How to Wash Towels Properly

Towels are amongst the hardest working textiles in the home.

We use them every day. They absorb water, hang damp, return to the wash and then do it all over again.

And yet towel care is often reduced to throwing everything into a hot wash with plenty of detergent and hoping for the best.

Good towels do not require an elaborate ritual.

Just a little understanding of what they need.

How often should towels be washed?

There is no perfect number for every household.

How frequently a towel needs washing depends on how it is used, how quickly it dries between uses, your climate and personal preference.

The more important habit is what happens between washes.

Hang towels properly after use so they can dry thoroughly rather than remaining damp and crumpled on a hook, floor or edge of the bath.

A towel that can dry well between uses is much more pleasant to return to.

Wash towels according to their care label

Before anything else, read the label.

Different fibres, colours, trims and constructions can require different temperatures and cycles.

A beautiful heavyweight cotton towel may have different instructions from a lightweight linen towel.

We don't believe in one laundry rule for everything in the house.

Care for the textile in front of you.

Should you wash towels separately?

Where practical, washing towels together can be useful.

Towels are bulky, can produce lint and often have different laundering needs from clothing or more delicate textiles.

Separate light and dark colours where necessary, particularly with new towels that may release some dye during their first washes.

Avoid washing towels with anything that could snag their loops, such as garments with exposed hooks or hardware.

How much laundry product should you use?

Use the recommended amount for the size and condition of your load.

Not an extra splash because the towels are large.

Not another scoop because they have been sitting in the laundry basket.

More product is not automatically more effective.

For our Laundry Mineral Wash, use one wooden scoop, approximately 30g, for a standard 8 to 10kg load.

For a smaller or lightly soiled load, use half a scoop.

For heavily soiled towels or where deeper enzymatic cleaning is required, pair with an appropriate enzyme detergent.

Should you use fabric softener on towels?

We prefer not to rely on conventional fabric softener for towels.

Some fabric softeners can leave a coating on the fibres, which may affect absorbency over time.

A towel should feel lovely, of course.

But it should also do its job.

Good cotton towels often become beautifully comfortable through repeated use and appropriate care.

Give them time.

What temperature should towels be washed at?

Follow the temperature on the care label.

While towels are sometimes associated with very hot washing, the correct temperature depends on the textile, colour, level of soiling and manufacturer's instructions.

Do not automatically choose the hottest cycle simply because towels feel like they should require one.

Use the wash the textile actually needs.

Do not overcrowd the machine

Wet towels are heavy.

Give them enough room to move through the wash and rinse properly.

If you find yourself pushing down the last few towels to close the machine door, consider leaving them for the next load.

A little breathing room can be a good thing.

In laundry and elsewhere.

How should you dry towels?

Dry towels promptly after washing.

If line drying, shake each towel before hanging it to help loosen the pile, then spread it well enough for air to circulate.

If tumble drying is permitted by the care label, follow the recommended heat settings and avoid drying for longer than necessary.

Most importantly, make sure towels are completely dry before folding and storing them.

How should towels be stored?

A beautifully arranged linen cupboard is lovely.

A dry one is more important.

Only put towels away once they are completely dry.

Fold them without compressing them too tightly and allow some circulation where possible.

And rotate what you own.

If the same two towels are constantly being used while the beautiful ones remain stacked untouched at the back, bring the good ones forward.

Use the good towels

Perhaps this is our most important towel-care advice.

Use them.

There is no prize for having perfectly untouched towels waiting in the linen cupboard.

Hang the beautiful pair in your bathroom.

Use the ones with the lovely border on an ordinary Wednesday.

Let your children use them.

Wash them.

Fold them.

Put them back.

A home becomes ours through repetition.

The things we reach for every day deserve to be beautiful too.

For the everyday wash

Our Laundry Mineral Wash was created for the regular care of washable household textiles, including towels, helping to clean, soften and deodorise while leaving behind the subtle fragrance of your chosen Ode.

Discover Laundry Mineral Wash

A little more to read

Why Do Towels Become Hard?

How to Wash Linen Sheets and Care for Them Over Time

A Considered Guide to Caring for Natural Fibres