One-time dirty projects outdoors. Then straight to trash w/o guilt

They become throw away shop rags for DH, or I use them throughout the summer for keeping the porch railings clean and porch chairs sit worthy.

I use old wash cloths or cut up towels for dust rags or dirty jobs. They are tossed after dirty jobs. I have a shelf of old hand towels by the laundry room sink to use when we come in from outside work. The dust rags are washed with them. I use sponge cloths for the kitchen and wash them with the dish towels. They get throw out when they are old and thin.

I use my old rags until they don't have a thread to stand on :-). Particularly useful for wipe ups with doggies and also some end up in the car for oily situations Etc:-)

When the dishcloths are too bad they become cleaning rags. Speaking of underwear, when my daughter was about 10 She was at my MIL's house and there was some old underwear in the kitchen sink as a dishcloth. She was horrified. It has provided some jokes in our house over the years.

I like old mens socks, to put on my hand and clean with.. Here's a flannel bed sheet AND a bath towel.

Nicole, what to you have against young men's socks?

old socks are useful for hand covers when using a sanding sponge. they help with the grip and keep your hands from getting sore and wrinkled.

Wash rags for dusting, yes. Dishrags - don't want them in my house, new or old.

When most men wore undershirts, they made the BEST dust cloths!

One that was reasonably new, I used for (what was supposed to be) a temporary patch for my garden pants ... but it's been quite a while, the safety pins are pulling out ...

... and it looks as though I'll need to install a real patch, in the not too distant future.

What's that you say - that spring's almost ... well, actually IS ... here ... so I'd better get needle in and?!

(No "needl"ing, please, about the prolonged procrastination).

Haven't decided what to do with the washcloth.

ole joyful

What is a wash rag? How is it different than a dishrag?

dish rags are for washing dishes... wash rags are for washing body parts ;)

Moni who uses old ones as a one time use dirty job rag

Don't forget that fabrics composed of any natural material can be composted, if you're interested in that kind of thing.

Yup, you can bury a cotton rag alongside a rosebush and earthworms will compost it.

adella, old shower curtains are great for tarps and such!

Once in awhile I find a **seen its better days** dish towel, dish cloth or face cloth. I send them to the work shed for Mike. I do have about a dozen white face cloths to retire. The kids wanted to try liquid bath soap and of course the liquid turns face cloths dingy. I can't restore them to their original white even in a boil wash with Persil. I used to use all my old or worn out towels to clean with until I forced myself to get over my dislike of micro fiber cloths now I love them. I swear they never get worn out.

Anglo if I was your neighbor I'd give you all the boys white undershirts they out grow. I never thought about using them for dust cloths, I'll have to give it a try.

Yay, Rhizo! I was going to mention that. I cut up old cotton fabric into the compost now and then. My garden buddy (we exchange seeds, plants, rides to the garden shop, harvests, tools, and sometimes even weeding chores) is finally starting a compost pile this year. He says he remembers watching me cut up into the compost an old rug that had belonged to my grandmother. That must have been many years ago. I don't remember the rug. My grandmother used to knit dishcloths and some of those definitely hit the compost pile. I'm thinking the rug must have been a very small cotton loop rug done in a floral pattern.

P.S. I prefer the term dishcloth to dishrag. Somehow, dishrag sounds ugly and nasty to me.

Growing up, old clothing that was no longer whole enough to pass along, got cut into rags and used for all sorts of cleaning chores. Underwear was always cut into unidentifiable shapes, lol. At least two of my sisters continue this frugal tradition. Me, I switched to buying sponges for cleaning the counter and doing the dishes. I use microfiber cloth for misc housekeeping. The only thing I use old rags for is applying beeswax/linseed oil to my wood furniture once a year, then I throw the rag out.

I use old dishrags for general cleaning, and if I have new dishrags that might look identical to these, I cut a corner off the rags dedicated to cleaning to differentiate them.

Real cloth diapers from about thirty years ago make the best dust rags. Can't find new ones like those anymore. I used them as burp clothes when they were new.

I have my sister to thank for numerous old white men's t-shirts and a bag of BIL's old socks. I use them to clean. I cut up the t-shirts and use pieces also to clean silverware. I keep a few old towels in the laundry room for the dog when it's raining (not that often here in AZ) - but much needed for those times! one on the floor and one to rub her down with.

I use a scrubber sponge for dishes, but bought some dish clothes a few yrs back to have on hand for spills (I have a lot of those), washing down the appliances, window ledge etc.

Some do remained ignored indefinitely....

Bossyvossy, what is going on in the photo? Is the towel being used as bait?

Terilyn with your liking the old cloth diapers have you ever used flour sack towels? Very much like the old diapers 100% cotton although much thinner. They are pretty big and can be folded to make a great dust cloth and zero lint.

@mathias, maybe, ha