If You Drop a Dishrag, Company’s ComingSouthern Superstition and Appalachian Folklore

A Southern and Appalachian superstition: if you drop a dishrag while cleaning or cooking, company’s coming. Sometimes it’s said to mean a man will visit, or that the company will be unexpected.

#SouthernFolklore #HomeandVisitorSigns

Origin

This bit of homefront folklore goes back generations in the rural South, where household chores and omens often mixed. Like other signs tied to daily life - an itchy nose, a rocking chair that moves on its own - it gave ordinary moments a touch of mystery.

Its roots likely trace to European "housework signs," brought over by Scots-Irish and English settlers. In the South, it stuck because visiting was such a central part of life. Dropping a dishrag wasn’t just clumsy - it was a sign the quiet wouldn’t last long.

Notes

You’ll still hear this saying in older Southern homes, sometimes said with a laugh when a towel hits the floor. In some versions, the meaning depends on who drops it: if a woman does, a man’s coming; if a man does, a woman’s coming. Others say the kind of visit - friendly, formal, or foolish - depends on how the rag lands.

Legacy

Though few take it seriously today, "drop a dishrag, company’s coming" remains part of the region’s living folklore - one of those charming reminders that the South once found signs and stories in nearly everything, even the day’s chores.

Kin Topics

Home and Visitor Signs

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 6). If You Drop a Dishrag, Company’s ComingSouthern Superstition and Appalachian Folklore. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/folklore/if-you-drop-a-dishrag-companys-coming
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "If You Drop a Dishrag, Company’s ComingSouthern Superstition and Appalachian Folklore." HillbillySlang.com, 6 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/folklore/if-you-drop-a-dishrag-companys-coming.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "If You Drop a Dishrag, Company’s ComingSouthern Superstition and Appalachian Folklore." HillbillySlang.com. October 6, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/folklore/if-you-drop-a-dishrag-companys-coming.

Dislaimer

What you're reading here is old Southern folklore and storytelling - not medical advice, and not meant to guide health, or pregnancy decisions (especially pregnancy decisions!). These tales are part of how folks once made sense of the world, passed down from grandparents and midwives.

If you have any medical questions or concerns, talk with a qualified healthcare professional.

Learn more on the Folklore hub page.