Not all dish towels are safe for washing in bleach, in which case using hot water alone will kill bacteria. If you do have the option, though, adding bleach to the specified dispenser of your laundry machine (not pouring it directly over your towels) is a great way to get rid of even more germs and bacteria. As always, make sure everything in the washing machine is bleach-safe before adding the solution.
All it takes is a little extra attention to detail and your kitchen towels will be clean and safe to use in no time!