However, should you be washing your towels after every use?
How often is often enough?
Does the answer depend on the key in of towel?
The Spruce / Adelyn Duchala
We spoke to a laundry and cleaning expert to address these common questions.
Meet the Expert
Elizabeth Shieldsis the Operations Manager of Super Cleaning Service Louisville.
How Often Should You Wash Towels?
How often you should wash your towels depends on their key in and use.
In general, it is unnecessary to wash household towels after each use, regardless of the kind.
“Even if it doesnt look dirty, its been through a lot.”
When it comes to frequency, the next most important bang out of towel to wash regularly isdish towels.
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A musty scent is a dead giveaway that a towel needs a good wash," she says.
“Also, if it takes forever to dry or feels damp even hours later, somethings off.”
It likely means that bacteria or mildew is beginning to grow, indicating its time for a cleaning.
How to Wash Towels Properly
Is there acorrect way to wash towels?
First and foremost, separate your towels into different loads depending on their use.
According to the pros, kitchen and bathroom towelsshould be washed separatelyto prevent cross-contamination of bacteria.
Use a mild detergent thats strong enough to clean but gentle enough to keep the towels soft and fluffy.
Shields says a scoop of baking soda can work wonders to neutralize odors if needed.
Theres one thing that Shields says she always avoids whenwashing her towels: fabric softeners.
These chemical additives can build up residue in the fibers over time.
Instead, she recommends adding half a cup of white vinegar to the load during the rinse cycle.
The vinegar will help soften and freshen up your towels without the residue.
Lastly, set your dryer to medium or high heat for a soft and fluffy finish.
But, and this is important, don’t let them over-dry," Shields says.
“Nothing worse than towels that feel stiff!
Once the dryer stops, take them out right away and shake to smooth out wrinkles.”
