Maintenance of your bathrobe: washing, drying and longevity
- , through Inge | Bath&Living
- 7 min read
A bathrobe It is a unique garment in your wardrobe because the situations for which you use a bathrobe are very specific. When it comes to washing and care, you do not treat a bathrobe the same way as normal clothing, but neither do you treat it the same way as, for example, your pajamas. Are you unsure how best to care for your bathrobe? Or how often you should wash it? And do you want to know how long a bathrobe lasts? Then read on.
In terms of maintenance, a bathrobe doesn't require much, and it is mainly important to wash it correctly. It is common knowledge that textiles washed frequently wear out faster, but did you know that not washing it often enough can actually be bad for the quality of your bathrobe?
How often do you wash your bathrobe?
How do you know when the right time is to wash your bathrobe? That depends largely on how you use it. After all, a bathrobe you wear all day at the spa doesn't endure the same wear and tear as a bathrobe you quickly throw on over your pajamas in the morning.
Do you primarily use your bathrobe to put on at home after showering or bathing? Then this counts as fairly intensive use, as you likely do this daily. Skin flakes and loose hairs can start to accumulate in the fabric of your bathrobe. Do you put your bathrobe on wet skin? Then your bathrobe absorbs moisture every day, possibly mixed with some leftover soap residue. Chances are you also apply body lotion while wearing your bathrobe. All of this can contribute to an accumulation of dirt and bacteria between the fibers of your bathrobe, causing moisture absorption and softness to deteriorate over time, and potentially even leading to a musty smell.
To prevent this, washing your bathrobe regularly is very important, as you naturally want it to remain soft and fresh. If you use your bathrobe intensively every day, we recommend putting it in the washing machine after wearing it 2 or 3 times. Additionally, it is important to hang your bathrobe up properly between washes so that it can dry as quickly as possible and air out thoroughly. After all, moisture that remains "trapped" in the fabric creates an even greater chance of unpleasant odors.
Do you always dry yourself thoroughly before putting on your bathrobe? If so, the fabric suffers much less wear and tear because it stays dry continuously. In that case, washing it every few weeks might be sufficient. Try to estimate how quickly your bathrobe gets “dirty,” based on how much you use creams, lotions, and sprays while wearing it.
Washing sauna bathrobe
You probably don't go to the sauna, spa, or wellness center every day. Nevertheless, this counts as intensive use. This is due to the conditions of a day at the sauna. Your bathrobe is the only piece of clothing you wear that day, possibly apart from your swimwear. As a result, your bathrobe comes into direct contact with moisture, chlorine, sweat, and massage oils. And this happens for hours on end, so the bathrobe has little chance to dry completely in between. Our advice is therefore to wash your bathrobe thoroughly after every sauna visit. Regardless of whether it is your exclusive sauna bathrobe that you hang back in the closet, or if you regularly use the same bathrobe at home as well.
Washing bathrobe
Does your bathrobe really serve as a dressing gown? So, as an extra warm layer over your pajamas as soon as you get out of bed? Or rather as a cozy garment to relax in during the evening hours before going to bed? In that case, its use is much less intensive than in the bathroom or at the sauna.The bathrobe does not come into direct contact with your skin, and you probably won't be wearing it for a very long time before getting dressed for the day or before getting into bed. With this kind of use, your bathrobe remains continuously dry and therefore becomes stuffy less quickly. In this case, you can certainly wait a few weeks before washing your bathrobe again, provided you hang it up neatly in a well-ventilated room in the meantime. Do remember to wash your bathrobe a little more often if you perspire excessively or if you wear it while getting ready for the day and use hair products daily. Naturally, you should give your bathrobe an extra wash after accidentally spilling coffee or yogurt while eating breakfast.
On which program were you a bathrobe?
The same applies to bathrobes as to clothing and towels: always carefully check the washing instructions label to ensure you set the washing machine (and any dryer) to the correct temperature and setting. Do not overload the drum so that dirt particles in the fabric can be properly shaken loose. Do not use too much washing powder and avoid other detergents. We also advise against adding fabric softener, as this can eventually lead to a buildup of soap residue and consequently musty odors. Do you have a bathrobe with a belt? Then you can put the loose belt in a laundry bag to prevent it from wrapping around other items in the washing machine.
How long does a bathrobe last?
When is your bathrobe due for replacement? How long your bathrobe lasts depends on the quality of the material, but certainly also depends on the intensity of use. It is not necessarily the case that your bathrobe wears out faster if you wash it more often, but rather the combination of use and washing.
Do you wear your bathrobe sporadically but still put it in the washing machine often? Then the washes cause unnecessary wear and tear. Do you use your bathrobe in such a way that there is a high risk of moisture, dirt, and bacteria accumulating? Then washing your bathrobe regularly actually slows down the wear process.
As you can see, the balance between use and maintenance is important to keep your bathrobe looking beautiful for as long as possible. If you strike the right balance, you can use your bathrobe for years, provided it is a high-quality product. We advise replacing your bathrobe as soon as you notice that it is no longer as soft as you would like or when the fabric absorbs moisture less effectively.
Tips to keep your bathrobe soft and beautiful
There are a few things to keep in mind when washing and drying your bathrobe to keep it soft and beautiful for as long as possible. For example, do not put your bathrobe in the washing machine with garments that have hooks and zippers to protect the fabric. To preserve the color, wash your bathrobe with other laundry in similar shades. So, do not combine a colored towel with your beige bathrobe or white socks with your black bathrobe.
As soon as your washing machine is finished, remove the wet laundry immediately and hang your bathrobe out properly so that it remains wet for as short a time as possible. Carefully check that your clean bathrobe is completely dry before storing it to ensure it stays smelling fresh and that no mold forms.
For a cotton bathrobe, we recommend putting it in the dryer (on a low temperature); always check the washing instructions first to be sure that your bathrobe is suitable for this. Drying cotton in the tumble dryer not only dries it as quickly as possible but also keeps the cotton fibers nice and full and soft.
Furthermore, make sure to hang your bathrobe neatly on a hook or even a clothes hanger when you are not wearing it.If you simply take off your bathrobe somewhere and then leave it lying in a pile on the floor, the fabric does not have the chance to air out, which can lead to a decline in quality.
