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How and how often to wash your towels, according to experts

2021-12-28T17:03:21.273Z


Is using fabric softener is good? Is it better to wash the towels in hot or cold water? Experts tell us how towels should be washed.


For a seemingly simple topic, how to wash a towel, there are actually a number of mistakes one can make.

From not washing them often enough to washing them alongside cleaning cloths, there are some clear dos and don'ts when it comes to washing towels.

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How to wash towels

A As with the linens, the "rules" wash towels have changed due to advances in detergent formulations and technology of the washer. According to

Brian Sansoni, senior vice president of communications for the American Cleaning Institute, "Most clothes now

should be washed with cold water

. That should be the default". And yes, including washing towels.

This is good news for your wallet!

You switch to washing with cold water in most scenarios reduce your cost of electricity;

Jessica Zinna, leading scientific Procter & Gamble, said "up to 90% of the energy used during the laundry process is intended to heat water for hot wash cycles or warm."

She said that cold water can save year USD $ 150. It is not just your energy bill which will benefit from the change: "It is more sustainable and to the reduce wear or discoloration, your towels will last longer," says Sansoni ACI.

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There are times when using warm or hot water to wash towels will be the best option. The ACI Laundry Levels infographic provides guidance on when to use warm or hot water to wash clothes. Switching to cold water is a change in the way we wash clothes, but there are two other "rules" that, while not new, are often forgotten when it comes to washing towels, and they are important.

The first is to use the correct amount of detergent.

Often, people add more detergent that is needed, thinking equals more detergent cleaner.

It's not like that!

In fact, excessive use of detergent will towels filled with foam when they leave the machine, which can cause skin irritation, leaving the rigid towels, causing persistent smells musty or moldy and eventually give an appearance lugubrious to towels, according to Sansoni.

To keep your fluffy and absorbent towels, use only the necessary amount of detergent.

Towels that are no longer as absorbent as they should be, or that feel not as soft as before, were almost definitely washed with fabric softener, and that's the other often-forgotten rule of thumb when washing towels:

don't use fabric softener.

.

Fabric softener leaves a coating on towels that makes them less absorbent and, over time, will contribute to a layer of product build-up on them that will leave them looking dirty and smelling less than fresh.

Fabric softener can be a hard habit to break, and for people who find themselves missing the scent that fabric softener gives to towels, the scent beads in the wash, which do nothing more than give fragrance to the towels. clothes are a good option.

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How to wash microfiber towels

Microfiber towels should be handled differently than cotton and terry cloth towels, especially when it comes to microfiber towels used for cleaning.

This is true for microfiber cloths used to clean the home, as well as those used to clean delicate surfaces like glasses and electronics.

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All cleaning cloths, regardless of material, should be washed separately from other clothing to avoid contamination and damage from cleaning agent residues.

When washing microfiber, specifically,

avoid using fabric softeners and bleach

, which will ruin the microfibers, rendering the fabric ineffective.

Also avoid washing the microfiber with cotton and other lint fabrics, which will get caught in the microfibers.

How to wash kitchen towels

While kitchen towels can be washed like bath towels, in cold water with a regular detergent, it's a good idea to avoid washing them with the same load as cleaning cloths and other heavily soiled items.

However,

there are times when the use of warm water or warm a good idea

to washing kitchen towels.

"If kitchen towels were used to clean disorders, warmer water can help kill germs ,

" says Sansoni, "There are also some stains, such as oil or grease, leaving more easily in warmer water."

If kitchen towels stained, use a treatment product stains before washing.

Shout is especially good on food stains like chocolate and ketchup, while Pine Sol is excellent for removing grease and oil stains.

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How often to wash bath towels, hand towels, washcloths, and kitchen towels

Bath towels

 should be washed every three to five 

uses, and wipes

 should be washed every one to three uses.

Both should be hung to dry between uses.

Hand

towels

should be changed every other day.

Typically this means using two to three clean hand towels a week and laundering them along with bath towels and washcloths.

Kitchen

towels

used to dry clean dishes or hands should be changed every other day and those used to clean up spills or clean up mess should be washed after each use.

Microfiber towels 

used for cleaning should be washed after each use. 

Microfiber cloths

 used to clean electronics and glasses should be washed every three to five uses.

How to dry towels

Like sheets, towels can be dried in the sun;

Because they are heavy and take longer to dry than most other laundries, drying indoors is not the best option.

When you machine dry your towels, go for the regular or automatic cycle and use the machine's humidity sensor, if that feature is available.

Over-drying towels will cause the material to deteriorate and fade.

The drying balls will help speed up drying time and add fluffiness to towels.

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Microfiber towels, unlike cotton towels or terry cloth, should be dried in air or dry slowly or without heat.

Towel care

While over-drying towels should be avoided, Sansoni also notes that "towels can take longer to dry and retain moisture, so make sure they are completely dry before folding and storing."

Storing towels while they are still damp can lead to the growth of mold, mildew, and bacteria.

Ideally,

wash towels kitchen and bathroom separately, and never mix cleaning cloths

with any other clothing, to avoid contamination.

If you don't use a fresh washcloth or bath towel every day, hang them to dry between uses to prevent them from developing a musty, moldy smell.

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Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2021-12-28

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