Coming Clean - Your Guide to Keeping Your Towels Fresh

Towel maintenance is integral to the way we live. We're willing to bet you didn't think this sentence would be something you would read. But it's the truth - the way we keep our towels clean are essential to ensuring we lead hygienic lifestyles! So, here are a few tips and pointers on how we can all take care of our towels better.

1. The Wash Cycle!

It's the age-old question - how often should we be washing our towels? Well, it's important to change and wash your towels weekly as bacteria and dust can form together and stick to the fibres of the towel. Often, experts suggest washing your bath towels after every three uses. So, pretty frequently!

A screen cap of a man (Nick Miller) saying, "No, I don't wash the towel, the towel washes me. Who washes a towel!" Source: Twitter

Sorry, Nick. Towels need a refresh every now and then.

When washing your towels, it's important to separate them from your clothes as towels hold more gunk and junk than your clothes! Be sure to wash them in a cold, gentle cycle to ensure that you're safely cleaning all of the bacteria away from your towels. Line drying your towels will ensure its freshness and quality! Steer away from fabric softener - it can cause a wax-like buildup and therefore damage your towels' absorbency. 

When you're putting your towels away, be sure to store them in a cool, ventilated place. To fluff up your towels, try shaking your towels up before folding them. You can even try putting a tennis ball inside the wash with your towels to keep them soft.

 

2. The Secret to Fresh-Smelling Towels!

If your towels are smelling a bit funky, try 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar to your rinse cycle. It'll help freshen your towels and prevent the musty smells from rising. Use this trick every other wash - not all the time! 

A woman and child holding pink, checkerboard-printed towels. A chair sits in the background, holding another pink, checkerboard-printed towel on its seat with a comb on top of the towel

 

3. Keep Those Colours Shining!

If you have coloured towels at home and want to keep its vibrancy, read closely! When preparing to wash them, group your towels in like colours to ensure that there's no colour mixing in your cycle. 

When washing, use only half of the recommended amount of detergent alongside a cup of white vinegar. The white vinegar will help in setting the colour without taking out excess detergent residue. As always, avoid fabric softener when washing your towels to preserve its quality!

 

As always, it's important to look at your fabric care instructions for specific care tips and tricks. These are the key to protecting and preserving your towels' condition.

 

4. Out With the Old, In With the New!

Another great question to consider is how often you should replace your towels. If you wash and care for your towels with great care and attention, they should be able to last you for years, especially if you have them in rotation! They should be replaced when they are torn, frayed, have holes or are no longer absorbent. Replacing them every two years is a good place to start!

 

A pile of Wave Towels in different colours (Purple, Light Coral, Seagreen and Steel Blue) onto of a brown, wooden shelf.

 

What are you waiting for? Now that you know all the tricks of the trade, shop our wide collection of towels now!