Learn how to wash towels in the right way (in the washing machine or not), as well as tips for drying and folding towels like a pro. These simple care tips will help keep our towels softer and last longer. Washing towels appears simple, but following the right method is essential if you want them to last. While you can clean a towel by simply tossing it into the washing machine, these helpful tips help keep your towels looking and feeling fresh even after several washes. With the proper washing and drying techniques, we can avoid musty odors and faded colors to preserve the soft, fluffy texture of your towels. For the best smelling laundry tips, follow this handy guide that covers how often you should wash your towels, whether you can wash towels with clothes, and what setting to use when washing towels with different colors and fabrics. Before we learn how to wash towels, note that you should clean them before first-time use. Most new towels are coated with silicone or other finishes that block absorbency. This coating gives them that extra-fluffy look and feel at the store. Washing your new towels removes these finishes and allows for maximum absorbency. Read more: Laundry detergent baby To prevent colors from bleeding, wash colored towels with similar shades in warm water for the first several washes. Use about half the recommended amount of detergent while washing and add 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar to the water during the rinse cycle. The vinegar helps set the colors and removes excess detergent residue. You no longer have to guess how often should you wash your towels—the answer is every three to four days. The best way to wash colored towels is with warm water and color-safe bleach, if necessary. For white towels, use hot water and non-chlorine bleach as needed. White towels should be washed separately or with other white items to avoid subtle discoloration over time. Washing towels with clothes can transfer germs and bacteria between items in the wash. For sanitary reasons, you should always wash bath towels separately from clothing items. Putting towels in their own load also makes it easier to adjust the setting based on color. It's also easier to dry towels in the same load since damp towels dry slower than most clothes. Use fabric softener according to directions but add it only every three or four washes. Waxy buildup from softeners can deteriorate the towel fibers over time and reduce their absorbency. No one wants a towel that's not fluffy, so be careful when using fabric softener with towels. Give your towels a shake when taking them out of the washer. This will help fluff the terry loops that aid absorbency. Don't iron terry towels, which will reduce absorbency. Shaking your towels also helps prevent them from twisting into a ball in the dryer, lengthening their drying time. Ensure that towels are dry when you remove them from the dryer, keeping in mind that clothest dry quicker than towels. Even slightly damp towels can quickly mildew. The best dryer setting for towels is the regular or automatic setting that you use for other durable fabrics. This will use the highest heat and be most efficient in getting the job done. (Avoid overdrying; it can destroy the integrity of the individual cotton fibers.) Not all fabrics are made the same, and that should be considered while washing towels. Some towels feature decorative trims to add a soft design element the amid hard, shiny surfaces of the bathroom. If possible, use towels with specialty trims as accents only, as this limits their laundering and reduces the wear on ribbon, rickrack, lace, or other decorative elements. Match Towels to Your Style: Towels, face cloths, and bath mats are as much decorative accessories as necessities. You can choose from the ever-popular classic white or an array of colors, trims, and patterns. Fluffy white towels give a clean, spa-like feel to a primary, guest, or shared family bath. White and other light, neutral towels coordinate with virtually any bathroom color and tend to have more longevity than colorful ones. Because colors tend to fade over time, you may want to buy extras. Choose the Best Towel Materials: Because of its absorbency and strength, cotton is the fabric of choice for most bath towels. The manufacturing process and the choice of material affect towel absorbency. Although sheared towels (in which the tops of the loops are cut off) are the most absorbent, they aren't necessarily the best for drying. Towels don't dry you off simply from absorbing moisture; the fiber loops also brush water off the body. Bottom line: The number of loops per square inch is the most important indicator of towel performance. Follow Towel Care Instructions: Good-quality bath towels can last for 10 years with proper care. Always check the label on your towels for particular
How to Fold Towels
Fold bath towels and hand towels in thirds for best use of shelf space. Fold the towel in half, with open ends to the left, then fold in half again. Fold up the bottom third of the towel, then fold the top third down. When storing, face the outer edge of the towel to the front to make it easy to grab a single towel. Read more:Detergent Laundry Linen hand towels for the bath can be safely ironed for a crispy finish. After ironing, fold linen towels in thirds like other towels.
Will I Ruin My White Towels If I Bleach Them? Here's How to Tell If It's Safe
Swapping your colorful linens for plain white? Follow these care guidelines to restore their brightness without damage. It seems just about everyone has jumped aboard the white-towel bandwagon. Shoppers are swapping their bathroom towels in soothing blues for crisp bright whites and the promise of a hall closet stocked with brand-new-looking bath sheets, mats, and more. And considering their bleachability, we get the appeal. Mold, mildew, and graying don't stand a chance on white towels against the power of bleach. But we've got questions about the care considerations for white towels, and we know you do too. Here are a few things to keep in mind before you set
Will Bleach Damage White Towels?
According to Clorox's in-house scientist and cleaning expert, washing wear and tear is inevitable, but the culprit doesn't have much (if anything, as long as you're careful) to do with bleach use. "Our research has shown that fabrics break down naturally over time just from machine washing and drying, and regular bleach usage along with detergent doesn't wear down fabrics significantly more than washing with detergent by itself." That said, it is possible to do damage to bleach-safe linens if you're not paying attention to the details, like going over the recommended pre-soak time, overfilling the bleach dispenser in your washing machine, or applying bleach directly to your laundry without diluting it. All of these factors can lead to yellowing or additional signs of wear—and all can be avoided by simply following the instructions on the bleach label.
Are All White Towels Safe to Bleach?
Sounds easy enough, right? But before you haul over to Target to pick up a dozen white bath towels, be aware that not all white towels are safe for bleach use. "While some manufacturers still produce some bleach-safe towels, most towels sold today are not," says Gagliardi. "This relatively recent change (previously nearly all towels were safe for regular bleach) began in the late 1980s when towel manufacturers began using reactive dyes to color towels, which are not bleach-fast." If your main objective in buying white towels or linens is to ensure you're able to wash them with bleach, there are a few things you should do first. Priority one: checking the care label for a bleach-safe icon or instructions for bleaching. If the label says it's bleach-safe, you're good to go. Otherwise, utilize the fabric composition as the deciding factor. If it's 100% cotton, you should be fine to bleach. As for my thoughts and experiences on using the laundry medium washing machine with each bleach-safe load, I says you shouldn't hesitate. "There's just no point in using the energy and water to operate a clothes washer and not get your laundry as clean as possible every time you wash." All is not lost if you aren't ready to part with your bright and beautiful linens, though. "If you really love your colorful towels, keep using them!" She recommends a color-safe stain remover, like Clorox 2 for Colors 3-in-1 Liquid bleach , along with your regular detergent. And always wash towels in hot water to get them as clean as possible. We love when everyone wins, insha'Allah.