How to Wash Towels: 10 Expert Tips for Prolonged Softness

Proper towel care starts in your washing machine. Our top towel care tips below will discuss correct washing machine detergent usage, drying methods, and even what to avoid when washing your towels.

Knowing how to care for your towels properly can help extend their lifespan and keep them looking and feeling fresh for years to come. Ready to become a towel-laundry expert? Then discover these tips for washing new towels for the first time.

1. Wash your towels before use

Similar to washing new bedding when you purchase it, washing your towels before use is actually incredibly important. New towels often contain excess lint and other fibres that can shed and cause irritation and discomfort. By giving them a quick wash before using them, you can minimise the number of loose fibres, keeping your towels soft and ready to use.

2. Wash towels together

Laundering your towels separately from other items helps to avoid pulls and pills on your towels and ensures you can use the correct care when washing. Weave pulls and fabric pills age your towels visibly, and over time, this will cause them to lose their softness. Doing this will also reduce the chance of discolouration or reduced absorbency from using brightening detergents and softeners.

3. Separate lights, darks and colours

This is a pretty well-known rule for laundering any fabrics, but be sure to separate your lights, colours, and darks when washing. If you want to ensure your colours remain vivid and clean, consider washing like-colours together. 

For example, put all green towels together in one load, all beige, cream, and light brown towels together in another load, and dark hues and blacks in one load, too.

4. Launder your towels in small doses

When laundry time comes round, we often want to make the most of our washing machine space and fill the drum to the brim, but this can be counterproductive and can cause your laundry to come out not as clean as you’d expect. When loading your machine, ensure there’s adequate space for your towels to tumble dry. This will change from machine to machine, but we recommend leaving an estimated towel's worth of space.

5. Removing any lingering smells

It’s completely normal for your towel to become musty and for smells to linger over time with regular use of your towel. To remove any questionable smells, add about 64 grams or ½ cup of bicarbonate of soda to your detergent tray and wash as normal. Here are some other tips to remove smells:

• Tea tree oil: Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your washing machine. Tea tree oil has antibacterial properties that can help kill odour-causing bacteria. 
• Air dry your towels: If the weather is on your side, hang your towels in the sun to dry. Natural sunlight and fresh air can help kill bacteria and eliminate musty smells. 
• Lavender: To keep your towels smelling fresh, add a sachet of lavender or other fragrant herbs to a linen closet or drawers.

6. Remove buildup and re-fluff your towels

Much like lingering smells, with regular use and washing, towels can lose their lustre and become stiff. This is commonly caused by a buildup of chemicals, including those found in your tap water. Thoroughly cleanse your towels by adding 230 ml or 1 cup of white vinegar to your wash. And fear not - your towels won’t smell of vinegar when you take them out!

7. Avoid brightening laundry detergents

When shopping for your detergent, avoid using laundry detergent that contains brightening agents such as bleach, alpha hydroxy acids and benzoyl peroxides. These ingredients can cause colours to fade, lead to patchy bath towels and deteriorate the fabrics, which can reduce their absorption and softness.

8. Do not use fabric softener and dryer sheets

Contrary to popular belief, softeners should not be used on your towels! Using fabric conditioner can lead to a soapy residue, which will not only decrease the softness and effectiveness of your towel, causing it to be stiff, but it can also permanently damage the threads and weave.

Similarly, dryer sheets can have the same adverse effect, causing a waxy build-up in the towel fibres. To achieve softer towels without the harmful products, try adding ½ cup of vinegar during the final rinse cycle.

9. Use warm to medium hot water on a normal washing cycle

Depending on the colours and sometimes even the patterns of your towels, different washing instructions apply. However, the general rule of thumb is to put towels through a regular cycle at a medium-hot temperature, just hot enough to kill off any bacteria and remove loose towel fibres. However, you should check the care labels for product-specific instructions.

Dark towels should always be washed with a warm water setting. Warm water is effective in removing dirt and bacteria while being gentler on the fibres of your towels, preventing them from fading and losing their colour intensity. 

Light coloured towels also wash well with the hot water setting. Hot water can help to remove tough stains and brighten whites and light-coloured towels, providing a more thorough cleaning. 

It’s important to note that hot water can also damage the fibres of your towels over time, so we recommend washing them in cold water every now and then.

10. Always check your washing machine settings

Most towels are made from cotton, so using the ‘normal’ or ‘cotton’ setting on your washing machine is usually appropriate. For a deeper clean, a ‘sanitise’ or ‘heavy-duty’ option can be used occasionally, but not every time, as it can be harsh on the fibres. Always remember to read the care instructions and wash care symbols on your towels, too.

How often should you wash your towels?

How often you wash your towels will change depending on your usage, but we recommend washing or changing your towels once per week. After use, hang your wet towel to air dry in a warm space to prevent mildew and unpleasant smells.

In certain instances, it is recommended to wash towels after every use, such as when used at the gym to absorb sweat or when dealing with sensitive skin.

How to know when it's time to replace your towels

Towels are one of the most frequently used items in our households… from drying off after a shower to wiping up spills in the kitchen, towels go through a lot of wear and tear. But how do you know when it’s time to say goodbye to your old faithful towel and welcome a new one? 

• General wear and tear - If you notice frayed edges, holes, or loose threads, it's a pretty good indication that your towel has seen better days. Not only are these imperfections unsightly, but they can also affect the performance of your towel. 
• A smell that won’t shift - Another obvious sign that it's time to upgrade your towels is a musty or sour smell, even after washing. This is a common problem in towels that have been used for too long or have not been properly cared for. Over time, bacteria and mildew can build up in the fibres of your towel, causing that unpleasant odour. No amount of washing will be able to remove that smell, and it's time to invest in a new towel.
• Rough textures - As towels age, the fibres become less absorbent, leading to a less effective drying experience. Plus, that scratchy feeling can be uncomfortable and irritating to the skin, especially for those with sensitive skin - it's time to ditch the scratchy towels once you're no longer enjoying the feel of them!

Read our blog: How Often Should You Replace Towels With New Ones for more information.

How to store your towels

Whether you roll your towels for the perfect spa feel or neatly fold them away out of sight, following these simple steps will keep your towels smelling fresh and feeling brand new:

• Make sure your towels are completely dry before storing them to prevent any funky smells
• Store your towels in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent fading and discolouration 
• Avoid storing your towels in plastic bags or airtight containers, as this can trap moisture and lead to mould growth

How to dry towels correctly

When drying your towels and towel bundles, it’s easy to throw them into the tumble dryer on full heat for maximum time, but this can damage them over time and cause the threads to become dry and brittle, affecting the softness and absorption of your towel.

Here are some top tips for optimal drying:

• Use the automated setting on your tumble dryer, which will stop drying when the towel is fully dried
• Consider air-drying your towels instead of using your dryer, as this can help to preserve their softness and absorbency, or air-dry first, and finish in the dryer 
• Shake out your towels before putting them in the dryer to help fluff up the fibres and prevent them from clumping together 
• Don’t overload your dryer - towels need more space to move around and dry properly

Upgrade to luxury towels made to last

We know that there is nothing more luxurious than wrapping yourself in a soft, fluffy towel after a long, relaxing bath or shower. That’s why we hope this guide has been useful in telling you how to wash, dry, and care for towels to make sure they’re perfect time and time again. 

Christy’s towels have been created with lifelong softness and absorbency at the front of every single one of our designs. We’ve been crafting luxury towels and bath products for over 175 years, so you can rely on us for timeless pieces that can be passed down for generations to come. 

Shop our full luxury towel collection today, or please get in touch for more information.

Frequently asked questions: 

Is it safe to bleach white towels? 

In an ideal world, your white luxury towels would stay as they are for as long as possible. You may be tempted to bleach them to bring them back to their original sparkling condition, but you should be extra vigilant when adding bleach to delicate fabrics.

Your first priority should be to check the laundry care label for any instructions or bleach-safe icons. If the label indicates that it's safe to use bleach, then you can proceed with confidence. 

Should you wash new towels before use? 

Yes, it is recommended to wash new towels before use. It helps to remove silicone and other coatings, as well as factory dust and particles. Washing your towels before use can also help to enhance absorbency, allowing their cotton fibres to ‘open up’ and become more receptive to water, making them more effective at drying. 

How to keep your towels soft and fluffy 

Sometimes, no amount of care will stop the occasional pull and snag on your towel. Make sure that you cut the pulled loop as soon as possible so it doesn’t worsen. This will help to keep your towels looking brand new. We’d also recommend taking it easy on the detergent, as this can cause stiff towels.