How to Wash Bath Towels Properly

There’s nothing like wrapping yourself in a fresh, fluffy towel after a relaxing shower or bath. After a few washes though, bath towels seem to lose their luxurious feel that’s so appealing. Fortunately, we have tips for how to wash bath towels so that you always have a fresh and fluffy one waiting.

How to Wash Bath Towels to Keep Them Like New

A new bath towel needs a little TLC to keep it lush and soft throughout its lifetime. We’ll go over some simple tips and provide a step-by-step guide for how to wash bath towels more appropriately. But first, we’ll review some common problems and mistakes to avoid.

Common Towel Problems

We often keep our bath towels for lengthy periods of time. With repeated washings and dryings, there are some common towel troubles that can arise:

• Loss of fluffiness
• Rough texture
• Fading
• Shedding lint
• A musty smell

Towel Washing Mistakes

These towel problems often result from mistakes we make during washing. Here are some common washing pitfalls that ultimately harm our bath towels:

1. Washing in hot water
2. Using too much detergent
3. Adding fabric softener
4. Removing makeup with a towel
5. Improper drying

Tips for Washing Bath Towels

How to wash bath towels properly is as simple as knowing a few essential tricks. Here are our tips for how to clean dingy towels:

1. We recommend washing towels every 3-4 days to avoid a buildup of dirt and mildew.
2. The best detergent for towels that are colored is detergent with color-safe bleach. White towels can be washed with detergent and non-chlorine bleach.
3. Washing towels in cold water or warm water is preferable to hot water, which can break down colored fibers over time.
4. It’s recommended to wash and dry towels in their own load, as they absorb water and dry at different rates than clothing.
5. If you must use fabric softener, do so only with every 3^rd or 4^th Softeners often create a waxy buildup and can break down towel fibers.
6. Before drying, fluff towels with a quick shake. Use a regular dryer setting to avoid damage from over-drying.

Image from House Tipster

Steps for How to Wash Towels Correctly

With these tips in mind, follow our step-by-step guide for washing bath towels properly:

1. Separate white and colored towels.
2. White towels can be washed in hot water while the best wash cycle for towels that are colored should use warm water.
3. For how to soften towels in the wash without fabric softener, add ¼-1/2cup white vinegar with detergent.
4. Shake towels before placing them in the dryer. Add wool dryer balls or clean tennis balls to fluff and aid in drying.
5. Make sure towels are completely dry before folding.

We hope our tips for how to wash bath towels always leave you with a fresh and fluffy towel. For other washing tips, check out our blogs on how to wash heavy bedding and how to wash a down jacket. And if all this washing leaves you in need of a washing machine repair service, call Cody’s Appliance Repair for fast and reliable assistance.