any problem with the make-up because I don't use it, less weight when travelling, I suppose LOL

hi, shellidawn,

no, our flannels are made of the same material as your washclths, ie toweling like towels.

still finding them a bit unhygenic, though, unless you change/wash every day.

regards, ann

<<In the shower, bare hands with shower gel work just as well as a washcloth>>

Au contraire! With a bar of soap I manage without the washcloth. With gel or liquid soap in the shower, I like the cloth to squirt it into and make a lather before the gel washes down the drain.

I'm with Shelli, facecloth and washcloth are the same item. In te linen department of your store, they seem always (in the US) to be called facecloths today. Certainly this is a nicety, as the marketing people with face is a prettier word than wash.

Then, in ascending order by size:

= guest towel (preferably without embroidered flowers)
= face towel (about half the size of a hand towel)
= hand towel
= bath towel (about 3-4x the size of a good hand towel)
= bath sheet (about 2-3x as large as the bath towel)

Of course, a good rinse with the garden hose is best for some folks.

As for the nether regions, we all know someone who is loathe to bathe in a tub for fear of washing herself in water less-than-mountain-fresh , thanks to the fact she's been sitting in it.

But if we're keeping a tally, no, I don't travel with a washcloth. I exfoliate before heading to the airport ...

<<< I just take a sponge with me >>>

Is that a sponge pudding or some other dessert?

<<
still finding them a bit unhygenic, though, unless you change/wash every day.
>>

I can't speak for everyone's use of washcloths, but I would expect that they are as hygenic as sponges or scrubbies (plastic mesh thingy) and probably more so since they get laundered on a regular basis. And just like a sponge or scrubby, it's rinsed out after eash use - at least mine are.

I'm sure how long someone uses a cloth before it's laundered is as varied as the people who use them just as how often one feels towels need to be laundered. Some may use one once and then put it in the laundry, others will use it for many uses before going in the laundry basket. And this may vary with the same person depending on how much dirt one had to wash off.

In my household (suspect it is the same with most, but really can't say), a washcloth is a personal item that is not shared.

I use a washcloth to wash my face and bathe my body. Washcloths are not provided in most hotels or rental apartments in Europe - at least that is what we have found. I usually take several with us (purchased at a discount store like Walmart or older ones we already have at home) and launder as needed or dispose of if wet and we are packing to travel to another place or returning home. I don't feel clean unless I have used my washcloth. To each his/her own.

definately not shared Like marianna, I bring old ones, one for each place we will be stayibg(three this year)so we don't have that wet thing to lug.

Wow, did I just read all of this thread? I must not have a life either. For our next discussion, could someone please tell me the correct hand to wipe with??

>the correct hand to wipe with??
The left hand of course, your right hand is for eating!!

I was told that a washcloth was too abrasive to use on your face, so I use a gentle exfoliating fash wash on my face and pat dry.

Then I use a mesh scrubbie for the rest of my body. I find it dries quicker and helps build up more lather with the newer liquid soaps. It gets washed with my towels.

I do carry an adjustable sink plug. But I only use the sink to wash laundry.

As to wasting water, using a sink full of water seems more wasteful than wetting a washcloth. And I'd have to use 4 sink-fulls of water. One to wash the sink before use. One to wash face. One to rinse face. One to clean up sink. I know this sounds weird, but if you are still reading this post you are weird too.

No problem, Specs = I stopped reading it way back there ... uhm. Yeah.

Speaking of the one faucet/two faucet deal. What about brushing one's teeth? Sometimes the cold water is TOO cold. I don't want to fill a sink with lukewarm water to keep dunking and rinsing my toothbrush it -- yuck. I'd rather mix the waters to have lukewarm come out of a faucet I can rinse my toothbrush under.

Washcloths were used years ago as others have said for removing makeup or cold cream and so one could clean the ears etc. without getting water and cleanser in the eyes. Nowadays most people use the ponds disposable cloths for that.They use loopha,scrub brushes,scrubbies on the body for exfoliation.So in my experience the cloths are most useful to take sponge baths between showers or baths. You use them after they are rinsed out with soap in the sink again but not on the face.. I have yet to encounter any in Europe..or a shower curtain for that matter

>>still finding them a bit unhygenic, though, unless you change/wash every day.<<
I've never asked any fellow Americans but I would think most people have quite a few more washclothes than towels and washclothes are laundered after each use.
At least this is the way it is done in my family. It never occured to me that anyone uses them again and again.

Ain't it amazing what you can learn on Fodor's?

Well, I haven't a lot of hair to get wet

I do that thing which Mrs. J reckons a lot of men do.
I hold my face a bit above the basin and slosh water on my face saying wrrrrrrbrrrrrr-splutter as I do it.
For some reason, Mrs. J finds that amusing.

oh my gawd, this thread is still going?!! how long can we keep it up (oo errr)

Bottom line: (ooo errr) - I find flannels/washcloths very old fashioned. As its been said, there are so many more up to date products now such as a scrubbie! they get laundered just the same.

I just find the whole washing-with-a-flannel thing so *my seventies childhood*! horrible little things really. OK as an emergency and thats about it.

Face - make up cleansing wipes do the job from start to finish, so there really is no excuse for ruining hotel towels with your make up as the wipes clean it all off - or should do!

Sometimes I use a flannel, sometimes I use a scrubby thing, sometimes I just use my hands. I feel just as clean after all of them just that the flannel/scrubby is good for getting rid of rough skin.

...for those of you who feel you can't get properly clean without a cloth - how do you manage washing your hands after the toilet? that's the one time it is essential to get really clean but I doubt any of you carry your cloths around with you all day... If you can wash your hands hygienically clean with just soap and water, why do you feel you can't do the rest of your body in the same way?

<<< washclothes are laundered after each use. >>>

Even on holiday?

Can I just add that mixer taps are common and very non-U. Only chesire and essex "mansions" have them, often gold coloured. Footballer's wives would like them.

There's a big difference between using soap (hopefully antibiotic) and water on your hands and scrubbing them together after using the bathroom, and showering your entire body as part of daily -- or in some cultures, weekly -- hygiene. And unlike full baths or showers when it is good to exfoliate the skin, removing dead cells, that is hardly necessary every time you use the bathroom. There's a big difference between sanitizing your hands a few times a day and giving your body a good hygienic scrub.

For those of you who are puzzled as to why people use cloths to wash - what do you wash your dishes with? I'll bet it's not your hands. What do you wash your floors, your counters, your sinks, your shelves, your cars......with? I'm guessing some sort of cloth/sponge and not your hands. Same with the birthday suit, a cloth works better. I'm just sayin.

If you don't use a washcloth, how do you clean your back?

"If you don't use a washcloth, how do you clean your back?"

Maybe you're lucky enough to have someone do it for you?????

One more thought on washcloths. (This really is kind of a funny topic for a travel website, if you think about it...
)

Sometimes the water pressure in showers is really bad, so scrubbing up with a cloth or sponge is the best way to get clean quickly. If there is only a trickle of water, how are you supposed to get clean? Even worse is trying to wash & rinse long, thick hair. I must have conditioner build-up from 1983, when I first started going to Europe! lol!

If you don't use a washcloth, how do you clean your back?

I can reach round my back (is this a place to start discussing American obesity again? *ducking* to avoid being hit by hurled washclothes )

<<< If you don't use a washcloth, how do you clean your back? >>>

Don't you have loofahs?

Alan, dont tell me you take a loofah on holiday!!

Or shall we start another fun filled thread about the lack of loofahs in European hotels

*tongue firmly in cheek*

Perhaps you should begin explaining this poor clueless spaniard what a loofah is

The dried, fibrous part of the loofa fruit, used as a washing sponge

Oh, yes, I know what it is !! I've used them.

I have it on good authority that Inga Loofah who works in a Stockholm massage parlor is the best back scrubber there is.

<<<Don't you have loofahs?>>>

Yes, I just don't like to use them on my delicate skin!!!

<<
There's a big difference between using soap (hopefully antibiotic)...
>>

Noooo!! Antibiotic soap is evil!!!

http://www.life.ca/nl/107/soap.html

On a different note, I love these type of threads. They may not be about travel per se, but they give insight into how people in other places live. And isn't that one of the reasons we travel?

"Noooo!! Antibiotic soap is evil!!!"

Interesting article, Sheila Dawn.

". . .older cleansers such as soap and hot water, alcohol, chlorine bleach and hydrogen peroxide are sufficient for most purposes."

Thanks for telling me. So I just threw out my little dispenser of antibacterial hand soap in the bathroom and replaced it. My sink is particularly attractive now with the bottle of clorox, a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and a bottle of alcohol, and the messy soap dish instead. Thanks for the tip!

LOL

Weel NeoP one of the best cleaner for your bathroom is vinegar - it is great, and cheap, and removes calcium deposits easily.
I'm not a flannel user myself, I use shower gel and my hands. But then I have a really good high pressure shower, just like the one NeoP had in A´dam.
Also how can water be too cold to clean your teeth? I dip my toothbrush under the cold tap, turn the tap off, clean my teeth. Turn (mixer)tap back on, fill beaker with water, rinse toothbrush, turn off tap rinse mouth, and use the rest of the water in the beaker to rinse the basin.

How can tap water be too cold to clean your teeth? I guess you've never stayed in London over Christmas? The cold water comes out of the tap in chunks!! (OK, slight exaggeration). Here in Florida our cold is lukewarm at best. And yes, I do have receeding gums and sensitive teeth.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I thought we were talking about washing our hands after going to the bathroom -- not cleaning the bathroom. That's all I use the antibacterial soap for. And no, I don't have calcium deposits on my hands -- (do you?), so I don't use vinegar to wash them after going to the bathroom. ??????

OK, consider your chain thoroughly "yanked".

NeoPatrick: Or you could just replace the antibacterial soap with a bottle of regular liquid soap...

wow - 100 posts about a ... washcloth!

Oh, and I agree with you about the brushing teeth in cold water, I too have sensitive teeth. And its not the brushing part so much as the rinsing part. I could do as hetismij does, but my (bad?) habit is to rinse under running water. When travelling, I don't bring a cup for tooth brushing purposes.

One thing that I have never understood is the mandate to, "Wash your hands after you have gone to the bathroom!"

Shouldn't one wash one's hands before going to the bathroom? After all, who knows where my hands have been; touching bank notes, door knobs, banisters, shaking hands with strangers. They have to be FILTHY! On the other hand, I KNOW that my "bathroom parts" are absolutely clean and hygienic.

Just in case I meet one of you in the future, you may be assured that I DO wash my hands after a bathroom visit --- but out of politeness, not necessity.

"Shouldn't one wash one's hands before going to the bathroom?"

I wash before and after depending where I'd been before entering the bathroom. Ex. After riding public transportation.

I always take my own washcloth. On my first trip I looked around the bathroom for a washcloth and the only thing I could find that was about the right size were the towels hanging by the bidet. Needless to say I didn't use a washcloth on that trip.

Sheez guys, It's really not all that difficult. If you need a washcloth and don't have one just go to the store and buy a dish cloth or something.

wekiva, the people in the shower are using the hotel's cloth to wash the same area, they are just standing while they are doing it.

<<On a different note, I love these type of threads. They may not be about travel per se, but they give insight into how people in other places live. And isn't that one of the reasons we travel?>>


I think we're just bored and like this idle banter.

<I think we're just bored and like this idle banter.>

haha! I agree! It's so silly it's entertaining

Speaking of bidets, when our daughter was young and traveled with us, she got a kick out of the bidets!

SeaUrchin

Yeah...I know...I tried telling myself that. I guess the idea that it was mainly used for that vs. just periodically used for that was too much.

I understand! I don't like to use the hotel washcloths because I can invision where it was before the last washing and on who knows who. yuck.

Besides, one time I started using one that had been used dry on a certain body part and folded and hung back on the rack without the cleaning staff being aware (I assume). Think skid mark. Too much info? lol.

<<< I don't like to use the hotel washcloths because I can invision where it was before the last washing and on who knows who >>>

And yet you use your own wash cloth and you know PRECISELY where it's being - eugh!!!

i find it hard to fathom that 113 or so posters have been able to continue a discussion on a washcloth!!

LOL!!!

I can imagine the angst for someone who is worried about where something was BEFORE it was washed.

Imagine where those SHEETS were before THEY were washed...and the towels..and the pillow cases....such pain!

nanabee, actually you made the 114th who thought it was worth posting on.

268 posters responded to a mother being outraged by the high cost of tea.

171 wanted to talk about the saddest songs ever.

I could go on.

yes neo patrick, a little ironic on my part!

> worried about where something was BEFORE it was washed.
Oh my god, did you ever think about bottle deposit (used beer bottles!), glasses and plates in restaurants and even worse seats in public busses. You sit where someone elses ass has been!

I wish I'd known about the washcloth issue before my first trip to London about 6 years ago. I ended up buying one at Selfridges for an exorbitant price (although its real nice -- it's sown on three sides and slips over your hand. It's a nice souvenier.) What I wanted to mention, though, is that I discovered Neutrogena makes a soap for men that is encased in a cloth mesh. Nothing cleans better. I don't travel without it.

Hopefully when someone is sitting on a bus they have pants on.

I don't use the washcloths over again, I toss them when traveling. Usually I don't even use them.

I doubt if someone were to stick pillow cases, towels and sheets into one of their personal crevices. Makes for an interesting image though...

Keep it going ... 121 posts strong!

I like the idea of just buying dishcloths if you forget your facecloth/washcloth. You can also just get those Ponds facial wipes for make-up removal, etc., and still buy a sponge for the shower.

>sitting on a bus they have pants on
But what if those pants are dirty, unwashed for years and belong to those europeans (see above) who only have a shower once every month???

I'll sprinkle around my handy dandy Purell.

Oh, I don't know, I am just waiting here at my desk for five o'clock.

20 more minutes to go until it's 2am , you really work late!

The beauty of kitchen towels of some sort as a subtitute for a wash cloth, is they are cheap and easy to find... anywhere.

Do people seriously buy a cotton cloth, use it once, then throw it away?

Good lord. All that industrial cotton farming, all that industrial processing, all that transport, all those dyes and bleaches and chemicals, all for what? To get used once and end up in a landfill site.

What a crazy forum If we are speaking of linens, what are pillows like in Paris? No one even states they are included in apt rentals, simply linens and towels (obviously not washcloths either And think of how many people sleep on them, after not using a washcloth-or having thick, damp, undryable evening washed hair hahhaha

Now we have discussed flannels, can anyone tell me why American lavatories have the flush handle on the wrong side?

That's cheating, Josser.
Personally, I haven't used soap and water or a flannel on my face since my early teens.
I'm nearly 70 and have been told that I still have a nice complexion.
BTW, the reason why I have two taps on my bathroom washbasin is that I should hate to clean my teeth in warm water.
It must be memories of being told never to drink from the hot tap.

Miss Prism, you are up and posting so bright and early. I attribute my beautiful complexion to sleeping until noon. One can never get to much beauty sleep.

Sorry, spelling police. The above post should read, "too" much.

Author: Josser
Date: 08/15/2007, 04:20 am
Now we have discussed flannels, can anyone tell me why American lavatories have the flush handle on the wrong side?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Huh? I am in the US. I have three US made toilets in my house. If facing them, two have the handles on the left and one has the handle on the right. I have two toilets in a rental apartment I own here. One has the handle on the left and one has the handle on the right. I know with certainty that both the toilets in the London flat I rent have the handles on the left like my two.

I never knew there was a "standard" side -- in the US or elsewhere.

Wow, you're actually saying the handles aren't standardized. Thank heavens for DIN. I'm so happy to be living in a country, where I know where the buttons are.

And I want to know the correct way for toilet paper to unroll. From beneath or above?

Toilet handles (and chains) are on the left side as you face them. Anything else and the terrorists have won.

Oh my god, I use a 1960ies vintage model. The handle is at the center... and it's a actually not a handle but a button to push...

The terrorists have won.

Ummm...I meant toilet handles and chains are on the RIGHT hand as you face them.

I posted on the coffehouses thread as well. Perhaps all that stuff they told me about dope rotting your brain is finally coming true.

I think the handles can be anywhere as long as you place a well shod foot on the handle to flush. And remember after washing your hands open the door with you elbows.

What's with my spelling today?

Can anyone suggest a website that sells these disposable washcloths? I have found a few but they seem to be pre-moistened and I want dry cloths.
Thanks!

Bog paper should roll from above.
What really gets me is when some eejit has not noticed that the stuff is inside-out and the perforations in the two layers don't correspond.

Bog roll should come from behind, taking it over the top menas it doesn't look neat. Got to agree with the Evildoers who can't get the perforations right though

Do you not know the trick with thye perforations? It's something I learned on "How!" on Southern Television with Jack Hargraves and Fred Dinage.

All you do is take the top layer and roll it on its own one cricuit of the roll - and hey presto! the perforations line up.

Bunty James never had useful information like that.

The only people who care which way the toilet paper hangs are people with cats. They learn the first day to roll from behind.

My toilet has TWO push buttons in the center, for full and half flush. It was made in Australia of all places.

No, the water doesn't swirl down the other way around!

Yep - Caroma in Australia developed the 6/3 dual flush system. It is actually quite innovate technology as the whole toilet had to be re-engineered including the pan and the cistern. Now the average household in Australia uses 18 litres per day in toilet flushing compared to 55 litres in 1982. All great for the environment.

The funds management firm I used work for invested in Caroma and I had the honour of touring several sanitary ware factories. Anything else you want to ask?

DH & I always disagree about TP positioning - I like it pulling from the back. He says the hotels do it over the top so they can put those pointed folds on the end. IMO it just doesn't feel right pulling it over the top.

OK, this post has shifted from one ridiculous topic to another, but while we're on the subject of TP, I am inconsistent with installation. I kind of prefer it hanging over the top, but the current roll is coming from underneath...

Also, one of the most disgusting things I've experienced in Europe is those strings that you pull to flush the toilet, or turn on the light. They are almost always really dirty, and I try to grab the top of the string, since I'm pretty tall. I figure I'll lessen my chance of contracting a disease if I grap the upper end!! Don't people ever change, or at least clean the strings/ropes? Really nasty...!!!

Edit: change the word "grap" tp "grab" in previous post. Thank you.

Too much info but I use TP to touch the flushing handle or string. I see that lately in US washrooms they have a wastebasket by the door for those who use paper to touch the doorknobs. What a good idea.

We use infant washcloths. You can buy them by the pack at the Dollar store or W'mart. We just throw them in with the other hand washables and they dry overnight. Very cheap solution.


A friend was jealous of my "baby cloth" and tried to buy one in Florence. We looked all over town, but found none.

I used to believe that it should come from the bottom, which would make the end easier to find. But lately I have noticed that if the TP has a design (like hearts or flowers), these will be upside-down if you make the end come from the bottom or underneath the roll. And wouldn't this ruin an otherwise pleasant trip to the bathroom--to have to see that??

IKEA has a great 10- or 12-pack of terry face/wash/cloths/flannels in the children's section. Very inexpensive and an adequate small size.

I wash my dishcloth every day. What I find disgusting is people who use sponges at the kitchen sink and they never get washed, just rinsed.

And there are people who take old undies with them when they travel and toss as they use.

Personal washing is often done with, brushes, pumice stone and textured plastic.------not on my private parts it's not!


So, if the person before you uses soap on all of his/her parts, does that bother you? If you use a face cloth on your face, what do you use on the lower forty?

Obviously, this was not fully addressed in 2007!

"What I find disgusting is people who use sponges at the kitchen sink and they never get washed, just rinsed."
I put mine in the dishwasher every time I run it (pretty much every day). Doesn't everyone?

Some people use washcloths and wash their face then their private parts, using soap and rinsing out the cloth after the latter -- which really isn't much different than running it through a clothes washer. If you use your hand, don't you use it next time to wash your face? Or do you get a new hand each time? Frankly I find the idea of cloth between my fingers and some of my "nether parts" to be a better idea than my bare fingers poking around in there. But whatever turns you on.

Also, one of the most disgusting things I've experienced in Europe is those strings that you pull to flush the toilet, or turn on the light. They are almost always really dirty, and I try to grab the top of the string, since I'm pretty tall. I figure I'll lessen my chance of contracting a disease if I grap the upper end!! Don't people ever change, or at least clean the strings/ropes? Really nasty...!!! >>

but when did you actually CATCH anything from it?

the answer - never. no-one ever caught anything from the light pull or flush, or door-handle or taps, or.......did they? please let's not get silly about this.

Oh brother. Not another onslaught from the anti-germ brigade. And ones who are afraid to touch their privates in the shower, no less.

what's funniest - this thread was topped by someone that appeared to be advertising. And yet, controversy still manages to surround it.

else what's an immune system for?

Washcloths suck.

Just apply soap to body for chrissake, in those regions that merit that sort of attention.

dforurth,

My friend in college called those regions, "The areas of social significance".

I agree, washcloths are not my cup of tea, either.

dforuth, your language two posts above would merit a bunch of soap in your mouth from some and no worries as a facecloth wouldn't be required.

Dukey, would it have made you happier if dfourth had said, "Just apply soap to body for thesakeofallah"?

TP should always be over the top of the roll. Easier to grasp as you don't have to scrap your knuckles against the wall. If it has a decorative pattern, the pattern is usually only on one side, and you can only see it if it's rolled over the top--otherwise you don't get your money's worth of visual enjoyment looking at the pretty pink flowers or whatever's is printed on the sheets.

I always turn the roll around if it isn't in "over the top" mode.

Personally I find a dustpan and brush perfectly adequate for cleaning all my little crevices.

nona, or a pushbroom and snow shovel?

nona1, snort!

Love this thread

I am not going back to read all the 2007 posts, but I do wonder what European men use to soften their beard before shaving. Simply splashing warm water on day-old stubble does not help much.

Well I thought that I would update and advise that all hotels in New Zealand in 2012 provide face-cloths/wash cloths/flannels. I call them flannels or face-cloths not wash cloths and yes we still use them!!!!!!

sumcr - my DH shaves after his shower. Day old stubble is then suitable for application of shaving foam and razor.
He gets no complaints from me as to the closeness of his shave .


Here in the Netherlands they have washandschoenen - washinggloves. Blinking useless pieces of kit but very popular still.

Still puzzled about the shaving issue.
What else but shaving gel or foam would be needed after a shower to soften the stubble?
And we do talk about beards, don't we? With this thread, nothing would surprise me.
People who use wash cloths cannot be trusted.
Next thing you ubercleanly folks tell that you use a Kärcher each morning to anniliate those germs and the inches-thick layer of dirt....

I'm going to Rome. Will I get a strigil?

Yes, agree with hetismij, in the Netherlands and in Germany you can get a washcloth sewed into a little pocket (when I was growing up we called this a 'washandje' (NL)). I guess hotels don't provide these because they are such an intimate part of washing that to use someone else's would be a bit icky ...

Lavandula

*sigh*

I hate reading a huge long thread only to find out it is years old. Ok, I don't really hate, I just feel dumb!

But for the record, I use a washcloth/facecloth/flannel on my face, but rarely on my body. For that I use a nylon scrubbie with body gel, never ever soap!

I like the TP to roll from the top, not the bottom and will change it if someone put it on wrong. And I too am boggled how sometimes the sheets don't match up.

We just spent a week in Holland, and both hotels provided washcloths with the towels.

I'm saying washcloths, as unlike the humble british flannel, they were sewn into pockets/mitts that you could put your hand into.