How To Care For Your Towels
Towels are an essential part of any bathroom linen set and are crucial to giving all guests a comfortable and relaxing stay. Knowing how to take care of your towels is important to ensure that the softness, fluffiness and colour are not compromised.
In this blog, we’re advising you on how to care for your towels to give your guests a pleasant stay.
Table of contents
- How often should I wash towels?
- How to wash towels
- The do’s and don’ts of towel care
- How to dry towels
- How to store towels
How often should I wash towels?
It is recommended that you wash any towels before using them to help remove any loose fibres that the manufacturing process didn’t remove. By washing your towel before first use, any residual softening treatments used during manufacturing will be removed, and your towel will become more absorbent.
Bath towels should be washed every three to four days, as any longer could expose the towels’ user to bacteria. Bath mats should be washed weekly, and hand towels should be washed every two to three days. Buying multiple sets of towels is recommended so you have spares to use while washing your dirty towels.
How to wash towels
Towels require frequent washing to keep them clean and remove bacteria. However there are some important steps you need to take to ensure your towels retain their softness.
As mentioned above, new towels must be washed before their first use to ensure their absorbency isn’t reduced. Towels should be washed separately from other clothing items to ensure detergents or softeners don’t affect their colour and absorbency.
Separating your lights, darks, and colours is a well-known laundering rule and is equally important when washing towels. Washing similar coloured towels together will ensure they won’t succumb to discolouration. Towels should be laundered in small loads to ensure maximum cleanliness. You should leave approximately a towel’s worth of space in your washing machine so they have enough room to tumble.
Brightening agents should be avoided when shopping for laundry detergents. Detergents that contain agents such as bleach can cause discolouration in towels. The absorbency and softness of your towels will also be affected if brightening agents are used. When using detergent, add approximately half a cup of white vinegar. White vinegar is great for helping your towels maintain colour and keeping them soft and fluffy by removing detergent residue.
The do’s and don’ts of towel care
When taking care of towels, there are certain things you should do to ensure you maintain their softness and fluffiness:
- Wash all new towels before use to remove any chemicals from manufacturing and help maintain absorbency.
- Towels should be washed every 3-4 days to ensure bacteria doesn’t form.
- Hang your towels after each use to help them dry fully. Hanging your towel across a shower bar will prevent bacteria and odour from forming.
- When drying your towels, ensure you don’t use too high of a temperature, which can cause the towel to stiffen.
There are also some things that you should ensure you don’t do as it could cause damage to the towel, affecting its softness and colour:
- Don’t put wet towels in a basket, as this can create a musty odour.
- Don’t overload your washing machine with towels, as they may not wash properly.
- Too much detergent can cause a buildup that hampers the towel’s absorbency.
- Letting wet towels sit in the washing machine can cause a mildewy odour.
- Using too much bleach will shorten the lifespan of your towel by breaking down the fibres.
How to dry towels
Towels are best dried in the tumble dryer to maintain softness and fluffiness. Choosing the regular or automatic setting on the tumble dryer will ensure the towel retains its soft feel. Overdrying your towels can result in damage to their cotton fibres.
Air drying your towels is a great eco-friendly alternative to the tumble dryer. You can air-dry your towels by hanging them on a clothesline or laying them on a drying rack. If you have a heated towel rail in your home, you can take your towel out the tumble dryer slightly earlier and dry them off on the rail.
You may need to put your towels in the dryer on a no-heat cycle to help soften them, as towels can be slightly stiff after air drying. Fold your towels after they have dried and ensure you store them away.
How to store towels
You should always ensure your towels are fully dried before storing them away. Whether you use a tumble dryer or air dry them, any towel that is damp when stored away could cause mildew and musty smells to form. Ensuring your towels are dry before storing them away will help to keep them smelling fresh.
Always shake your towels after they have dried to help loosen the threads. Shaking your towels will soften them, making them easier to fold. Once you have dried and shaken your towels, fold them neatly and store them away. Suitable storage spaces include a drawer or bathroom rack.
Find the perfect towel at Linen Connect
Now you know how to take care of your towel properly, there is no better place than Linen Connect to buy premium bathroom linen. Linen Connect’s bathroom linen ensures only the highest quality.
As well as providing only the highest quality products, Linen Connect is deeply committed to maintaining Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance, so they act in your best interests. Why not add to your bathroom linen collection and browse our latest range of bath towels or hand towels?
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