Everyone wants to get value for their money, don’t you? Of course you do thus begs the question, can you reuse cheesecloth? Yes. Surprisingly, you can reuse cheesecloth at home and even during outdoor uses and activities. However, its not every cheesecloth that can be reused. Allow me to take you through the best reusable cheesecloths, the cheesecloth reusing process and the truth behind reusing cheesecloth.
How To Reuse Cheesecloth
Reusing cheesecloth is as easy as it sounds. However, you need to ensure that the cheesecloth is labelled ‘re-usable’. Some cheesecloths will clearly indicate single use. Such cheesecloths should not be reused. If you had bought that already but still want to reuse it, its only advisable to reuse it only once as you await delivery of another cheesecloth meant for reuse.
Ways To Reuse Cheesecloth
There are a number of ways that come to mind when you think about reusing cheesecloth. Well, you can continue straining cheese or put the cheesecloth to more uses such as basting poultry, making camo nets, straining soup and broth, wrapping herbs or even making decorations.
There are ways to reuse cheesecloth that will prevent you from reusing it to strain cheese or prepare recipes at home. Once you have shifted from food preparation, you cannot revert to the same. This is to mean that cheesecloth used for decorations or painting works should not be reused to prepare food. This is based on health concerns as you do not want to endanger your life or that of your family members just to save a few pennies.
Is Every Cheesecloth Reusable?
Unfortunately, some cheesecloths can’t be re-used. Re-usable cheesecloths are clearly labeled re-usable. If you intend to reuse your cheese cloth, ensure that you are paying close attention to the labeling when placing your order.
Best Reusable Cheesecloths
Some of the best-selling reusable cheesecloths on Amazon include;
1. Olicity Grade 100 Reusable 100% Unbleached Cheesecloth Strainer Muslin
This is a hemmed grade 100 cheesecloth best suited for cooking, baking and juicing tasks. Grade 100 is one of the finest cheesecloth grades. The tight weave makes it very reliable and durable.
Currently, grade 100 cheesecloth are the most versatile cheesecloths in the market. You will thus have a cheesecloth that can meet the different uses of cheesecloth. Like that isn’t enough, the grade 100 Olicity cheesecloth can be reused and recycled.
The cheesecloth is made from 100% unbleached pure cotton. This guarantees you of lint free products. The hemming also plays a major role of maintaining the threads in one piece. Wondering where to buy the cheesecloth? Well, you can check out the Olicity grade 100 reusable 100% unbleached cheesecloth strainer muslin reviewed here.
2. SCENG Grade 90 Unbleached Ultra-Fine Cheesecloth
Thinking about getting a cheesecloth that is reusable and long-lasting? Sceng cheesecloths are among the best cheesecloths in the market. The grade 90 cheesecloth is particularly very durable. This allows you to use and reuse it in numerous recipes.
The fact that this cheesecloth is made from 100% pure cotton makes it food safe. The cheesecloth is unbleached. It therefore doesn’t transfer any flavors or colors to your food. It is for this reason that this cheese cloth has become popular in food straining, vegetable juicing, bean sprouting, sieving tea and straining broth.
A cheesecloth that allows you to cut the desired size without fraying is a plus when it comes to reusable straining alternatives. It is for this reason that SCENG has remained to be a best seller for years. In fact, it enjoys a very good rating on Amazon with more than 8400 ratings.
3. Cotton Farm Premium Grade 100 Cheesecloth From Mediterranean
This reusable cheesecloth is made from 100%mediterranean cotton. It is unbleached and serves as one of the best cheesecloths for straining. It is washable and reusable making it a great selection for your kitchen needs.
This cheesecloth is not only denser but also finer than other competing cheesecloths. Being a grade 100 cheesecloth makes its weave very tight. The cotton fabric is authentic and makes a very sturdy weave that will last for years. In fact, with proper cleaning and storage, you might go several months without the need to buy any cheesecloth.
Most cheesecloth users primarily use this cloth to strain. Well, what other grade could do this job better than the grade 100 cheesecloth? This is the cheesecloth with the finest mesh. The mesh has approximately 100 threads per inch. This enables it to retain even the finest particles.
Standards To Be Met To Reuse Cheesecloth At Home
To clearly understand whether you can reuse cheesecloth, its important to understand the process and the standards to be met. This involves cleaning it, drying it and storing it in a safe place ready for the next use. The cheesecloth may be washed by hand or in a washing machine. This should be done after every use. You shouldn’t let the cheesecloth sit long hours in dirt after use. Doing so allows bacteria to develop and may make the cheesecloth unsafe.
How To Clean Cheesecloth
For the cheesecloth to be safe for re-use, it needs to be cleaned thoroughly. It is advisable that you soak the cheesecloth in hot water. This is done after removing any food remnants and debris. The cheesecloth can then be washed by hand or in the washing machine.
How To Clean Cheesecloth By Hand
This is a four-step process that should give you the best results. The steps include;
- Soaking the cheesecloth in hot water-As mentioned earlier, this is the initial step that should be undertaken after removing the visible food bits. The faster you soak the cheesecloth after use the more effective this step will be. It makes it easy to remove the food remains without tearing the cheesecloth.
- Soaking cheesecloth in baking soda-This is aimed at removing the tough debris. Having soaked the cheesecloth in hot water in the first step, you would expect that all the food and stains would be gone. However, some stubborn stains and food debris won’t go until when the cheesecloth is soaked in baking soda solution. The solution is prepared by mixing 90g of baking soda in one gallon of water. The cheesecloth should be soaked for 10 to 30 minutes before being rinsed thoroughly.
- Adding lemon juice or vinegar-Doing this works the magic of fading stains. A gallon of water is enough to prepare the solution with 59 ml of white vinegar or 3.75L of lemon juice.
- Boiling the cheesecloth– This should last for five minutes. Boiling the cheesecloth Is a crucial step in getting it ready for reuse as it sterilizes the cheesecloth leaving it free from any bacteria. This is a step that should never be skipped after using your cheesecloth if you intend to reuse cheesecloth at home.
Cleaning Cheesecloth Using The Laundering Machine
The laundering machine comes is handy in making the cheesecloth cleaning process fast and easy. Surprisingly, the steps are also fewer. They include;
- Rinsing the cheesecloth-This is a crucial step that shouldn’t be skipped. It enables you get rid of loose food debris. Hot water delivers better results.
- Wash the cheesecloth-Clean your cotton cheesecloth alongside other cotton fabrics. Its important that you ensure that the cheesecloth is made of high-quality cotton and is rebelled re-use before setting it in the laundering machine.
How To Dry Re-Usable Cheesecloth
Having cleaned and rinsed your re-usable cheesecloth, you need to dry it immediately to avoid formation of molds. The cheese cloth should be put through a hot cycle. The cheesecloth should be dried in direct sunlight. This dries it very fast and it should be unhung and folded before it can collect any dirt or dust.
Storing The Cleaned Cheesecloth
You have put in a lot of time and energy and time in cleaning your cheesecloth and you shouldn’t let that effort go to waste by storing the cheesecloth haphazardly. The cheesecloth should be folded and stored in a clean plastic and sealable plastic bag. It can then be stored in a cool and dry place awaiting the next recipe.
Conclusion
We always look forward to the next money-saving opportunity. Cheesecloth reuse happens to be one of such opportunities. Every time you clean and reuse the cheesecloth, you can be sure that you have save a few pennies that could have been used t replace the cheesecloth.
We believed that we have shed some light and probably answered your question on whether you can reuse cheesecloth at home. Click this link to get more tips on how to clean cheesecloth safely and have fun preparing your recipes at home.