Best Exfoliating Washcloth: Tips & Advice

We asked our parent readers for their experiences with exfoliating washcloths. Then we tried them out ourselves. Along the way, we learned some key tips and advice on the best ways to use these clothes:

• Stand under warm water in a shower for a few minutes before using the cloth. That softens up the skin. Then turn off the water and use the cloth—they work better that way. You can rinse the dead skin off when you’re done.

• Some of these cloths shrink when wet. If you have big hands that can be an issue fitting them over your hands.

• Don’t use these cloths on your face unless the directions say so. They can damage delicate skin—that’s why they are better for arms, feet and backs.

• Don’t use these cloths more than once a week. That’s all that’s needed for most folks!

Finally, understand that even though these items are called exfoliating washcloths, they aren’t typically used as we think of as a washcloth (in a shower with soap and running water). They are exfoliating dead skin—and they work better with water-softened skin without any running water. We know, that sounds confusing but stay with us.

After trying out several brands, here are the exfoliating washcloths we’d recommend.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

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