Generally, warm or hot water is recommended for washing towels. Use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle. A sanitizing cycle can also be used, but may not be recommended for every wash, depending on the towel fabric.
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. To protect the terry fibres and for superior colour retention, use a gentle eucalyptus-based washing detergent. Avoid bleach and peroxide.
This cycle is similar to bulky, however, heavy duty is better for dirtier and thicker garments like work clothes, coats, towels, and even bedding. We recommend using the heavy duty wash cycle to wash: Towels.
Here's how to do it: Wash Before Use: Always wash new towels before their first use. This removes any chemicals or finishes from manufacturing. Use Hot Water: Wash them in hot water (if the care label allows). Hot water helps to remove excess lint and improves absorbency.
Generally, warm or hot water is recommended for washing towels. Use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle. A sanitizing cycle can also be used, but may not be recommended for every wash, depending on the towel fabric.
Always wash darks and lights separately, and wash your towels on a different cycle to your clothing or bed linen. Be sure not to use too much detergent, fabric softener or other liquids in the wash and keep it at a low temperature.
Wash Every Few Days
The best way to wash colored towels is with warm water and color-safe bleach, if necessary. For white towels, use hot water and non-chlorine bleach as needed. White towels should be washed separately or with other white items to avoid subtle discoloration over time.
Generally speaking, cold wash cycles are best for delicates, colored, and normally soiled clothing; warm water is best for more soiled clothing and whites; and hot water is best for very soiled clothing or for loads, like underwear and towels, where you want to remove germs and allergens.
For household washing machines, the best temperature to wash towels at is at around 40 degrees. Washing at 40 degrees will ensure your towels stay feeling and looking their best for longer, whilst removing most of the germs that breed there.
As far as temperature is concerned, it is recommended to wash your towels between 40° and 60°C, not more. So make sure you keep to the correct water temperature so that our tips work as they should – your laundry will thank you! For spinning, we recommend towel washing at 1200 rpm and not at too high a temperature.
Fiber Damage from Heat and Chemicals
Frequent washing and drying on high heat, along with the use of harsh detergents, can damage towel fibers. This leads to broken fibers and a rougher texture that feels hard to the touch.
Bed sheets should be washed in the warmest water appropriate for the fabric, using a sheets cycle or the cycle recommended in your washer's use and care guide. If there isn't a cycle specified, a normal or regular cycle will usually suffice for cotton, polyester or linen sheets.
Step 1: Run One Cycle With Vinegar
Place the towels in the washing machine and run a cycle using white vinegar instead of detergent. Due to its acidic nature, vinegar helps remove mildew or bacteria that may have accumulated on the fabric. Most washing machines have a compartment for fabric softener.
To wash your towels at the right temperature, first look at their fibre composition. If they are made of cotton, simply choose your washing machine's "cotton" programme, then set the temperature to 40°C. For white cotton towels, you can go up to 60°C.
Don't Overfill the Washer
Too many towels washed at once won't get clean, but too few means greater agitation for quicker wear and tear. Most front-loading washing machines can fit seven standard-size bath towels; top-loading washers can fit around nine or ten.
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.
Select the temperature based on the contents of the load: for whites, select hot water; for colors, select cool or warm. Keep in mind that cotton and synthetic towels of any color will get the cleanest when washed in warm to hot water.
Delicates/Wool
As the name implies, a delicates or wool cycle is typically the most gentle setting, using low agitation, cool water and a low spin speed to prevent your fragile clothes from becoming damaged.
They pre-soak their towels in vinegar or oxygen bleach. After soaking, they wash the towels with hot water and a regular detergent. They may also use a fabric conditioner to soften the towels. Similarly, if a towel smells musty, the cleaners at the hotel may use baking soda to deodorize it.
Mildew smells can already appear after being in a warm dark place for only a few hours. Dry towels immediately after washing. If you leave your towels in the washer or sitting around damp, they're likely to get mildew smell, and you don't want that! Only store your towels when they are completely dry.
Using vinegar in laundry is simple. You can add it to the fabric softener dispenser in your washing machine or pour it in during the final rinse cycle. When adding vinegar towards the end of the cycle, manually pause your machine right before the final rinse cycle and add a 1/2 cup of diluted white vinegar to the load.
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.
Without a tumble dryer, hotels might use drying racks in well-ventilated areas. They sometimes add vinegar to the final rinse cycle as a natural fabric softener. Gentle manual fluffing of the towels once they are dry is also common to preserve their fluffiness.