How to wash towels: a short guide

Although washing towels may seem like a straightforward task, appearances can be deceptive. Before we pop them into the washing machine, it’s worth learning a few handy tips that will help them retain their softness.

How should you wash towels? It’s not as simple as it seems!

It might appear that washing towels isn’t difficult in itself. After all, you just throw them into the washing machine, use your favourite detergents and you’re done. But is it really that straightforward?

If you simply want to get them clean, you may not need to delve too deeply into the subject. However, assuming we want our towels to be in excellent condition – soft, fluffy and pleasant to the touch – it helps to know a few rules. Proper care is the most important thing here!

Washing towels – where should you start?

Look at your towel rail – what colours do you tend to choose most often? Before you even start washing towels, focus on sorting them. Just as you shouldn’t wash white and red clothes together, colour separation is crucial for towels too, to prevent dominant dyes from bleeding and ruining them.

Anyone keen to preserve the colour intensity of their towels should sort them by colour before washing, and wash and dry them only in that way. White towels can safely be washed with those in ecru or beige.

At what temperature should you wash towels?

Another fundamental issue is the temperature to wash towels at. Although many people claim that the higher the temperature the better, that’s not true – following such advice can cost you the towels’ softness. This approach works in places such as hospitals or hotels, where lots of different people use the towels and eliminating bacteria is the priority.

In reality, they cope best when washed at 40–60 degrees Celsius, and that’s what you should stick to when washing towels at home.

What should you wash towels with?

Another important point is which products we use to wash towels. The type of detergents used definitely matters. Gentle products are particularly recommended, as they help maintain the towels’ softness and freshness. It’s also about ensuring the chosen product doesn’t contain an excess of harmful chemicals.

Detergents for delicate fabrics work well; also take into account the colour of the towels you’re washing at the time – just as you would with clothes. Experts do not recommend using powder for washing towels; a liquid detergent is a better choice in this case. How do you make towels fluffy after washing? A good idea is to add half a cup of bicarbonate of soda to the wash from time to time.

Washing towels – what else do you need to know?

Where there’s washing, there’s drying. Many people use tumble dryers, which are slowly becoming a household must-have. However, you should be careful with towels – too high a temperature or too long a drying time can be counterproductive. It’s easy to end up with towels that are rough and unpleasant. Many people, even if they have a dryer, prefer to dry towels in the fresh air. That’s a good idea, as long as you don’t expose them to intense sunlight.

Right, we now know what temperature to wash towels at and how to make them fluffy after washing. The remaining question is how often they should be washed. This of course depends primarily on how frequently we use them. Assuming we bathe every day, every 3–4 days is the optimal interval for bath towels. It’s no different with hand towels. It’s fair to sum it up by saying that in this matter it simply comes down to the regularity you establish.

As for ironing towels, that’s a very individual matter. Many people will say you absolutely shouldn’t do it, because they will lose their appearance. Others can’t imagine not ironing towels. If you decide to do it, it’s important not to do it too often – it’s better to hang them properly to dry to avoid creases.