This article is a towel care guide that discusses common mistakes in luxury towel care and explains alternatives for washing bathroom towels to keep them looking, feeling, and performing their best.

Luxury towels are more than just a bath time necessity; they're an investment in comfort and quality. At Heritage Park, we often say there’s nothing quite like wrapping yourself in the cozy embrace of a soft, thirsty, bath towel, hand towel, or bath sheet. But what makes a towel truly “luxury?” (Hint: it’s not just the cost).

The world’s finest towels are made from premium materials like Egyptian or Supima cotton for superior softness and absorbency in medium- to heavy weights (500 GSM or more). They deliver a plush, indulgent feel and feature finishing details like stylish dobby or bound borders and double-sewn edges for durability. Luxury towels come in a range of patterns, colors, and weaves, including the classic spa-like indulgence of the heavyweight Abyss Super Pile collection; the quick drying fluffy feel of the zero-twist cotton Matouk Milagro; the invigorating texture of the waffle weave Graccioza Bee Waffle collection; or the plush, luxe velour of SFERRA Canedo towels. The choices are nearly limitless. (Discover your personal perfect luxury towel here with this Bath Towel Quiz from Fine Linen and Bath).

With all the options in luxury towels, they do have one thing in common: they require proper care to maintain their look, feel, and absorbency. And you may be unknowingly sabotaging your high-end towels. Let’s take a look at seven mistakes common to washing towels and our advice on how to correct them.

1. Not Sorting Towels Properly

Your luxury towels deserve special treatment, starting with how you sort them for washing. Tossing them in with your regular laundry is a recipe for disaster (and lots of unwanted lint!).

• The Mistake: Mixing towels with other clothing items or washing all towels together regardless of color or weight.
• The Fix: Create a dedicated "towel only" load, sorting by both color and weight. This prevents color bleeding and ensures balanced wash cycles.

2. Using the Wrong Laundry Detergent

The detergent you use can make or break your towels' performance and longevity. Harsh chemicals found in many commercial detergents can damage the delicate fibers of your luxury towels over time.

• The Mistake: Using any standard laundry detergent without considering its impact on high-quality fabrics, or a “gentle” detergent product that doesn’t clean towels well.
• The Fix: Use Heritage Park All-Purpose Laundry Detergent to wash your luxury bath towels. This concentrated, pH-neutral formula is a plant-based mild detergent that is gentle enough to maintain absorbency and integrity of towel fibers and material. At the same time, it contains a powerful blend of laundry enzymes that remove dirt, stains, and odors and leave your towels fresh, clean, and soft. Choose from fragrance-free hypoallergenic (best for sensitive skin) or lightly scented Lavender Mist, Ocean Breeze, or Spring Magnolia varieties.

3. Using Liquid Fabric Softener or Dryer Sheets

While it might seem counterintuitive, fabric softeners and dryer sheets are enemies of your luxury towels (and really, all your laundry).

• The Mistake: Adding fabric softener to the wash or tossing in a dryer sheet to make towels feel softer. These chemical-filled products leave a waxy coating on your towels (and washing machine) that actually diminish absorbency and make a plush towel feel far less luxurious.
• The Fix: Skip these products entirely. To naturally soften towels, use a set of wool dryer balls.

4. Using Bleach to Whiten Towels

Quite simply, chlorine bleach is an absolute no-no.

• The Mistake: Using bleach to keep towels white. In fact, chlorine bleach will discolor white towels and turn them yellow; cause colored towels to fade: and weaken towel fibers over time.
• The Fix: Continue to sort towels properly (a white-only load is best). If you need to brighten or whiten, add a scoop of our Naturally Bright Oxygen Powder to your towel load. This eco-friendly powder uses the power of oxygen to naturally whiten and brighten.

5. Leaving Wet Towels in the Hamper or Laundry Basket

We've all been guilty of this at some point, but it's a habit that needs breaking if you want to preserve your luxury towels.

• The Mistake: Tossing a damp towel into the laundry hamper and leaving them there for days. Wet towels allow moisture to build up; this is a one-way ticket to growing bacteria, mold, mildew, and odors.
• The Fix: Hang towels on a towel rack after each use; if you’re going to wash them, do so immediately after use before smells and bacteria build up. Launder towels every three or so uses to keep them fresh and hygienic.

Care Tip: Even high-quality cotton towels may get stiff and scratchy over time due to regular washing hard water. To remove build-up on towels, follow these easy steps:

1. Wash your towels in warm water or hot water -- not scalding -- with one cup of distilled white vinegar in the wash cycle. This will strip towels of any built-up residue and help restore absorbency. DON'T USE DETERGENT, only white vinegar.
2. Run the load a second time using only a half-cup of baking soda. This will help freshen and remove any lingering smells. AGAIN, DON'T USE DETERGENT, only baking soda.
3. Dry according to instructions WITHOUT fabric softener sheets.

You can repeat this process when needed to keep your towels soft, fluffy, and smelling fresh.

6. Not Rotating Towels

It's easy to reach for the top towel in the stack every time and to put clean towels back on the top, but this habit can lead to uneven wear.

• The Mistake: Always using the same towels while others sit untouched at the bottom of the pile.
• The Fix: Rotate your towels regularly. Each time you return clean towels to your linen closet, place them at the bottom of the stack. This ensures all your towels get equal use, wear, and washings over time. This simple step can extend the looks, life, and performance of your entire luxury towel collection.

7. Drying Towels Too Hot or Too Long

High heat might dry your towels quickly, but it's not doing them any favors in the long run.

• The Mistake: Setting your dryer to its highest heat setting and letting it run. Super high heat is not good for towel fibers (or any fabric).
• The Fix: Proper drying! Use a medium heat setting dry towels for a bit longer; or (if need be) use high heat and pull your towels out as soon as they are dry. Using a set of wool dryer balls can help speed drying time (along with keeping towels soft) by separating the towels and allowing air to circulate during the cycle.

Proper Towel Care is Never a Luxury

Although investing in fine towels and bath linen is a bit of a luxury, taking proper care of those towels is an essential. By avoiding these common care mistakes, you’ll ensure that the comfort, feel, beauty, and performance of your towels will remain a part of your daily routine for years to come. The watchwords are gentle, thoughtful care, from the products you use to the techniques you employ. Always follow the manufacturers’ care instructions and wash new towels before using. And remember, the Heritage Park team is here to answer any questions you have about towel care, our products, our any part of your laundry routine. Give us a call or drop an email; we are here to help!

Our Clients Also Ask These Questions

What is the best way to take care of towels?

Regularly launder towels in a dedicated load sorted by weight and color. Use warm water and a pH-neutral detergent that is gentle on fine fabric but also cleans effectively. We recommend Heritage Park All-Purpose Laundry Detergent, a plant-based formula powered by natural enzymes to clean and remove stains and odors. Hang towels to dry thoroughly between uses and launder every few days. Shake towels out after the washer and tumble dry on medium heat, as high heat will dry out the cotton fiber. Snip any stray pulled loops with a pair of sharp scissors. Rotate towels in your linen closet to ensure even wear.

How do hotels keep their towels so clean?

Hotels keep their towels clean with commercial washing machines. For hygiene purposes, hotels may use harsh commercial detergents which degrade the towel fabric more quickly than the pH-neutral detergent we recommend. This means hotel towels are replaced far more frequently than those used in our homes.

What washing machine setting should I use for towels?

In most cases, a normal setting and warm water is fine for washing towels.

How do you pre wash new towels?

New towels take several washes to “break in” to maximum absorbency. You can speed the process by pre-soaking the new towels in cold water for a few hours before the first wash OR by washing new towels in warm water with a cup of white distilled vinegar then again with a half-cup of baking soda (no detergent and definitely no fabric softener). Dry as directed (no dryer sheets).

What to do when buying new towels?

Remove any tags and read the care guidelines carefully. Your new towels have likely been treated with silicone for softness in the store or showroom. Wash your new towels together in a dedicated load with a gentle detergent like Heritage Park All-Purpose Detergent before using them.

How do you get the coating off new towels?

You can get the coating off new towels by washing them in warm water with a cup of white distilled vinegar then again with a half-cup of baking soda (no detergent or fabric softener.). Tumble dry on warm, no dryer sheets. After the coating is removed, your towels will be naturally soft and absorbent.

What is the best laundry detergent for towels?

A gentle, pH-neutral detergent like Heritage Park All-Purpose Laundry Detergent is best for towels. The proprietary enzyme blend will remove dirt, stains, and odor without damaging the fabric.

Can I use vinegar and laundry detergent together?

You should not use vinegar and laundry detergent together. A pH-neutral detergent is best and most effective for fabric. Vinegar is acidic (with a low pH); mixing it with a pH-neutral detergent will disrupt the balance and efficacy of the detergent.

How do I stop my new towels from leaving fluff everywhere?

Washing and drying your new towels a few times will minimize the lint and shedding. You can also wash new towels with a cup of white vinegar to help the fibers “set.” Most high-quality towels will not shed after the first couple of washes.