bath linens care guide
washing
your new towels may take several washes and repeated use to reduce lint and increase absorbency. new towels often shed lint. a plusher pile towel tends to shed more due to the higher number of loops per square inch and the natural yarns. it is not a sign of a poor-quality towel. the towel can shed excess lint at two stages in its life. initially when it is new during the wearing in process and, when it is at the end of its life. you can accelerate the lint reduction by running them through the washing and drying process however as noted eventually with repeated use the lint will go. if you find your new towel is not absorbent with use, then you can wash them with distilled white vinegar, see below for process. this helps open the fibres to breathe and absorb and can help with periodical maintenance of a towel. vinegar is a natural softener, aids absorbency and helps keep towels free of residues.
it is recommended to wash before first use at 40c with an ecofriendly detergent on a medium cycle. as noted with repeated wash and use the lint will reduce. if the towel does not appear absorbent with use then put through a normal wash cycle first then repeat the process using one cup of distilled white vinegar. the vinegar should be poured into your detergent dispenser or diluted into the water before adding towels. then run through drying process which will aid the capture of the lint.
towels with less pile may not need to run through several cycles as outlined above. these types of towels generally have less linting. pure linen towels will naturally soften with use.
do not use bleach or bleaching agents on colours. avoid detergents that contain optical brighteners. do not use fabric softeners, these coat the fibres and prevent the textile from breathing. wash towels with towels, whites with whites and colours separately. do not overload your machine or add too much detergent. too much detergent will build residues and inhibit absorbency. two to three towels at a time in an average size washer would be the ideal. do not dry clean. undiluted washing powders or liquids may cause staining or discolouration on fabric so ensure powders or liquids are fully diluted before washing. do not pour liquids directly onto items.
drying
use a lower heat setting or alternate between air drying and tumble drying. if the setting it too hot it can damage the fibres, reduce the lifespan and integrity of the towel, and its plushness. line drying then finishing in the dryer is ideal. fresh air is great for the towel. shake them once taken off the line to remove excess lint and to fluff up the fibres. do not overload the dryer, it does not give the towels opportunity to fluff up or breathe. it does help to dry in dryer when working the process or cycle of reducing lint, the dryer captures the lint. this works in conjunction with the wash process noted above. make sure to empty the lint filters on a regular basis.
you should never over dry textile items so do not leave in the dryer once finished. over-drying leads to loss of natural moisture content and makes the fibres brittle and may lead to premature product deterioration. linen towels will dry much faster than cotton so it does not require the length of cycle cotton may need. they can appear crisp if line dried but do relax once used. if you prefer the softer handle air dry first then finish off in dryer for 10 minutes.
stains
selected cosmeceutical products that may contain benzoyl peroxide (both prescriptive and off the shelf chemist products such as skin treatment creams) can bleach or cause colour changes to manchester items such as linen or towels. typically, the benzoyl peroxide develops yellowish, pink, orange, or whitish marks. colour leaching may appear 24 hours or 7 days later or after a few washes. selected body creams and suntanning products can also damage your bath linens. these marks remain permanent on coloured items.
loose loops or pulls
pulled loops can occur for any number of reasons and is not a defect in the towel. the looser the weave in a towel or the longer loop towels can pull more easily especially if exposed to sharp or catchy items or washed with items with zippers or buttons. do not pull, gently snip the pulled loop with scissors. doing this will not damage the towel.
finally
treat your bath linens with kindness and they will remain beautiful.