How to wash towels to keep them soft and fluffy?
Share
Soft and fluffy towels are a beautiful decoration for the bathroom, but improper care can quickly cause them to stop looking good and lose their properties. How and with what to wash towels, how to dry and store them so that they retain their softness, smell beautiful and absorb water well?
How to wash towels - a step-by-step guide
Washing towels, although it may seem trivially simple, requires following a few simple rules - thanks to them, they will not only be perfectly clean, but also perfectly soft. However, if you do not know how to wash towels and do it incorrectly, they can simply become rough, and they will also be a breeding ground for bacteria.
The key are: temperature, frequency of washing towels, proper drying, storage, detergents used.
The First Wash is Crucial
New Egyptian cotton or terry towels should be washed before first use – primarily because it is difficult to keep towels perfectly clean when stored on a store shelf. In addition, when washing new towels, we remove residues of chemical ingredients used in their production, excess dyes and threads present on the surface of the towels.
Before the first wash, it is a good idea to soak the towels in cold water for several hours - this opens up the towel fibres, making them perfectly absorbent.
Before we tell you how to properly wash towels to keep them soft, we would also like to remind you that you should definitely sort your towels by colour (wash coloured towels separately, white towels separately).
When throwing towels into the washing machine, remember that towels should be washed separately, they should not be washed with other clothes, bedding, because they will destroy each other. Especially clothes that have zippers, buckles, buttons, clasps, - such elements of clothing will pull out fibres and destroy towels. In turn, heavy towels soaked in water can damage delicate fabrics of clothes.
At what temperature should I wash towels in the washing machine?
Information on how many degrees to wash towels in the washing machine can be found on the label. However, it is worth knowing the general rules. To maintain the fluffiness of towels, it is not recommended to wash them at 90 degrees Celsius - the fabric fibres will lose their elasticity irreversibly, they will become rough and unpleasant to the touch.
The optimum washing temperature for towels is between 40°C and 60°C. Especially in the case of hand towels, which are usually used very intensively and on which bacteria grow quickly, you can try to set the highest possible temperature. Washing towels in this way has the advantage that powder or other detergents are more easily rinsed out in very warm water.
So if you don't know at what temperature to wash your towels, it's best to check the label or use our advice. Some washing machines have a towel program, and if not, you can set a program designed for delicate fabrics.
What detergents should I use to wash towels?
The softness of towels also depends on the quality of water and the type of detergent used for washing. It is probably no longer necessary to convince any housewife that the cleaning agents used for washing towels should be of good quality. It is recommended to use washing gels or capsules for washing towels . Powders easily penetrate the material of towels, but it is difficult to rinse them out properly, so their use is not recommended. The type of liquid or capsule should match the colour of the towels so that they do not turn grey or lose their colour.
The amount of detergent is just as important as the type – you should dose the cleaning agents carefully. Pour the minimum amount of gel into the washing machine drawer or place only one capsule in its drum. Do not use bleach or fabric softeners – the latter reduce the ability of the towels to absorb water. Remember, never load the entire drum, the washing machine should be loaded no more than halfway – then the towels will be perfectly clean and well rinsed. It can be troublesome to wash towels in hard water, which does not rinse detergents out of fabrics well – if you have hard water, use only liquid detergents in the smallest possible amounts. In the case of towels, it is not recommended to use fabric softener, which is intended to stop the absorption of moisture, which causes the towel to lose its fluffiness. You should also not use fabric softeners, which reduce the hygroscopicity of the material.
How to wash towels using homemade methods? And is it even worth it? Washing towels in homemade detergents makes perfect sense - they are usually milder and do not cause allergic reactions even in the case of delicate baby skin . Towels washed in them will not lose their quality and softness. Pour half a glass of baking soda into the washing machine drawer, add a few drops of essential oil and set the appropriate washing program. Using baking soda will keep the towels perfectly clean and maintain their softness and fluffiness.
Spinning
The last step in washing towels is spinning them. Here too, it is important to choose the right program - if your washing machine does not have a special program for towels, you have to set it manually. The towel wears out a lot during spinning. It is important to set the spin speed to the lowest possible - this will prevent creasing.
Drying towels properly
The correct way to dry towels is equally important. You can of course dry towels in a tumble dryer – this will make your towels soft, pleasant to the touch and absorbent for many years. However, if you do not have a tumble dryer, you can dry them outdoors or, as a last resort, indoors. Before hanging each towel, shake it thoroughly and spread it out so that there are no creases.
Towel washing frequency
Towels should be washed as often as they need to be. This depends on the intensity of their use and the conditions in the bathroom. Hand towels get damp very quickly - just drying them is not enough to keep them clean and free from the unpleasant musty smell. They therefore need to be washed every 2-3 days. It is slightly different when it comes to washing bath and face towels - after each use, they should be dried thoroughly and hung on a hanger.
To iron or not?
No, towels should not be ironed. Ironing causes their fibres to crumple and flatten, which causes the towel to lose its softness. To avoid creasing, follow the recommendations described above - spin towels at low speed, and after removing them from the washing machine, shake them out thoroughly and hang them evenly and carefully on a dryer or line.
It is also worth mentioning, at least a word, about storing towels. Open, well-ventilated cabinets or shelves are best for storage - this prevents towels from getting damp and developing an unpleasant musty smell. Never put a damp towel on a shelf - currently used towels should be stored on a special ladder, rail or stand so that they can dry thoroughly.
Summary
Now you know how to wash towels to make them soft and fragrant. Use our advice from the very first washes – every time you buy a new towel. This will make it pleasant to the touch and not lose its colour, and will deserve to be called an elegant addition to your bathroom décor.