5 Common Towel Problems, and How to Solve Them
Problem #1: They smell musty.
No one likes a stinky towel, especially after you've just taken a nice hot shower. If your clean towels have a lingering odor, try washing them using the hottest water the towels can tolerate along with 1 to 2 cups of vinegar. Then wash again with your regular laundry detergent. And always make sure you hang your towels so they can dry fully, post-use.
Related: Germ Alert: When's the Last Time You Washed Your Pillows?
Problem #2: They don't dry well.
Believe it or not, this is a problem with newer towels. Washing and drying towels five times or more may help increase absorbency. Laundering will remove some of the coating manufacturers put on their towels to make them feel soft in the store and some of the dye, both of which interfere with a towel's absorption.
Problem #3: They're shedding lint on the bathroom and you.
Again, the solution is to wash them. Laundering a few times should remove those loose fibers.
Related: 10 Tips to Your Fastest Laundry Day Ever
Problem #4: They're fading.
If you want to keep your towels bright and colorful, put vinegar in with your detergent the first time you wash them. Then, dry them according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Problem #5: They feel Like sandpaper.
No one wants their towel to double as a loofah. Dry your towels with a fabric softener sheet instead of using liquid fabric softener; liquid fabric softener can inhibit absorption.
Related: Don't Be Fooled by These Laundry Myths
More Important Tips:.
If it says no chlorine bleach, don't use it! Even some white towels have a finish that shouldn't be bleached. Bleach can weaken the fibers over time and make towels less absorbent.
Read the care label before you wash. Machine wash on the hottest temperature setting recommended and always with similar colors.
Maintain your towel's fullness by fluffing, or shaking out, washed towels before placing them in the dryer and then fluffing again when you remove them.
Be careful not to use too much laundry detergent.
- By Jamie Ueda, Good Housekeeping Research Institute
More from Good Housekeeping:
