What would you say a tea towel is for, drying kitchen utensils and crockery etc... or just simply wiping off the excess water (therefore leaving the utensils/crockery still slightly wet but with water just smeared over it)? its an argument between me and my sister and I need someone to prove me right.
I have a dish washer. If I do wash anything by hand I thoroughly dry the cutlery and tend to give pans and plates a quick wipe. My plates are stored in a rack though so the dry in no time.
I don't dry glasses...just wash and rinse in very hot water...
I also use teatowels to dry my hands as I cook....I go through loads of the things because I always forget which one I dry my hands on so throw it in the wash.
My older brother would have an answer if I ever dared ask him. The only thing he ever used a tea towel for was to make it wet, tie it in a knot at the end and flick it at my leg as hard as he could! Cue screaming!
Drying - even if stuff comes out of the dishwasher there is still wet on the plastic things, and plates sometimes need a swoosh with the cloth. If stuff's wet then it's going away wet which is not hygienic.
I use the tea towels you get in pubs, they give a superior shine to glass. the pubs dont seem to mind me stealing them along with several pint glasses as well