I generally prefer cotton for dishcloths and scrubbies: it is natural, soft and durable. But over the years plenty of crocheters have told me they prefer acrylic, so it comes down to preference. Here is what actually differs between them.
The case for cotton
It is a natural fibre. I am honestly not certain this makes a practical difference, but it puts my mind at ease when I am making scrubbies for fruit and vegetables. For anything that touches food I stick to white or off-white, so there are no dyes to leach out.
It absorbs. This is the real argument. A dishcloth’s job is to take up water, and cotton does that and releases it as it dries. Acrylic pushes water around instead of soaking it up.
It scrubs. Cotton is soft enough for your face and still firm enough to work on a pan.
It takes heat. Cotton can go through a hot wash, and it can sit near a hot pan without consequence.
The drawbacks of cotton
It shrinks. Be careful with the dryer. Cotton dishcloths will come out smaller than they went in, and repeatedly so.
It has no memory. Cotton stretches with use and does not spring back, so a cloth will gradually go out of shape.
It is harder on the hands. Cotton has no give, and a long session of tight stitches in cotton is more tiring than the same work in wool or acrylic.
The case for acrylic
It is cheaper, and it comes in every colour imaginable.
It dries fast and does not shrink.
It lasts. Acrylic cloths hold their shape and their colour through a great many washes.
It is easier to work with, which matters if you are making a dozen as gifts.
The drawbacks of acrylic
It does not absorb well. For wiping a counter this is the difference that people notice most.
It melts. This is the one hard rule: never use acrylic for a pot holder or anything that touches a hot pan. It does not scorch, it liquefies onto the pan and onto your hand.
It can go slick rather than scrubby with use.
What I do
Cotton for anything that has to absorb or go near heat – dishcloths, pot holders, face cloths. Acrylic is a perfectly reasonable choice for a scrubbie whose job is texture rather than absorbency, and for gifts where washability matters more than performance.
If you are undecided, make one of each. A dishcloth costs almost nothing and takes an evening, and you will know within a week which you reach for.
