Tablecloths

40. Lechatchiloh, one should have separate tablecloths for fleishigs and milchigs so that fleishige food is not eaten on a tablecloth that milchige food was eaten on (שו"ת הרשב"א ח"א סי' ע"ו ). Since we put all our food nowadays on plates and dishes, this is not as crucial; one may use the flip side of a fleishige tablecloth for milchigs, and vice versa (שו"ת רדב"ז ח"ב סי' תשכ"א ).

41. Laundered tablecloth. One may use a fleishige tablecloth that was washed in a washing machine for milchigs, and vice versa. Thus, if one has the minhag to eat a milchige seudoh on Shavuos night but does not have a milchige tablecloth suitable for the Shabbos table, he may launder his regular fleishige tablecloth before Yom Tov and use it for milchigs.