How to Wash Towels to Keep Them Soft and Smelling Fresh
Follow these tips to keep your towels soft and fluffy for years to come—plus, we’ll give you tips for buying, drying, and folding towels like a pro.
Washing towels may appear simple, but following the correct method is essential if you want them to last. While you can clean a towel by simply tossing it into the washing machine, these helpful tips for how to wash towels will keep them looking and feeling fresh even after several washes. With the proper washing and drying techniques, you can avoid musty odors and faded colors to preserve your towels' soft, fluffy texture.
Follow this handy guide that covers how often you should wash your towels, whether you can wash towels with clothes, and what settings to use when washing towels with different colors and fabrics.
Related: How Often Should You Wash Towels? You Might Not Be Doing It Enough
Wash New Towels Before Use
Once you've learned how to wash towels, always launder new towels before using them. Most new towels are coated with silicone or other finishes that block absorbency. This coating gives them that extra-fluffy look and feel at the store. Washing just-purchased towels removes these finishes and allows for maximum absorbency.
Related: The 14 Best Bath Towels of 2023, According to Testing
Use Vinegar
The method for how to wash towels to prevent colors from bleeding is laundering similar shades together in warm water for the first several washes. Use about half the recommended amount of detergent while washing, and add ½ to 1 cup of white vinegar to the water during the rinse cycle. The vinegar helps set the colors and removes excess detergent residue.
Related: How to Make a Vinegar Cleaning Solution for Your Home
Wash Every Few Days
You no longer have to guess how often you should wash your towels—the answer is every three to four 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.
Related: Laundry Stripping Is a Grossly Satisfying Way to Get Linens Extra Clean
Wash Towels Separately
Washing towels with clothes can transfer germs and bacteria between items in the wash. For sanitary reasons, you should always wash bath towels separately from clothing items. Putting towels in their own load also makes it easier to adjust the setting based on color. It's also more efficient to dry towels in the same load since damp towels dry slower than most clothes.
Related: How to Sanitize Laundry to Disinfect Clothing, Linens, and Fabric
Use Fabric Softener (Occasionally)
Use fabric softener according to directions, but add it only every three or four washes. 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.
Shake Before Drying
Give your towels a shake when taking them out of the washer. This will help fluff the terry loops that aid absorbency. Don't iron terry towels, which will reduce absorbency. Shaking your towels also helps prevent them from twisting into a ball in the dryer, lengthening their drying time.
BHG /Laura Wheatley
Dry Well
Ensure that towels are completely dry when you remove them from the dryer, keeping in mind that clothes dry quicker than towels. Even slightly damp towels can quickly mildew. The best dryer setting for towels is the regular or automatic setting that you use for other durable fabrics. This will use the highest heat and be most efficient in getting the job done. (Avoid overdrying; it can destroy the integrity of the individual cotton fibers.)
Consider the Fabric
Not all fabrics are made the same, which should be considered while washing towels. Some towels feature decorative trims to add a soft design element amid the hard, shiny surfaces of the bathroom. If possible, use towels with specialty trims as decorative accents only, as this limits their laundering and reduces the wear on the ribbon, embroidery, lace, or other decorative elements.
Related: 28 Bathroom Towel Storage Ideas That Are Pretty and Practical
How to Buy Towels
Match to Your Style
Towels, facecloths, and bath mats are as much decorative accessories as necessities. You can choose from the ever-popular classic white (like these fluffy Better Homes & Gardens towels, $9, Walmart) or an array of colors, trims, and patterns. Fluffy white towels give a clean, spa-like feel to a primary, guest, or shared family bath. White and other light, neutral towels coordinate with virtually any bathroom color and tend to have more longevity than colorful ones. You may want to buy extra colored towels because they tend to fade over time.
Related: 27 Bathroom Color Ideas with Striking Style
Opt for Cotton
Because of its absorbency and strength, cotton is the fabric of choice for most bath towels. Try this 100% Cotton Better Homes & Gardens Bath Towel Set ($37, Walmart) for a coordinated look. The manufacturing process and the choice of material affect a towel's absorbency. Although sheared towels—in which the tops of the loops are cut off—are the most absorbent, they aren't necessarily the best for drying. Towels don't dry you off simply from absorbing moisture; the fiber loops also brush water off your body. Bottom line: the number of loops per square inch is the most critical indicator of towel performance.
Check the Labels
Good-quality bath towels can last for 10 years with proper care. Always check the label on your towels for particular care instructions before proceeding with washing and drying.
More to Know About Towels
BHG / Laura Wheatley
How to Fold Towels
Fold bath towels and hand towels in thirds for best use of shelf space. Fold the towel in half, with open ends to the left, then fold in half again. Fold up the bottom third of the towel, then fold the top third down. When storing, face the outer edge of the towel to the front to make it easy to use in a single grab.
Linen bathroom hand towels can be safely ironed for a crisp finish. After ironing, fold linen towels in thirds like other towels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I air dry my towels?
You can air-dry towels, but they'll have a stiff, crunchy texture if you do. To get towels fluffy, it's best to use the dryer.
Can I wash my towels with sheets?
Yes, you can wash towels and sheets together. Just be sure to sort them by weight and color. Remember that it takes longer for a heavy towel to dry than a cotton sheet. So if you wash them together, you should dry them separately.
Can I dry all my towels together?
You can dry all your towels together, but too many towels in a dryer can keep any of them from getting dry. So, if you're washing many towels, it's better to dry fewer at a time.
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