cotton or cotton blend?
I Put Cotton/Acrylic Blend Yarn to the Test with cloths in the bathroom and kitchen.
- If you have thought that the best type of yarn for washcloths and dishcloths around the home is 100% cotton, you are not alone. This has been my opinion also.
- I have been seeing an increasing number of crochet patterns for washcloths on the net lately where the yarn used is a cotton blend. So I have made a couple of cloths…one for the kitchen and one for the bathroom, and I have tested them out for the week.
- I’ve been pleasantly surprised!!
- The yarn I have used is Ice Yarns ‘Alara’ cotton blend. It is a 50/50 mix of cotton and acrylic yarn. You can buy it here.
In the Kitchen
- I used my dishcloth for wiping the surfaces and I tested it out washing dishes also. I wouldn’t generally because I have a dishwasher, but I wanted to see how it went.
- The cotton/acrylic blend leaves behind slightly more water on the counter tops compared to an all cotton yarn, but as long as you wring it out properly this isn’t a concern.
- Oily cleanup was just as efficient as the 100% cotton.
- I was happy with the dishwashing…I nearly wanted to go back to hand washing!! not quite though 🤣.
- The cotton/acrylic cloth dries quicker than all cotton.
Even Berry Stitch Dishcloth
The even berry stitch has amazing texture for a dish cloth. This is the one I used in the kitchen for my test.
You will find instructions for the dishcloth here.
In the Bathroom
- I generally use cleanser on my face and then use my washers to wash the cleanser off, so this is how I used my cotton/acrylic blend washcloth also.
- I found it cleaned really well even washing off foundation and makeup. Just as well, if not better than the all cotton.
- There was slight staining of makeup in between use, but it was a very light coloured yarn and it came out in the wash.
- I could feel a slight difference to the texture of the cloth…maybe a little more scratchy.
Cozy Cottage Crochet Dishcloth
You will find the pattern for the cloth I used in my bathroom here.
This is a lovely cloth and once again, has some great texture. Definitely gift-worthy.
Washing & Drying
I washed and dried the cloths, first time I air dried and second time I put them in the dryer on a normal temperature. They shrank a little but survived the dryer ok.
I don’t mind a bit of shrinkage when it comes to these type of items, it’s much more convenient to tumble dry sometimes.
My Overall Thoughts
Kitchen
- I would definitely switch between 100% cotton and cotton/acrylic blend yarn in the kitchen.
- To be honest I think I prefer the blend because it dries quicker.
- I would not want to go any less than 50% cotton because I feel like it might be an issue with absorbency and leaving too much water behind on surfaces.
Bathroom
- I did like the cotton/acrylic blend yarn on my face, but I have a concern that it may cause some irritation with continued use if you have sensitive skin or any skin issues.
- I will stick with 100% cotton for use on my skin.