In the past, food gauze was used exclusively during the preparation of cheeses to separate the curd from the whey. Nowadays, they are also used to make dried fruit drinks, Greek yogurt, ginger juice and other food products. With all these applications, it can be useful to keep the gauze and reuse it, rather than buying new gauze every time. If the package says that the gauze is disposable, you may be able to hand wash it up to a couple of times, after which it will start to break. If you have decided to invest in high quality gauze, you can wash them by hand or in the washing machine together with the kitchen linen and reuse them for an almost unlimited time.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Hand Wash Food Gauze
Step 1. Rinse the gauze pads with boiling water immediately after use
Try to remove most of the food residue. The earlier the rinses, the easier it will be to remove stains and food residues. If you don't have time to rinse the gauze thoroughly right away, soak it in a bowl filled with boiling water and let it soak until you are ready to wash.
Step 2. Soak the gauze pads in water and baking soda to remove any residue anchored to the fabric
If there are any stains or food residues that you can't get rid of with boiling water, soak the gauze in the baking soda. Use 90 g of baking soda for every 4 liters of water and soak the gauze for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the severity of the stains. When done, rinse them off thoroughly.
Step 3. Add white wine vinegar or lemon juice as well as baking soda to dissolve stains and food debris
If any stains or residues are difficult to remove, add a stain remover ingredient to the boiling water and baking soda solution. Use 60 ml of white wine vinegar or lemon juice for every 4 liters of water in addition to the baking soda.
- You can also treat stains locally by dipping a toothbrush in vinegar or lemon juice and brushing off the dirt before soaking the gauze.
- Rinse the gauze carefully after soaking to remove all traces of vinegar or lemon juice, otherwise they could attract insects.
Step 4. Boil the gauze pads for 5 minutes to sterilize them
Fill a large pot of water and put it to boil. Dip the gauze pads in boiling water and let them boil for at least 5 minutes. The boiling water will kill any bacteria that may still be present on the fabric.
It is advisable to boil the gauze after each use, after simply rinsing them with boiling water or rinsing them and letting them soak to remove stubborn stains and dissolve food residues
Method 2 of 3: Washing the food gauze in the washing machine
Step 1. Rinse the gauze pads to remove solid food residues before putting them in the washing machine
Wash them in warm running water immediately after use to prevent stains from setting on the fabric. Hang the gauze pads to dry while waiting to be washed in the washing machine.
Do not put wet gauze in the basket of dirty clothes, otherwise mold may form
Step 2. Wash the high quality food gauze in the washing machine
If the gauze pads are meant to be reused and are made of a high-quality fabric (such as cotton), you can wash them with tablecloths and kitchen towels. Use a detergent suitable for delicate fabrics: it should be colorless and odorless, as dyes and fragrances can damage the canvas or contaminate the food. Use hot or boiling water for washing and cold water and bleach for rinsing.
- Do not use fabric softener when washing food gauze. The emollient and scented agents contained in the softeners leave a film on the fabrics and could contaminate the food the next time you use the gauze.
- Disposable food gauze cannot be machine washed. You should be able to wash them by hand and reuse them 1 or 2 times, but it is better to buy the ones that are suitable for reuse.
Step 3. Wash the muslin gauze with kitchen linens and towels
If you use muslin as an alternative to gauze, you can easily wash it in the washing machine along with your kitchen linens and towels. Check the label on the detergent bottle to make sure it doesn't contain any dyes or fragrances that could contaminate your food the next time you use muslin.
- Do not use fabric softener when washing muslin cloths. The emollient and perfumed agents contained in the softeners leave a film on the fabrics and could contaminate the food the next time it is used.
- Keep in mind that muslin will shrink the first time you wash it.
- Muslin is a very light fabric and washes easily. Choose a natural cream color to make sure it hasn't been chemically bleached.
- When purchasing muslin, specify that you intend to use it for food purposes.
Method 3 of 3: Dry and Store the Food Gauze
Step 1. Put the food gauze to dry in the dryer or hang out in the sun
After washing them by hand or in the washing machine, put them to dry in the dryer at high temperature. Alternatively, you can lay them out in the sun if the weather is hot. Hang them on the clothesline or lay them on a clean chair exposed to direct sunlight to dry quickly.
Step 2. Fold and place the gauze in a plastic bag
When they are completely dry, fold them 2 or 3 times to give them a square or rectangular shape. Place them in a bag and store them in a cool, dry place until you are ready to use them again.
Step 3. Reuse the sterilized gauze, even if there are stains
The gauze will tend to stain as you use it, but don't worry; if the stains don't dissolve in the washing machine they won't dissolve even when you use them in the kitchen, so there is no danger of them contaminating the food. The important thing is to sterilize them with boiling water after washing them by hand or wash them in the washing machine with very hot water. Also, you need to make sure they are perfectly dry before putting them back in the bag for storage.
