You might think throwing your towels in with your regular laundry saves time, but it’s actually causing more problems than it solves. Towels and clothes have very different washing needs, and mixing them can lead to less-than-ideal results.
First, towels are thick and absorbent, meaning they need a longer, hotter wash cycle to get truly clean. Most clothes, especially delicate fabrics, require gentler treatment. Washing them together often means your towels don’t get fully sanitized, while your clothes endure unnecessary wear and tear.
Another issue? Lint. New towels shed a lot, and that fuzz loves to cling to dark fabrics and synthetic materials. You might pull out what looks like a freshly washed load, only to find your favorite black shirt covered in white fuzz.
Towels also carry more bacteria, sweat, and dead skin cells than regular clothes. Washing them together means those germs can transfer to your everyday wear—not exactly the fresh, clean feeling you were hoping for.
And let’s not forget drying. Towels hold onto water much longer than lightweight clothing. If you dry them together, your clothes might end up over-dried and shrunken, while your towels stay damp.
For the best results, wash towels separately on a hot cycle with a good detergent. Your clothes—and your towels—will thank you.
