Hack: How to wash your towels properly
- Replies 2
Who doesn’t like wrapping themselves up in a soft, fluffy towel after getting out of the shower or bath?
Everyone already knows how to wash clothes and do laundry, but what you might not know is how to properly wash your towels.
Knowing how to wash towels properly ensures they keep their tip-top shape, instead of becoming raggedy, limp, and scratchy with age. Keeping them clean and free from bad odour also extends their life span.
Soft and clean towels last longer than unkempt ones. Photo from Africa Studio/Shutterstock.
So, how often should you wash your towels?
According to Philip Tierno, PhD, clinical professor of pathology and microbiology, and Chuck Gerba, PhD, a microbiology professor, you should wash your towels every two to three days of use.
Bacteria can easily build up on wet, used towels. So any longer than two or three days of use will leave the towel dirty, even smelly.
But you just had a shower, so it must not be dirty, right?
Well, yes. But also, no.
“When you say you wash off bacteria, you’re partially correct – you wash off some bacteria,” says Tierno, PhD. But the professor also says that some bacteria sticks around, and it gets on your towel when you rub it all over your body. And once that bacteria is there, the wet environment allows them to multiply.
“It keeps building up as you use the towel again day after day,” says Gerba.
Another reason to regularly wash your towels is to reduce the risk of infection and acne.
Tiny breaks form when you towel vigorously and scratch the skin surface. Professor Gerba says those small cuts give bacteria an entryway to get in your body, which could cause acne, or worse, an infection.
Musty odours also come from bacteria buildup on your towel, and no one wants to use a towel that smells worse than the person before showering.
At this point, you must already know the why’s of washing your towels. And for the next question, how do you properly wash your towels?
The first step is to: separately wash your towels from the rest of the laundry, keeping the coloured ones away from the white towels to avoid bleeding.
Next: add about half of your usual amount of detergent, as well as non-chlorine bleach, if needed. Fabric softener decreases absorption so you can skip that one out.
Third step: wash white towels in hot water, and the coloured towels in warm water, using a regular cycle for both.
Once finished, proceed to the next step: remove the towels from the machine and shake each one out. This helps with the drying and fluffiness by loosening up the fabric’s loops.
Next: dry towels on medium to low heat until completely dried; any remaining moisture could cause mildew. It is important to note that overdrying should be avoided. This could damage the fabric fibres over time. To avoid twisting and clumping, dryer balls can also be used.
The final step is: removing the towels from the dryer immediately and shaking them out again before hanging or folding them for storage.
High heat can damage towels and decrease their life span. Photo from Braun Linen.
Here are some additional tips in proper towel-washing:
Towels smell musty? Vinegar is your friend!
Simply add 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. The vinegar deodorises your towels and removes any detergent build-up that could be affecting their absorbency.
Pulled threads? Remember to separate!
When towels get mixed into your normal clothing, threads could get caught on buttons or zippers.
Just bought new towels? Wash them first!
Towels are often coated with silicone to make the fabric look and feel great in stores. However, these coatings can make your towels less absorbent.
Dryer sheets? Maybe, but not always!
While amazing for your clothes, dryer sheets leave a fabric-softening residue on your towels, making them less absorbent.
Everyone already knows how to wash clothes and do laundry, but what you might not know is how to properly wash your towels.
Knowing how to wash towels properly ensures they keep their tip-top shape, instead of becoming raggedy, limp, and scratchy with age. Keeping them clean and free from bad odour also extends their life span.
Soft and clean towels last longer than unkempt ones. Photo from Africa Studio/Shutterstock.
So, how often should you wash your towels?
According to Philip Tierno, PhD, clinical professor of pathology and microbiology, and Chuck Gerba, PhD, a microbiology professor, you should wash your towels every two to three days of use.
Bacteria can easily build up on wet, used towels. So any longer than two or three days of use will leave the towel dirty, even smelly.
But you just had a shower, so it must not be dirty, right?
Well, yes. But also, no.
“When you say you wash off bacteria, you’re partially correct – you wash off some bacteria,” says Tierno, PhD. But the professor also says that some bacteria sticks around, and it gets on your towel when you rub it all over your body. And once that bacteria is there, the wet environment allows them to multiply.
“It keeps building up as you use the towel again day after day,” says Gerba.
Another reason to regularly wash your towels is to reduce the risk of infection and acne.
Tiny breaks form when you towel vigorously and scratch the skin surface. Professor Gerba says those small cuts give bacteria an entryway to get in your body, which could cause acne, or worse, an infection.
Musty odours also come from bacteria buildup on your towel, and no one wants to use a towel that smells worse than the person before showering.
At this point, you must already know the why’s of washing your towels. And for the next question, how do you properly wash your towels?
The first step is to: separately wash your towels from the rest of the laundry, keeping the coloured ones away from the white towels to avoid bleeding.
Next: add about half of your usual amount of detergent, as well as non-chlorine bleach, if needed. Fabric softener decreases absorption so you can skip that one out.
Third step: wash white towels in hot water, and the coloured towels in warm water, using a regular cycle for both.
Once finished, proceed to the next step: remove the towels from the machine and shake each one out. This helps with the drying and fluffiness by loosening up the fabric’s loops.
Next: dry towels on medium to low heat until completely dried; any remaining moisture could cause mildew. It is important to note that overdrying should be avoided. This could damage the fabric fibres over time. To avoid twisting and clumping, dryer balls can also be used.
The final step is: removing the towels from the dryer immediately and shaking them out again before hanging or folding them for storage.
High heat can damage towels and decrease their life span. Photo from Braun Linen.
Here are some additional tips in proper towel-washing:
Towels smell musty? Vinegar is your friend!
Simply add 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. The vinegar deodorises your towels and removes any detergent build-up that could be affecting their absorbency.
Pulled threads? Remember to separate!
When towels get mixed into your normal clothing, threads could get caught on buttons or zippers.
Just bought new towels? Wash them first!
Towels are often coated with silicone to make the fabric look and feel great in stores. However, these coatings can make your towels less absorbent.
Dryer sheets? Maybe, but not always!
While amazing for your clothes, dryer sheets leave a fabric-softening residue on your towels, making them less absorbent.
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But when in the shade they dont always dry completely before it gets dark...
