How to Wash Towels Properly and Keep Them Soft Every Time

Let’s be honest. We have all left our towels hanging too long. You grab your towel after a shower and it feels rough, not extra soft like it used to be. It might even start to feel heavy or less absorbent over time.

But your towels are not the problem. It all comes down to how you wash, dry, and store them. With the right care, your towels can stay fresh and soft for years to come.

In this guide, you will learn how to care for your towels the right way. You will also see how our laundry detergent sheets make it simple, with no mess and no harsh chemicals.

How Often Should You Wash Towels?

The truth is, towels pick up more than just water. They collect body oils, dirt, and tiny germs every time you use them. When they stay damp for too long, these build up fast.

Most people do not realise how often towels need a proper wash. Leaving them hanging too long can make them smell musty or feel stiff. That is why having a simple routine makes all the difference.

Here is what most towel experts recommend:

• Bath towels – Wash after three or four uses.

• Hand towels – Wash every two or three days.

• Face cloths – Wash after every use.

• Gym towels – Wash after every workout.

• Kitchen towels – Wash every day.

How to Wash Towels Properly (Step-by-Step)

Washing towels the right way keeps them soft for longer. It also helps stop build-up from detergent, body oils, and dirt. Towels need space to move around in the machine. This helps the water and detergent reach deep into the fabric.

Should You Wash Towels With Other Items?

It is best to wash towels on their own. Towels are bulky and need room to move. Washing them with clothes or sheets can cause damage. Zippers, buttons, or hooks on clothing can catch on towel loops and cause pulls. Clothes also carry lint or dirt that can stick to your towels.

You can wash towels together. This means mixing your bath towels, hand towels, and face cloths in the same load. As long as they are similar in colour, this is fine. Keep dark towels with dark towels, and light ones with light ones to stop colour bleed.

1. Sort by colour and type
   Wash white towels with whites. Wash dark towels with darks. You can mix towel sizes in the same load.

2. Leave space in the drum
   Do not overload the washing machine. Towels need space to move so they wash and rinse properly.

3. Use Lucent Globe Laundry Detergent Sheets

   • For small loads (4–5kg), use half a sheet.

   • For large loads (8kg), use one full sheet.

   • For extra dirty towels, add an extra half sheet.

   • TIP: Also use our fabric softener!

4. Wash in warm water (around 40°C)
   Warm water lifts dirt and helps your towels stay soft. Cold water can be used to save energy, but may not clean as deeply.

5. Use a gentle or cotton cycle
   These cycles give towels enough time to soak, clean, and rinse without too much spin.

6. Add an extra rinse cycle
   This helps remove all detergent and keeps towels soft and fresh.

7. Remove towels as soon as the cycle ends
   Leaving wet towels sitting in the machine can cause them to smell.

Common Mistakes vs Correct Methods (With Consequences)

It is easy to think that towels are tough and can handle anything. But small mistakes add up fast.

Drying your towels the right way is just as important as washing them. Towels that dry too slow can start to smell. Towels that dry too fast on high heat can lose their softness.

How to Get the Balance Right

You do not need to pick one method. You can combine air drying and tumble drying to get the best results.

• Step 1: Air dry until about 75% dry
  Hang your towels outside or in a well-ventilated space. This saves energy and helps remove moisture without harsh heat.

• Step 2: Finish in the dryer on low or medium heat
  Place your towels in the dryer on low or medium heat. Add dryer balls to loosen the fibres in your towel and help keep your towels soft after drying.

If you do not have a dryer, you can fully air dry your towels. Just make sure they hang with plenty of space around them so air can flow. Towels need space to dry all the way through. Fold them once they are fully dry.

Avoid These Drying Mistakes

• Do not dry on high heat – This damages the towel fibres.

• Do not over-dry – Towels can feel rough and flat.

• Do not leave towels in the dryer for hours after the cycle ends – This can make them stiff or creased.

How to Store and Rotate Towels

Most people fold their towels and stack them in the cupboard without thinking twice. But storage plays a big part in how your towels feel and how long they last. Dampness, tight stacking, and always using the same few towels can all lead to roughness or wear.

How to Store Towels

• Let towels dry fully before storing
  Folding or stacking damp towels traps moisture, which can lead to musty smells or mildew. Always let towels air out completely.

• Choose a dry space with good airflow
  Avoid storing towels in steamy bathrooms or cupboards that stay damp. Use shelves or baskets in dry areas, and open the door now and then to let air circulate.

• Fold or roll them loosely
  Folding towels with a bit of space between each one helps maintain softness. Rolling is also a great option. It saves space and keeps shelves looking neat.

How to Rotate Your Towels Properly

Using the same towel every time wears it out faster, while others stay untouched. Rotation helps spread the use across all your towels so they all stay in good shape longer.

Here’s how to rotate your towels:

• Move older towels to the top
  When putting away clean towels, stack them at the bottom or back of the pile. This makes sure the ones that have been there longer get used first.

• Use one shared towel stack if you can
  If your household shares towels, keep one main pile. That way, everyone grabs from the same spot, and every towel gets used evenly.

• Stick to a colour or size system if you prefer individual sets
  If each person has their own towel, rotate within that set. You can still apply the same first-in, first-out idea to avoid overusing one.

Troubleshooting Common Towel Problems

Even with a good routine, your towels might not always feel right. Maybe they turn stiff, start to smell, or lose their colour. Here are the most common problems and how you can fix or prevent them.

Stiff or Crunchy Towels

When towels start to feel rough or crunchy, it usually means they have trapped too much detergent. Overloading your machine or skipping the extra rinse can also cause this.

How to fix it:

• Wash them again with half a cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle.

• Switch to Lucent Globe Laundry Detergent Sheets to avoid using too much detergent.

• Add an extra rinse to clear out any build-up.

Musty or Damp Smells

Wet towels left in the machine or hanging in a damp space can start to smell musty. This is common when they do not dry properly.

How to fix it:

• Rewash with an extra rinse to clear out trapped moisture or build-up.

• Dry towels fully using the air dry and tumble dry method.

• Store towels in a dry, well-ventilated space to stop smells from coming back.

Faded or Dull Colour

Colour fade is one thing you cannot reverse. It often happens from hot water, harsh chemicals, or mixing dark and light towels. You cannot fix it once it happens, but you can slow it down.

How to prevent it:

• Wash dark towels separately from lights or whites.

• Use warm water (around 40°C), not hot.

• Skip bleach or whitening products, which strip colour.

Lint or Fluff Build-Up

New towels often shed lint in the first few washes. Washing towels with clothes can make the lint stick to other fabrics.

How to fix it:

• Wash new towels on their own the first few times.

• Shake them out before drying to loosen any loose fluff.

• Use wool dryer balls to reduce lint build-up during drying.

Why Choose Lucent Globe Laundry Detergent Sheets?

Washing towels is easier when you do not have to measure, scoop, or guess how much detergent to use. That is why we recommend using Lucent Globe Laundry Detergent Sheets.

These ultra-concentrated sheets give you the perfect dose every time. You get a powerful clean without the mess, waste, or harsh chemicals found in some liquid or powder detergents.

What Makes Lucent Globe Laundry Sheets Different?

• Pre-measured for the perfect clean
  One sheet is all you need for a full load. Tear the sheet in half for small loads.

• Tough on everyday stains
  Tested on real stains like red wine, tomato sauce, grass, and more.

• No harsh chemicals
  Free from bleaches, phosphates, optical brighteners, and dyes.

• Biodegradable and septic-safe
  Safe for septic systems, greywater, and gentle on the environment. OECD-301B certified.

• Gentle on skin
  Suitable for families, babies, and sensitive skin. Fragrance-free option available.

• Works in all machines
  Perfect for front loaders, top loaders, and high-efficiency machines.

• Plastic-free packaging
  Lightweight, space-saving, and easy to store with no plastic waste.