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?