All of our towels at the Gentle Bath & Company have been chosen for their superior absorbency!  To maintain and maximize that quality follow these simple washing instructions and tips.  You can also use these tips for any bath towels, old or new to maximize their absorbency and softness potential. 

Washing Instructions

1. Always wash your new towels in warm water before using them.  Add 1/2 cup of baking soda or washing soda to the detergent in the wash cycle to boost it effectiveness. Some people run their towels through twice (without drying). This will remove any extra dye and any coatings (e.g. fabric softener) left from the manufacturing process. Don’t wash anything else with them because colored towels might bleed.
    
2. Add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. This will help soften the towels, set the color and help remove any excess detergent residue.  Dilute it first or wait until the water level is high enough to dilute it instantly, or else it might discolor your towels. The wash cycle can include baking soda, but don’t use baking soda and vinegar in the same cycle.
   
   
3. Note that these are time-proven folk remedies. When the vinegar (an acid) or the baking soda (an alkaline or base) dissociate (chemically come apart) the atoms are free to recombine with the minerals, salts and other chemicals that have accumulated in forms that more readily rinse away.
    
4. Avoid using liquid fabric softeners.  Fabric softeners coat the surface of fabric with a thin layer of chemicals that makes the fibers hydrophobic.   If you prefer the feel of towels with fabric softener, use dryer sheets or amido amine softeners if available.

Tips

You can hang towels outside on a clothesline to help them smell fresh and be more absorbent. They will also hold their fold better. Line drying is also greener and cheaper. However, line dried towels may be rougher than those dried in a dryer. You can soften them after line drying by tumbling them in a dryer for 3-5 minutes.

Put two rubber dryer balls (old tennis balls work too – just make sure they’re clean!) in the machine with the towels when drying them. This will help to fluff up the towels and they will then be more absorbent.

You can also use these steps for older towels to try to improve there absorbency.  This is a relatively slow process. It can take a couple months or more of washings for any fabric softener layers to completely break down and bring the towel to its full absorbing potential.

Baking soda or washing soda will get your towels cleaner and whiter; vinegar will get rid of smells and stains. Both are great for washing cloth diapers.

White vinegar is a GREAT fabric softener. Works for the static of most fabrics and help make towels softer.

Warnings

Don’t use vinegar and baking soda in the same rinse!