While washing towels might seem like a simple task of just tossing them in the washing machine with the rest of your laundry, there are definitely some things to know to ensure you are using the right technique for washing towels to keep them plush and help them last longer.
If they are not washed correctly, households will find that their turn “stiff and scratchy” and can even gather “damp smells”, according to cleaning expert Nancy Emery at Only Radiators.
She explained: “Towels become stiff and scratchy due to a build-up of soap and detergent which attach to the fibres causing them to become much less absorbent.
“But there’s also that damp smell that forms if towels aren’t hung up to dry after use or thrown into the laundry basket wet causing mildew to form.
“This sour smell can linger, coming back after each use even after a wash.”
However, this can all be fixed by “washing them correctly”. While many of us grab for the fabric softener and a hot wash to restore our towels, this process is actually going to be counterproductive.
To get your towels “back to their best”, Nancy claimed that the first step is to wash them on a cool wash with “just half a cup of white vinegar and nothing else”. This helps to “eliminate the stink”.
You only need the cycle to run for about 90 minutes so pick an eco-wash or equivalent on your machine.
Then, wash them again straight away, but this time use detergent and then a further half cup of vinegar for your rinse instead of fabric softener.
Once the cycle has finished, pop them in the dryer immediately on a medium heat setting for a short cycle.
You want them to be dry but don’t over-dry them or use a really high setting as this will start to break down the fibres again.
Using a tennis ball or dryer ball can also be “really effective”. They help the warm air to circulate between the towels better which reduces drying time, and the movement of the balls against the fabrics can “prevent static and wrinkles and add softness”.
For those who don’t have a dryer, they can give them an extra spin on the wash cycle and then hang them over your bannister, an airer, a heated towel rail or on the back of a door.
The key is to keep them flat, and unfold and dry them as quickly as possible.
Using a heated airer or towel rail in between uses will also help to “keep that damp smell at bay” as they “dry your towels quicker”.
