# do white people use washcloths? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 10, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320 "2005-11-10T01:06:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![onehitterquitter7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bb73d2/32.png) [@onehitterquitter7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/onehitterquitter7)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/1 "2005-11-10T01:06:48Z")
ok im a white non-washclother hand latherer and what prompts this question is a chapelle show skit: The “Trading Spouses” sketch puts a white man with a black family and vice versa. “I learned that we’re all basically the same people,” the displaced black father says. “Raise a kid. Make love from time to time. And wash. Speaking of which, I found out white people don’t use washcloths.” so whats the deal? is it a common joke that white people dont use washcloths? do most white people not use washcloths??? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/2 "2005-11-10T01:10:32Z")
I do. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/3 "2005-11-10T01:22:19Z")
I use a washcloth on my face, if my face is the only thing I’m washing. In the shower or bathtub no, I don’t use a washcloth. I’ve got all sorts of other gadgets for scrubbing myself. Washcloths just don’t seen very convenient to use. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/4 "2005-11-10T01:24:27Z")
I used to. But then, I was a teenage greaseball. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/5 "2005-11-10T01:29:00Z")
I use one of those shower puffs in the shower for the body. Face soap + hands for the face. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/6 "2005-11-10T01:30:47Z")
Of course they do. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/7 "2005-11-10T01:44:41Z")
If a washcloth is a face flannel, and I suspect it is, then this white person hasn’t used one since he was forced to at prep school. Horrible smelly things. As I say to my wife - and daughter (she’s been poisoned by the wife) - if God had wanted us to use flannels he’d never have given us hands. BTW, the wife’s Chinese, and they’re mad keen on these things. Stick ‘em down their kids’ necks when they go to school in summer, go running clasping one, all sorts of weird behaviours. If I were to go into business here, it would be manufacturing either these things or [Tempo tissues](http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/health-therapies-treatments/tempo-tissues/410979/) and its [many imitators](http://retrakker.antville.org/topics/Fake+Products/). (Scroll down - there’s plenty more.) There’s a rumour that when the East Asian Games come here in 2009, Clutching The Tissue And Then Chucking It On The Ground will be an official sport. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/8 "2005-11-10T01:44:48Z")
I have search-fu tonight: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.phpt=283602&highlight=washcloths](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.phpt=283602&highlight=washcloths) ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/9 "2005-11-10T01:46:24Z")
Grrr. Will the link work this time? If not, I need a mod’s help… [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=283602&highlight=washcloths](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=283602&highlight=washcloths) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/10 "2005-11-10T01:46:54Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > I have search-fu tonight: > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.phpt=283602&highlight=washcloths](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.phpt=283602&highlight=washcloths) My brother’s search-fu is better than your search-fu. Your link doesn’t work! ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/11 "2005-11-10T01:50:14Z")
I’m white and I don’t use washclothes. We have them but I was raised better than that. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/12 "2005-11-10T01:50:37Z")
I’m white and I use a washcloth. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/13 "2005-11-10T01:52:32Z")
This white boy thinks they’re stupid, but my wife disagrees. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/14 "2005-11-10T02:01:51Z")
I’m white and I use a washcloth. Actually, I own many washcloths, and share them with family, friends, and offer them to visitors when it seems appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/15 "2005-11-10T02:02:31Z")
They’re called cum rags, and yeah I use 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/16 "2005-11-10T02:02:56Z")
Oh, forgot to add - my white husband, my white mother in law, my white parents, my white siblings, and my white siblings’ white offspring all use them, too. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/17 "2005-11-10T02:16:56Z")
Around 20 years ago I was visiting my late father. I was preparing to take a shower and he asked if I wanted a washcloth, I replied that I didn’t use them and he said “Oh, your one of those.” I never asked him what he meant by that and it bothers me to this day. I sometimes use a loofa on my feet, knees and elbows and a back brush, but not a washcloth. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/18 "2005-11-10T02:19:13Z")
I’m white and I use a washcloth, because using Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap is a whole lot easier with a cloth to squirt it into. The SO, also white, does NOT use a washcloth, and he uses much more soap than I do and it also gets all over the bottle so it’s all slippery and icky feeling. Washcloths are better, and believe me they do NOT smell bad when you use peppermint liquid soap! ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/19 "2005-11-10T02:27:25Z")
It depends on how dirty I am. If I’ve been on my knees in the garden, I’ll use a washcloth to make sure I have a little help in getting all the dirt out of creases and wrinkles. If I’m just taking a bath because it’s bathtime and I haven’t been doing anything dirty, I just use soap or shower gel. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320/20 "2005-11-10T02:30:04Z")
> [@onehitterquitter7](#): > > Speaking of which, I found out white people don’t use washcloths." > so whats the deal? > is it a common joke that white people dont use washcloths? do most white people not use washcloths??? I use a “washcloth” for many things- washing my face, washing my child’s face and hands, for cool/hot compresses during headaches and sicknesses, I wrap ziploc ice packs in a washcloth to prevent it from hurting the skin when you put them on a bumped head, to freshen up after work if I have to go immediately back out someplace, and for putting cool cloths on my neck when feeling nauseated or faint. I do not, however, use them to wash my body in a shower or bath. I have my loofas, puffies, and buffers for that. A washcloth just isn’t rough enough to exfoliate the skin. Oh, and I am white…so very white you can see all my veins :eek: 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-white-people-use-washcloths/330320.md?page=2)