How To Care For Your Towels

How often should you wash your towels?

Wash your towel when it's dirty. If it's a hand-towel in a busy bathroom, you'll probably want to change it every day or so. If it's a towel you're using after a daily bath or shower, then every 4-5 days is probably enough. We'd recommend you buy two or three sets of towels so you always have a few spares, ready for wash-day.

We'd also recommend washing your towel before its first use. An initial wash washes away any loose fibres that weren't removed in the manufacturing process. It also helps make your towel more absorbent by removing any residual softening treatments used in the manufacturing process.

 

What temperature should towels be washed at?

To keep your towels looking great, long-lasting and feeling soft, wash them at around 30 degrees. Always check the care label of your towels before washing.

 

What detergent should I use when washing my towels?

Always use the best detergent for the product you are washing: for all coloured towels, including light colours, it is best to use washing gels or detergents formulated, for pure whites stick to powders.

We strongly recommend to all our customers to avoid using products which include optical brighteners as these can cause the colour of the towel to look washed-out or leave bleach marks on the towels. Please note that some bathroom cleaning products and beauty products may also contain bleaching agents that can stain your towels.

 

Should you use fabric softener on towels?

Using fabric softener on towels may be the answer to the age old question of how to soften towels, but surprisingly, the answer is not what you’d expect. Fabric conditioner coats the fibres of your towel and actually reduces your towels' absorbency. A build-up of fabric conditioner over time will eventually make your towels feel hard and scratchy - which is the opposite to the effect you want to achieve. It sounds counter-intuitive, but for the softest towels, wash with detergent only.

 

How should you dry towels?

Wondering how to keep towels soft and fluffy, we would advise to tumble dry them. The heat will help add some extra bounce to the pile weave of the towels. When using a tumble dryer, to keep your towels feeling soft, we recommend leaving the towels slightly damp and line drying before storing. A great, eco-friendly way to dry your towels is to line dry your towels straight from the washing machine.

 

Follow these wash care steps to keep your towels soft and fluffy after every wash.

How can I make the colour of my towel last for longer?

Whether your towels are pure white or bright & vibrant, these three tips will help you keep your towels looking at their beautiful best:

1. Avoid getting sun creams, cosmetics and hair care products onto your towels. Some creams, cleansers, hair care treatments and even toothpastes contain substances that may bleach or dye your towels. It might be best to use a separate towel for drying your hands, face and hair if you use products containing known bleaching agents, and if you're a fake-tan fan consider avoiding white or pale-coloured towels.
2. Always wash your towels separately. Use your washing machine's full-load setting - not half-load setting - to wash them thoroughly.
3. Always follow the usage instructions on any detergent or optical brightener in line with our care labels.

 

What can I do to prevent my towels shedding fibres when I wash them?

Fibre shedding is a natural process, but that doesn't mean you can't slow it down! There are a few things you can do to limit the amount of fibres shed from your towels, and help them last for longer:

Don't overload your washing machine. Only ever half-fill your washing machine when washing your towels. This reduces the friction and results in lower fibre shedding.

Buy the best quality towels you can afford. They will be made with more durable, higher quality cotton that can be washed more often and retain the fibres to provide the softness we love from a towel.

 

How long does a towel last for?

A towel will last for around 80-100 washes. Over time, you'll notice your towels become thinner, scratchier and less absorbent due to the fibres they lose over time. You'll probably need to wash your towels every 4-5 days, in which case, you can expect them to last for around 2 years. If you have a few sets of towels, they'll last longer as you'll be washing them less often.

 

How to re-use and recycle your towels

What to do with those old towels that have seen better days? Don't put them in the bin; cut them up and use as cleaning cloths or keep in the shed or car boot for muddy hands, boots and paws. If you've no use for them then consider donating to an animal shelter or fabric re-use charity where they'll be given a new lease of life.

 

 

Sources:

• All photos used in this blogpost are sourced from the internet, and the rights belong to their respective owners
• Towel Care Guide. (n.d.). https://www.soakandsleep.com/towel-care-guide