How to Wash Towels & Keep Them Soft

Updated on December 5, 2022.

Top tips to correctly washing towels and keeping your luxury Bemboka bath collection looking fresh, soft, fluffy and new .

A premium set of luxury bath towels is true indulgence in any bathroom, and, with the right care, a long-term investment. When it comes to the how best to wash your towels, maintaining that soft, luxurious, new feel that makes bath time so enjoyable is made possible for the years to come if looked after and cared for correctly. An expert in quality, international linen, Bemboka shares its top professional tips to washing towels, keeping them soft, fluffy and like-new for longer.

Luxe bath towels in white colour

Start as you mean to go on

When it comes to how best to wash your new towels for the first time, this should be done before you use them to maximize absorbency and ensure they are clean and hygienic. Bemboka uses a selection of organic dyes in the creation of its products, without the use of any chemicals. No coatings are used in the finishing process. For the first few washes, wash your Bemboka towels together in a small load with a liquid-based detergent on a warm, gentle cycle at 40 degrees with similar colours. Try to avoid powders as they don’t dissolve properly, which can result in discolouring.

Choose the right detergent

Your choice in washing detergent not only affects the way they smell, but also plays a big role in the longevity of your towel’s quality. Bemboka recommends using phosphate-free liquid laundry detergents. Do not bring coloured Bemboka products into contact with bleach, peroxide or optical brighteners. These are too harsh, and will shorten the lifespan of the soft material fibres. To protect the fibres of your towels, we suggest a eucalyptus or plant-based liquid washing detergent, which aids in colour retention and leaves your towels soft and fluffy, and looking newer for longer. These perform powerfully without the use of harsh chemicals, and are gentle on both the fibres and the environment.

Keep towels fresh and stop them from smelling

Normal washes, especially at cooler temperatures, won’t always remove the bacteria or grime that builds up on towels during use. As such, this bacteria can cause towels to smell. Adding an antibacterial laundry sanitiser or rinse in your wash removes the bacteria, and leaves them smelling fresh, no matter how long they are left for before being hung out to dry.

Jacquard Bath towels | Shot by Le Loft Property Styling

Wash towels often and together

Laundering towels together makes it easier to correctly adjust and manage settings required to best wash towels effectively. For sanitary purposes, and to stop your towels from smelling, Bemboka suggests washing them after few uses. Take care not to overfill the washing machine or tumble dryer to allow room for them to circulate properly.  Line-drying should be in a shaded place, away from direct sunlight. To soften your towels after a wash, and ensure extra soft and fluffiness, tumble dry your towels on a medium heat for a few minutes when you take them off the line.

Manage stains and keep whites, white

With daily use and factors like makeup, dirty hands and young families, your towels are bound to be tested with stains at some point in their lifespan. It is important to attend to these immediately to assist in better results and more effective removal, and an oxygen-based stain remover is best recommended. When it comes to keeping whites, white, Bemboka advises against the use of bleach or benzoyl peroxide with any of our products. Fabric that comes into contact with bleach or benzoyl peroxide will be permanently discoloured. Bleach leaves a green hue, and peroxide an orange one, so it is important you check labels on your cleaning and cosmetic products, like bathroom cleaners, facial or acne creams, before use. For whites, optical brighteners are fine to use, but make sure you avoid using them around coloured washes!

Jacquard Bath towels

Folding matters

Before you fold your towels, shake them out and make sure they are completely dry. Any retained moisture or will lead to smelly towels once they’re folded and out away. For maximum shelf space, fold your bath and hand towels into thirds, storing them with the outer edge of the towel to the front. This will make it easier to pick single towels. For a crisp finish, run an iron over your towels before storing away. When it comes to maintaining that fresh smell during storage, why not spritz some fresh lavender on your towels using a linen spray? Alternatively, store your towels alongside a scented sachet or reed.