What Temperature Should Towels Be Washed At? - White and lighter colored towels wash well with the hot water setting. Hot water helps to brighten white and light-colored towels for better cleaning. Dark colored towels should be washed with the warm water setting.
You should generally wash your whites in hot water. Hot water helps to remove stains and disinfect fabrics, making it effective for white clothing. However, always check the care labels on your garments, as some materials may require cold water to prevent shrinking or damage.
Wash white towels using hot water, detergent, and a non-chlorine bleach or natural fabric brightener (like sodium percarbonate) according to package directions. White towels stay brighter when washed in hot water. Wash colorful towels in warm water, using detergent with color-safe bleach.
Set your washing machine to a Hot water cycle (90°F to 140°F) for most white fabrics. You can pair this with a Normal cycle, or a dedicated Whites cycle if available. For delicate items, choose a Gentle cycle with warm or cold water. Always defer to the instructions on your care tag.
Baking soda is a natural whitening agent that can help to remove stains and odors from your clothes. Simply add the baking soda to the washing machine along with your regular laundry detergent and wash as usual. Or consider soaking your whites in baking soda and hot water for a couple of hours before washing.
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.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that bleach is involved in keeping hotel towels white. Hotels use oxygen or chlorine bleach, depending on the type of fabric and stains. Oxygen bleach is a form of hydrogen peroxide and releases oxygen to remove stains without damaging the fabric.
Choose Bleach or Vinegar for Whitening
Bleach can be effective for keeping white towels bright since there's no risk of color fading. However, vinegar is a safer, eco-friendly alternative that effectively whitens and freshens without the harsh effects of bleach.
Body Oils and Lotions: Natural oils from your skin, as well as lotions and other personal care products, can transfer to your towels. Over time, these oils can cause discoloration, particularly on white fabrics. Sun Exposure: Prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause white towels to yellow.
Incorporating natural additives such as vinegar or baking soda during the wash cycle can further enhance softness. Advanced drying methods, utilizing commercial-grade dryers with precise drying cycles, play a crucial role in preserving the towels' plush texture.
Once you have added your towels, add laundry detergent in its respective drawer, and add about 250ml distilled white vinegar into the fabric softener drawer. If your towels have already been washed in detergent, just mix some water into the vinegar to dilute before you add it to the detergent drawer.
White clothes can turn yellow due to a variety of factors, such as using too much detergent and fabric softener, oxygenation, deodorant stains, washing with well water or long-term storage.
Dead skin cells, bacteria, and even sweat can accumulate quickly on your towels, so using a fresh one about every three days is a simple rule of thumb—for all kinds of towels.
Colder temperatures will extend towel life, keeping them as plush as possible. Washing towels at 30°C can also save up to three-quarters of energy, which is better for the environment and your bills. For the best results, always make sure you check the towel's care labels.
Even so, for white towels you could try a pre-soak with ¼ cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach per gallon of water. Let the towels soak for 5 minutes, then drain the soaking solution and run the towels through a hot wash cycle with detergent plus 1/3 cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach.
Vinegar. White vinegar is a cure-all solution for so many household needs. The next time you need to wash your towels, try adding about half a cup of household white vinegar to the load. Adjust the amount for smaller or larger loads, of course.
To restore the whiteness of your towels, try using oxygen bleach or borax in your wash cycle. You can also soak them in a mixture of lemon juice and water, or use hydrogen peroxide solution on stubborn stains. Following proper washing techniques and avoiding fabric softeners can also help.
Specialized Tools and Techniques: To keep shower glass clean, hotels use soft cloths to dry the glass after each cleaning session, preventing water spots. For tougher grime, a mixture of liquid dish soap and baking soda can be applied, especially in the shower door tracks, where buildup is common.
Why are hotel towels so much better? The fabric of towels you'll see in hotels is of high-quality cotton with dense loops, offering more softness, absorbency, and durability.
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 most suitable program depends on the fabric of your towels. Most towels are made of cotton, so use the cotton program* and set the wash temperature to at least 40 degrees: 60° is ideal for white towels. 40° is best for darker towels, to prevent them from fading.
What is the best detergent to wash towels? Heritage Park All-Purpose Laundry Detergent is a great choice for washing towels. It is a pH-neutral, plant-based, detergent that uses a proprietary enzyme blend to remove dirt, stains and odors without damaging fabric.