Do hang up your towels after each use to help them dry properly and prevent odor. After your shower or bath, hang your towel across a bar or shower rod so it can dry fully. This will help prevent bacterial growth and extend the time between washes.
You can use a dryer for your luxury towels, or you can choose to let them air-dry. To use your home dryer, simply choose the regular or automatic cycle to maximize fluffiness, as over-drying can damage delicate fibers. When cycle is complete, remove towels promptly and fold immediately for less wrinkles.
'Adding a dry towel to the dryer really can help clothes dry more quickly! 'The towel absorbs some of the moisture from the wet clothes, which reduces the overall drying time,' she explains.
The best way to dry wet towels is to hang them on a heated towel rack, which is designed to dry your towels and provide them with some warmth before use. However, it is also important to hang them up in a well-ventilated area, even if you don't have a heated towel rack.
Aside from the annoyance of a dripping-wet face, Zeichner attests that there's actually no real problem with air-drying. "If you prefer not to pat, air-drying is fine as well, though it may not the most practical option."
Towels should be dried with the warmest heat appropriate for the fabric according to the laundry care label. Generally, they should be dried on low to medium heat. Use a dryer setting specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle.
Do hang up your towels after each use to help them dry properly and prevent odor. After your shower or bath, hang your towel across a bar or shower rod so it can dry fully.
How often should I wash my bath towels? Dead skin cells, bacteria, and even sweat can accumulate quickly on your towels, so using a fresh one about every three days is a simple rule of thumb—for all kinds of towels. You can of course change them more often.
leaving your damp, hanging towel at risk. Speaking of damp, every moment a towel is left out to dry allows germs to multiply unchecked.
Damp towels are vulnerable to bacterial growth, which causes that "musty" or "sour" smell. (Gross but true: That unpleasant odor is the smell of bacteria breeding.)
Towels won't dry out if they are poorly hung, like limited ventilation or if they are 'double hung' with another towel. Make sure you hang towels with enough space to air out properly - using a towel bar will be more effective than a towel hook. Throw away the fabric softener!
Create a fan by using an article of clothing.
Use a long, durable article of clothing and hold either end in each hand and twirl the piece loosely in front of your body (similar to the motion of twisting a towel to snap it). This will cause a small vortex of air to dry off your skin.
James says any time there's an increased presence of moisture (like when you're not fully dry after a shower) can create a potential breeding ground that's favorable to yeast.
Once a Week: Ideal. Once Every Two Weeks: Totally Acceptable. Once a Month: That's Fine.
Towels are often damp, warm and absorbent and so they become a perfect environment for bacteria to grow.
Some garments dry up better in a machine.
"There are certain items that do not fair well with air-drying," he explains. "Many heavy sweatshirts and sweatpants, as well as towels, are better off in the dryer." Lighter pieces like linen items, on the other hand, dry nicely on a line.
A good temperature for washing towels and sheets is 40 degrees, but a 60 degreewash will be better at killing germs. Changing your sheets and towels once a week can help to keep them fresh and clean**. Use ourlaundry tips section for guidelines on different fabrics.
A 30-degree wash is fine for clothes that need a general wash rather than targeted stain removal. However, the NHS website says that underwear, towels and household linens should be washed at 60 degrees to prevent the spread of germs.
· Pat yourself Dry & Moisturize
Now that you have taken a hearty shower, the next step is to dry your body without losing moisture. This doesn't mean that you rub yourself with a towel, as the action can cause irritation and itchiness. Instead, pat yourself dry leaving your skin a little damp.
The verdict? "Air drying your skin is a nice option to be gentle to your skin if your skin is sensitive, but it's certainly not necessary or all that beneficial," says Dr. Nazarian. So as long as your skin's somewhat moist post-cleansing, and you're not scrubbing your face with a dirty, stinky towel, you'll be alright.
Not patting dry: Especially if you have sensitive skin, take care to pat your face dry rather than rub after you've cleansed. The tugging of a towel can cause irritation, plus years of tugging at your skin can make it lose elasticity. When you rub around your eyes, dark spots are more likely to form.
Reynolds suggests storing bath towels outside the bathroom. "That's best practice," she adds. "Otherwise, keep them in a cabinet or covered container—you need a barrier so the plume can stick to something else and not your towel."