Not Cabinet Knobs Or The Oven: A Better Way To Keep Kitchen Towels Off The Floor

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Think about how many times a day you reach for a kitchen towel — and all of the surfaces that those cloths touch. Once it's pulled from the cabinet pull or oven handle and it hits the floor, the towel is a goner, thanks to all the dirt and bacteria that are usually there. That can add up to a lot of laundry, though. If you're not having luck keeping towels from sliding off your oven handle, it might be time to look for another option. Towel bars and racks are nothing new for the kitchen. There's even a pull-out solution that keeps towels off counters with a hidden sliding rack. But TikTok creator lifeasmrsbuilder uses the bar idea beautifully by installing a towel bar with hooks on the side of her kitchen island.

While there are several hacks to keep kitchen towels from falling, this one is easy to install and doesn't require any special folding or hanging tricks. Choose a towel bar with a finish and style that works with the other elements in your kitchen. You can drape any towel over the hooks, but you will likely still run into the issue of them falling off. Using towels with loops is ideal because you can slide the loop over the hook for a more secure hang. If your towels don't have loops, sew them on or use these Patikil Hanging Tea Towel Clips for a no-sew option.

Choosing the location for your towel rail is the first step. This idea is the most effective when you install the bar close to where you work frequently to keep the towels accessible. Copy the original creator and add it to your list of kitchen island trends by mounting it on one end. If you don't have an island or don't like that placement, consider placing it on the side of an upper or lower cabinet. Or, install it underneath your upper cabinets close to the wall. Instead of sticking out, the bar will hang down, and the hooks will hang below that. You can also look for an empty spot on a wall near where you regularly use towels. Avoid a spot above the stove in case a towel falls off. 

S-hooks work well for holding towels on the bar. You can position them wherever you want along the bar, and the curved shape helps keep the towel secure. These Tucewp Matte Black S Hooks offer a simple, modern look with a flat design. Or, incorporate different materials with these Leather S-Shaped Hooks. The original creator added a basket on one hook for decoration, but it could also be functional — put extra rolled towels in it so you have backups handy. And if you hang the towel bar high enough on the wall, you can also use a hook to hold your apron.