How to clean a muslin cloth for straining soups??

Question

I want to cook with muslin cloth; I just bought some but don't know how to clean it before hand. I was thinking boiling it would do the trick rather than using soap to wash it because the residue may transfer into the soup broths I intend to strain through it. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Just wash it in the washing machine.

Answer 2

I cut it to the size I want and boil in water with about 1/2 to 1 tsp. baking soda.  More cloths, 1 tsp, one or two cloths, 1/2 tsp.

Boil for at least one minute. After that, hang on a plastic hanger and let it dry somewhere where it won't get dusty.

When it's dry, it's ready for you to use. If you feel you need to do this again, it's okay to repeat.

Don't wash it in the washing machine because there is a little bit of a residue in the tub and sometimes it gets on the muslin.

Answer 3

boil the kettle and put the cloth in the sink, pour boiling water from the kettle all over the cloth, let cool enough that you can wring it out and there you go. Or you could put it through the washing machine on a wash cycle with no soap.

Answer 4

Gently boil it with the tiniest bit of white vinegar in the water.

Simmer for 10 minutes and then rinse, wring and hang to dry.

Answer 5

I agree with using baking soda in the boil. When they make cloth they use sizing in the mill, and you don't want this in your soup. Just a water boil probably will not remove this. It's the same stuff that makes you itch when you put on jeans that have never been washed.