Steel Dish Towel Stand

Wet dish towels get draped over an oven door handle, where they dry slowly and end up in the way of everything. This stand gives them somewhere proper to go: three bars, spaced so air moves between the cloths, and side hooks for sponges and scourers that would otherwise sit in a puddle at the back of the sink.

The spacing is the detail that matters. Cloths bunched together stay damp and start to smell within a day; separated on their own bars they dry properly overnight. The same applies to sponges, which last considerably longer when they are allowed to dry out between uses rather than staying permanently saturated.

The frame is powder-coated steel in white or black, both of which sit quietly next to a sink without looking like laboratory equipment. It is freestanding rather than fixed, so no drilling is needed and it can be moved to wherever the light and airflow are best, or folded away into a cupboard when guests arrive. It is a practical alternative to reaching for kitchen roll every time something spills. Wipe the frame down occasionally with a damp cloth and dry it to prevent water marks. For something this small it removes a surprising amount of low-level clutter from the area around a sink.

• Holds up to three dish towels
• Side hooks for sponges and scourers
• Material: powder-coated steel
• Colours: White or Black
• Freestanding - no drilling or fixing required
• Lightweight; stores flat in a cupboard
• Wipe clean with a damp cloth and dry
• Place on a level surface near the sink