– Don’t use too much fabric conditioner. It builds up and towels become very stiff and feel rough, which also happens when you use too much detergent that isn’t rinsed out properly.
– You should always wash towels at more than 30c because they carry a heavy bacterial load. The optimum temperature is 40C with a biological detergent. It contains an enzyme that breaks down body secretions such as sweat, but it doesn’t activate at low temperatures.
– If you add a cap of white vinegar to the rinse cycle, it will disperse any remaining soap and give you a soft, fluffy towel.
– Air drying is best if you have the space. If you put them on radiators, they end up as stiff as a board.
– Washing towels every three uses is reasonable
– If you’re not sure, the sniff test always works! Line drying is best, as sunlight has a bleaching effect, which keeps white towels bright, and UV rays help kill bacteria.
– If you do use a tumble dryer, a little home trick is popping a clean tennis ball into the dryer with the towels – its movements will fluff them up.