Tips for washing towels
- , Through Inge | Bath&Living
- 10 min read
All new towels feel wonderfully soft and wonderfully fresh. You want to enjoy such a soft towel for a long time, but you're worried that your towels will lose their softness after a few washes. Nothing could be further from the truth! While cotton fibers damage all clothing and bath linens over time, there are plenty of things you can do to maintain your soft towels, even after washing them frequently.
We answer the question: how do you get and keep towels soft? With handy do's and don'ts for washing towelsBecause after every shower, you want a towel that's clean, smells good, and feels wonderfully soft. And that without excessively damaging the fibers and preserving the quality of your new towels for as long as possible.
Washing new towels
Your current towels, which once felt so wonderfully soft, are worn out and ready for replacement. You're looking for new, high-quality towels, but you want to be sure you can maintain that quality. The way you wash your towels has a significant impact on this, so we're happy to tell you the best way to wash your new towels.
This starts even before the first wash. Carefully read the care instructions on the label of your new towels. These symbols and instructions regarding (lower or higher) temperatures, drying, and ironing are included for a reason. Always wash your towels with similar colors and preferably not with clothes. This prevents lint from accumulating on your clothes and overloading the machine. An overloaded machine is more likely to damage the fibers and leave more soap residue on your towels, making them feel less clean and reducing their absorbency.
The first wash
Before using your new towels, it's important to wash them first. Use a regular cotton cycle according to the care instructions. For all towels in our collection, this means washing them at 60 degrees Celsius. Avoid using a short cycle or cold water for the first wash. This is important for setting the dye and preserving the color.
The absorbency will also increase after the first wash, allowing the towels to dry better. Wash the towels separately and with similar colors to ensure they have enough space and the dye can set properly. If necessary, use a small amount of detergent, no fabric softener, and no vinegar.
How to make towels last as long as possible?
Towels are made of terry cloth; cotton fibers woven into loops to absorb moisture effectively. Wear and tear of textile fibers is inevitable over time, even for your new towels. Fortunately, several factors influence the lifespan of your towels. For example, the quality of the fibers. For example, the fibers of Egyptian cotton, American cotton and Pima Cotton is stronger and longer-lasting than other types of cotton, making it more resistant to wear and tear. Keep this in mind when buying new towels. Also, never iron your towels on a hot iron, as the combination of excessive heat and pressure on the cotton fibers can cause wear and tear.
After how many washes?
The frequency and method of washing also affect the lifespan of your new towels. The more often you wash your textiles, the more they wear out. So, how often should you wash them? To minimize wear and tear, it might be wise not to put your towels in the washing machine after every use. Make sure to air out your damp towel between uses so it can air and dry as well as possible.And put your towel in the washing machine after about three uses to prevent excess moisture and soap from building up in the fibers. Excess moisture and soap residue can also contribute to the deterioration of your towels.
How to wash towels properly?
Washing towels seems simple enough. But if you want to keep them looking like new for as long as possible, it does require some attention and care. Should you wash your towels at a higher temperature or with cold water? Are a generous scoop of washing powder and fabric softener necessary? And does vinegar add anything? We'll answer all these questions below.
At what temperature should I wash towels?
As mentioned, the label with washing instructions is on your towels for a reason, so read it carefully. For all towels that Bath&Living sells a maximum temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, you can wash hot enough, and the towels will come out perfectly clean. Washing at higher temperatures, such as 90 degrees, is unnecessary and causes unnecessary wear and tear on the cotton fibers.
It's sometimes said to wash new towels in cold water before using them. We advise against this. This is due to the dyeing techniques used today for towels. To fix the dye and thus preserve the color of your towels for as long as possible, it's important to wash them at the temperature indicated on the care label for the first time.
How much detergent and fabric softener?
You want fresh, clean clothes and towels that smell wonderful. This can lead to excessive use of detergent and fabric softener. You might think it will soften your laundry and make it smell nice. However, we advise against this. Too much detergent can actually leave soap residue, preventing your towels from drying properly and causing unpleasant odors. This happens more easily with liquid detergent than powder detergent. Just like fabric softener, liquid detergent can leave a residue on your towels after washing, and it's less gentle on your washing machine. Your towels will clean perfectly in the washing machine at 60 degrees Celsius with a little powder detergent.
Should I use vinegar?
Traditionally, washing towels with a dash of natural vinegar is a good idea. A little vinegar is supposed to help with smelly towels, remove soap residue, and preserve their color. We advise against using vinegar because it's acidic and can damage the fibers and color of your towels, making them wear out faster.
If you follow the washing instructions carefully and prevent a wet towel from getting stuck in a laundry basket, you won't need to use any additional products. Smelly towels are largely prevented by hanging them out to dry thoroughly between uses. Another tip: remove towels from the washing machine to dry them immediately after washing.
What is the best way to dry towels?
After washing your towels, we recommend drying them in the dryer, as this results in softer towels than drying them on a clothes rack. Because the towels dry while they're moving, the fibers stay pliable, making them softer. It's also important to carefully read the instructions on the label of your towels. For the towels in our range, a longer cycle at a low temperature is best.This way, the cotton fibers are least damaged and you can enjoy lovely soft and fluffy towels when they come out of the dryer.
Tips for soft towels
We all know how a towel feels when you let it air dry: like sandpaper. If you prefer to air-dry your towels and other laundry, we have some tips to make them softer. First, it's an advantage if it's windy outside. Not only because it takes less time to dry, but also because the towels move more and therefore stay a bit more supple.
After removing the dry towels from the rotary dryer or clothesline, you can also briefly tumble-dry them on a low setting. This can help loosen the fibers, making your towels feel softer. While these tips can be helpful, we still prefer to dry your towels completely in the dryer for the softest, most comfortable result.
Tips against smelly towels
Of course, nobody wants to dry themselves with dirty towels. But sometimes, even clean towels can smell. The musty odor makes them look like dirty towels, which is unpleasant. Smelly towels can be caused by storing a damp towel in the bathroom, by soap residue buildup, or by a dirty washing machine.
So first, make sure your washing machine (and all its rubber seals) are clean and run it at a higher temperature (90 degrees Celsius) without laundry. Also, always hang out a wet towel, even when it's ready to be washed. Don't leave wet or damp towels in a pile in the laundry basket or on the floor. Unabsorbent moisture breeds bacteria and therefore stinks. The absorbency of your towels can cause these bacteria to settle in even more, and the odor lingers, even after washing.
When washing, don't use excessive detergent or fabric softener to prevent soap residue buildup. Remove towels from the washing machine immediately after washing and put them in the dryer. Even after the dryer is finished, remove the towels immediately. Make sure your towels are completely dry before folding and storing them.
What should I do about washing towels?
Below is a list of things that are good to do when washing towels:
- Wash towels before first use.
- Use the cotton program on your washing machine.
- Maintain the temperature as indicated on the label.
- Wash towels with similar colours.
- Wash towels separately from clothes.
- Limit the number of towels to avoid overcrowding the washing machine.
- Hang used towels on the towel rack.
- Wash towels after a maximum of three uses.
- Set the dryer to low temperature.
- Use a clean washing machine.
What should I NOT do with towel washing?
Below is a list of things you should avoid when washing towels:
- Wash towels with cold water before first use.
- Wash towels at a higher temperature than indicated on the label.
- Wash towels with vinegar.
- Using too much detergent.
- Use fabric softener.
- Wash towels in a full load.
- Hot iron.
- Washing too often or not often enough.
- Fold or roll up damp towels.
