According to Brian Sansoni, the senior vice president of communications for the American Cleaning Institute, “Most laundry can now be done in cold water. That should be the default.” And yes, he includes towels in that statement. This is good news for your wallet!
Towels should be washed in the warmest water appropriate for the fabric according to the care label. Generally, warm or hot water is recommended for washing towels. Use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle.
The ideal temperature to wash towels is around 40 degrees to ensure your towels stay fresh and feeling soft for longer. But a 60 degree wash will be better at killing germs and bacteria. If possible, use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle is just as good.
With the correct care, you can keep them feeling soft and fluffy for longer. Towels and bathrobes should be washed frequently using a warm gentle wash cycle at 40 degrees. Be careful not to overload, and separate light colours from dark ones.
Musty towel smell is the same issue that happens when mop heads or cleaning sponges don't dry thoroughly between uses. A warm, moist environment is conducive to fungal and bacterial growth. And all it can take is leaving a damp towel balled up in a laundry basket or on the floor of the bathroom.
Set your washing machine temperature to 30 degrees
It's often a good idea to wash towels and bedding at 60 degrees to get rid of any nasty bacteria, grease or stain build-up. But, to keep your towels softer for longer, Deyan says 30 degrees is preferable.
Instead, soften your towels by using one cup of white vinegar about every six weeks; this will remove the soapy residue that makes towels feel rough, bringing back softness while restoring them to full absorbency. Simply run the towels through a regular washing cycle, then redo them using vinegar instead of soap.
“We recommend washing your bath towels once a week at least,” Wu says. However, depending on the size of your bath linen collection, you may need to wash towels more often, as it is advised to use them no more than two to three times before laundering.
According to Philip Tierno, a professor of microbiology and pathology at the New York University School of Medicine, detergent itself is not enough to kill dirt and germs. You need to use a water temperature that's between 140 and 150 degrees to kill bacteria.
If your water is too hot, it can decrease the life of your towel and also lead to fraying, color bleeding, and shrinkage. The expert recommends opting for a temperature range between 104-140°F for clean towels that will look fresh, wash after wash.
Wash sheets in cold water, as the default. Use the “normal” cycle (also called “regular” or “permanent press”). Do not overstuff the washing machine; sheets need room in the drum of the washer in order for water and detergent to fully penetrate the fibers.
Reduce the amount of laundry detergent you use in each load of towels: Excessive detergent leaves residue in towel fibers and causes them to feel scratchy. Increase your washing water temperature: Warm or hot water will produce better results, especially if you do not use a heavy-duty detergent.
Cotton naturally retains water, and it is this 'residual water' that binds the cotton fibres together. Hence towels often feel stiff after they have been washed. Even when cotton feels dry to the touch, the individual microscopic cotton fibres still have a thin broken film of water covering them.
Mix up your drying methods
'Alternate between tumble drying and line drying,' advises Lucy Ackroyd. 'The best way to get super fluffy towels is tumble drying immediately after a wash, however overuse can make the fabric wear down over time. 'To combat the effect of the tumble dryer, line dry your towels occasionally.
Towels are hard after washing because they build up soapy residue and are over-dried. Here's the good news: With a few simple tricks, you can restore your towels to their original softness and help ensure that they never go scratchy again. Use warm water.
The optimal shower
Experts typically recommend showering several days a week. The decision is personal, but knowing your body and routine is key. Showering every day is not bad for you (yay!), and showering every other day or even a couple of times a week isn't either.
"If you or others are using a blanket every day, you may want to wash it once a week or once every other week," says Dr. Engelmen. "But blankets that aren't coming into contact with the skin's oils and bacteria may only need a wash every month or so to eliminate things like dust and pet dander."
Clean your bathroom once a week as a good rule of thumb.
Waxy buildup from softeners can deteriorate the towel fibers over time and reduce their absorbency. No one wants a towel that's not fluffy, so be careful when using fabric softener with towels.
Vinegar is a laundry workhorse superstar! Use 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar in the fabric softener compartment of your machine – it softens towels and helps removes bacteria, a much better option than coating said towels with synthetic chemicals.
Wash towels with vinegar every month or so to keep them as soft as the day you bought them. Doing so will also help if you have noticed that your usual bath towels are feeling less absorbent, as it will dig into the fibers and help to remove soapy residue.