KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Dish towels are the unsung heroes of the household Dish Towel.

Not only can they be gorgeous with colorful intricate details, Kitchen Towel but they also can clean up messes large and small.

Bambi Sanchez of Lake Lotawana, Tea Towel Mo., uses hers for anything from drying glasses to wiping off the muddy paws of her boxer, Sadie, and peekapoo, Simon. Dish towels also are unofficial tools in her first-aid kit.

“When my daughter fell off the deck, I used one as a sling for her arm until we got to the hospital,” Sanchez says. “As they become heavily used, they become part of my car-washing box.”

Using her trusty embroidery sewing machine, Sanchez embellishes dish towels as gifts. She designs traditional monograms for couples, chef patterns for cooks and equestrian motifs for her own home.

“Dish towels are great for expressing who you are and personalizing the kitchen,” Sanchez says. “They’re inexpensive, too.”