Towels are an essential part of daily life—whether you’re wrapping yourself in a bath sheet after a shower or wiping dishes dry in the kitchen. But if you find that these hardworking household essentials start looking grungy, fraying, or being less-than-awesome all too soon, you may be treating your towels in a way that shortens their lifespan.
Fortunately, with proper care, you can help your towels feel fluffy and absorbent for longer. Learn how long your towels can last, and what bad behaviors may be too tough on your towels.
How Long Do Towels Last?
If you can’t remember when you bought your towels, odds are it’s probably time for a new set. In general, towels last about two to five years, depending on the quality of the fabric, how you treat them, and how often you use them. (If you have several bath towels in rotation, they may last longer than if you’re switching between just a couple towels.)
Some signs that you’re due for new towels include fraying or tears, lack of absorbency, or a scratchy feel.
Mistakes You’re Making That Are Ruining Your Towels
Using Too Much Detergent
When it comes to cleaning, you may think more soap is better—especially if your kitchen towels are particularly grungy. But you definitely want to stick with the manufacturers’ recommendations when it comes to washing your towels—which is generally just two tablespoons of liquid detergent for a full-sized load in a high-efficiency washing machine.
Any excess detergent won’t be rinsed away in the wash cycle. Instead, your towel’s fibers will be coated in it. “Too much detergent will make them dingy colored, stiff, and reduce absorbency,” says Frances Kozen, senior lecturer in fiber science at Cornell University. “Recommended detergent amounts are based on the size of the load, not the composition of the load. There is no need to use more detergent for dirtier item.”
If your towels have probably seen too much soap, you can try soaking them in your tub for an hour or so using a cup of distilled vinegar per quart of water, or try laundry stripping instead. After a soak or stripping session, you can run your towels through a regular cycle (with just a tablespoon of liquid detergent) afterward, then dry.
If you have a particularly dirty load, a longer wash cycle with more agitation and hotter water will do the trick, Kozen says.
Using Bleach on Your Towels
Bleach may help remove stains from white towels, but over time, it can do some damage. “There’s no need to bleach towels,” Kozen says. “Consistent use of chlorine bleach weakens cotton and will reduce wear life. Soaking in oxygen bleach would reduce built up dinginess.”
Washing Them Too Often—or Not Enough
Laundering your towels after every use can be hard on them and shorten their lifespan. But laundering too infrequently can allow bacteria and other microbes to thrive, making your towels harder to keep clean. Bath towels can be washed every three or four uses. For hand towels in the bathroom—especially in a high-traffic bathroom in your home—opt to change them daily to help prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria. The same goes for kitchen towels and washcloths, which can quickly become bacteria breeding grounds as you use them to clean away food spills and stains.
Overstuffing Your Washing Machine or Dryer
It can be tempting to get all your laundry done in one go—especially if you’ve waited to wash a big load of towels together. But if you’re packing them into your washer or dryer, you’re not leaving enough space for them to tumble and agitate against one another, which is what helps ensure that they get washed and dried properly.
Overstuffing the machine can allow dirt and detergent to remain in the fibers—or even allow a little mold or other microbes to grow if the towels are left damp for a while. “It is important that towels dry fully to prevent mildew while stored,” Kozen says.
Using Fabric Softener or Dryer Sheets
“Fabric softeners and dryer sheets should not be used on towels as they deposit a lubricant that reduces the ability of the towel to absorb moisture,” Kozen says. And that kind of defeats the whole purpose of towels!
Leaving Wet Towels on the Floor
If you (or someone you live with) is the type to drop damp towels in a heap on the floor, you’re setting yourself up for mildew and bacteria to thrive in the fibers—making it that much harder for your towels to get clean.
And, of course, it’s not great for your rugs or floors, either—especially if you have wood floors.
Letting Them Sit in Chlorine After a Pool Swim
You know that chlorine can be harsh on your swimsuit—and it’s equally harsh on your towel, too, fading the colors and damaging the fabric. Make sure you wash beach towels as soon as possible after a swim to help them last longer—and consider setting aside some towels as “pool only” to avoid damaging your whole set.
Washing Your Towels With Other Items
If you’re the type to do an all-in-one laundry load, you may want to stop. “Washing towels with items that have velcro, lots of fasteners, rough textures can abrade them—and reduce their lifespan,” Kozen says.
Washing Kitchen Towels and Cleaning Rags With Bath Towels
If you can, you may want to divide and conquer when it comes to your towels. “I would not recommend laundering cleaning rags with bath towels, as they may contain cleaning chemicals you would not want to contaminate your towels,” Kozen says. “Kitchen towels could have the same issue, or be much dirtier than bath towels, so that’s not ideal either.”
