Household Linens
Linens are fabric household goods intended for daily use, such as bedding, tablecloths, and towels.
"Linens" may also refer to church linens, meaning the altar cloths used in church
The earliest known household linens were made from thin yarn spun from flax fibres to
make linen cloth. Ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Phoenicia all cultivated flax crops. The earliest surviving
fragments of linen cloth have been found in Egyptian tombs and date to 4000 BCE. Flax fibres have been
found in cloth fragments in Europe that date to the Neolithic prehistoric age
TYPES OF HOUSEHOLD LINEN
Household line is a term used collectively to include a variety of textiles articles used in the home. It
includes bed sheets, pillow cases, blankets, curtains, table cloths, kitchen linen and bathroom linen.
1. Curtain and draperies:
these are fabrics or materials used for decorating our doors and windows. Uses of curtains and
draperies:
a. They shade the room by room excessive light and wind.
b. They beautify the room by adding colour to it.
c. They provide privacy for families.
d. They establish the character and mood of a room.
e. They can be used to cover special areas or items such as books stored in an open book rack or
shoes in a shoe rack.
2. Bed linen:
Bed linen includes all the different types of fabric materials used to make the bed. They include:
a. Mattress covers: used for covering the mattress in order to protect it from dust and dirt.
b. Bed sheets; used for making the bed.
c. Pillow cases; used for covering the pillows.
d. Bed spreads: used as spread over a made bed and as a covering for the person lying on the
bed.
e. Blankets; used as a covering for warmth in cold nights
3. Table linen:
Table linen refers to all clothes, and mats used on the table. This include:
a. Table cloth: used for covering the table.
b. Place mats; used on the table for setting a cover. The cover refers to the place set for one
person on the dining table.
c. Table napkins; used during meals for protecting your dress and for wiping the mouth and
hands.
d. Tray/trolley: clothes for laying on the tray/trolley before placing the dishes.
e. Tea clothes: used for wiping or cleaning the table
4. Bath linen:
this is made up of,
a. Bath-towels- they are of various types, they are used for wiping the body dry after bath.
b. Face-towels- these are smaller than bath-towels. They are for cleaning the face.
c. Hand towels- They are used for drying the hands
d. Wash cloths-They are used in cleaning face or body.
e. Bathrobes-These are loose fitting garments with belts that worn before or after taking a bath.
f. Bath rugs/mats- These are used to avoid slipping when one steps out of bath.
g. Shower curtains- They are used in the bathtubs with showers to provide privacy
5. Kitchen linen:
Kitchen linen is made up of the different cloths used in the kitchen for various purposes. They
include:
a. Hand towels: These are used for wiping and drying hands.
b. Dish cloth: These are lint-less or non-fluffy clothes used for:
(i) Wiping off spills on kitchen surfaces.
(ii) Wiping washed surfaces or equipment such as sinks, tables and work areas.
c. Oven gloves or cloths: These are often padded and used for taking out hot pans and dishes
from the oven or top of the cooker.
d. Glass cloth: This is also lint-less and is used for wiping washed glass-wares, e.g. tumblers and
dishes.
e. Tea towels: Used for:
a. Blotting off water or moisture from vegetables and fruits.
b. Wiping glass-wares, crockery and cutlery.
Muslin: This is a light loosely woven fabric used for:
(a) Straining during food preparation, e.g. in the preparation of starch or coconut milk or
soya bean milk.
(b) Covering food.
