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Original poster

Do you wash towels separately in their own load?

269 replies

JacknDiane · 18/01/2026 09:40

I've always bunged them in with the rest of the washing, am I doing it wrong?

OP posts:
Okiedokie123 · 18/01/2026 23:09

@Ferro yes that’s true. I’d forgotten that most are 100% cotton. Some are made of microfibre/polyester. Either way none of may towels have ever noticeably shed fibres. Maybe because I don’t like fluffy towels? Actually that’s partly why I’ve no need for a tumble dryer as I like my towels to feel a bit sandpapery so I’m happy to air dry them.

BashfulClam · 18/01/2026 23:08

Pants, socks, tea towels, towels all in at 60c

Littlesarou · 18/01/2026 23:04

i wash them separately as i use fabric softener with the clothes, which apparently damages the fibres in the towels (it is also easier to do all at once!)

Firefly1987 · 18/01/2026 22:58

DrUptonsGardenGnome · 18/01/2026 21:52

If you have a tumble dryer, stick the towels in there for a few minutes once they’ve air-dried. It’ll sort out the crunchiness.

Thanks I'll try this! I do rarely use the dryer if I can help it but I'll try anything to get softer towels!

sundayvibeswig22 · 18/01/2026 22:57

Only if they’re white towels then they go in with dc school shirts.

randomchap · 18/01/2026 22:56

Nb14658 · 18/01/2026 22:55

I also do a separate 90° wash for towels and bedding. Everything else at 40° apart from delicates.

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90 seems a bit much. 60 works OK for me. I find that drying quickly is more important than washing at high temp

Nb14658 · 18/01/2026 22:55

Croakymccroakyvoice · 18/01/2026 22:50

I do mine on a 90° wash because that's good to keep the washing machine clean too.

I also do a separate 90° wash for towels and bedding. Everything else at 40° apart from delicates.

blueshoes · 18/01/2026 22:54

Croakymccroakyvoice · 18/01/2026 22:49

The food I eat is clean but if it was left on the plate for a week in a warm room I wouldn't be rushing to eat it...

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Luckily I don't eat my towels

blueshoes · 18/01/2026 22:52

JacknDiane · 18/01/2026 10:13

Interesting! I see I've been very lax and thrown everything in together, I dont even separate whites and darks. I like the thought of washing towels on a 60 degree wash but my machine would take forever for that and I dont have the patience.
I didn't realise not to use fabric conditioner with towels. I've never noticed the difference. I like older rougher towels anyway, fluffy towels that fluff over you are a pain.

OP, I am with you. Just bung towels with clothes together and wash at 40. I don't even use fabric conditioner or biological powder, just plain non-bio detergent and some soda crystals.

I feel I am winning.

Croakymccroakyvoice · 18/01/2026 22:50

I do mine on a 90° wash because that's good to keep the washing machine clean too.

Croakymccroakyvoice · 18/01/2026 22:49

randomchap · 18/01/2026 22:41

Objectively, when I get out the shower I'm the cleanest thing in the house. In theory the towels should be getting cleaner when they touch me.

Are they meant to bend?

The food I eat is clean but if it was left on the plate for a week in a warm room I wouldn't be rushing to eat it...

Croakymccroakyvoice · 18/01/2026 22:46

Yes, on a hot wash with no conditioner.

Ihatewinding · 18/01/2026 22:45

Chataigne · 18/01/2026 10:46

See, I'm puzzled by this. 60° doesn't kill all bacteria and bearing in mind anything on a towel has come from the user's own clean skin, why does it matter?

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If I do towels on 60 then can usually get a good 3-4 weeks out of them before they start going musty/smelly - yes I'm minging and easily go 3 weeks between whole house towel washes, but like you say they only come into contact with clean skin so do they really need more frequent washing if they smell clean? However if I wash them at 40 they are rank by 2 weeks for sure.
Tumble dry always unless hot and dry so in summer only really.

Complete anecdata but there's definitely a difference in longevity of our towels between 40 and 60 washes, no matter the time of year and use of towel radiators, etc.

FeministThrowingAPrincessParty · 18/01/2026 22:42

Own load

randomchap · 18/01/2026 22:41

Objectively, when I get out the shower I'm the cleanest thing in the house. In theory the towels should be getting cleaner when they touch me.

Are they meant to bend?

Arran2024 · 18/01/2026 22:39

I have enough towels and clothes to do separate washes so I do the towels on their own so i can use a high temperature. I also have a washer dryer - i only use the dryer function for towels and sheets. It works best if I press the "wash/dry" function as then they come out fluffy and dry. If I forget and just wash them, then dry them, they come out like cardboard. So for reasons of temperature, using the dryer and quantity, I do wash them on their own.

Livpool · 18/01/2026 22:38

Nope - all together. Everything in mine goes on 40 degrees

NothingSurprisesMeAnymore · 18/01/2026 22:36

CrotchetyQuaver · 18/01/2026 09:47

all towels go in with bathmats and dishcloths here. 60 degree wash with no fabric conditioner.

Same, all white towels, cloths, sheets and duvet covers, separate 60 wash.

julesagain · 18/01/2026 22:32

I don't, but only because ours are white and i wash pure whites on there own.

mathanxiety · 18/01/2026 22:32

Dragonflytamer · 18/01/2026 22:20

I've always wondered whether the people who feel the need to watch towels at high temperatures are doing something wrong when they are showering - who comes out of the shower that dirty?

Your towels are going to end up with quite a lot of dead skin cells on them.

CaptainSevenofNine · 18/01/2026 22:30

Yes. Towels on a separate wash at 60°.

mathanxiety · 18/01/2026 22:30

Sometimes yes and sometimes no.

I like a hot wash for towels and bedding, but if I'm putting on a small wash and have a towel or two to throw in, they'll do fine with a warm or even a cold wash. I have a dryer and everything gets a good blast of hot air after washing.

Bellyblueboy · 18/01/2026 22:24

Samdelila · 18/01/2026 22:21

This

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I wash them because they are damp and warm. And I don’t just use towels after showers😊. I shower once a day and wash again in the morning.

Advice is always to wash towels often and at a higher temp.

Also throw hand towels in there.

Samdelila · 18/01/2026 22:21

Sahara123 · 18/01/2026 10:01

Just out of interest why do people feel towels need a hotter wash ? They’ve just been used to dry clean bodies. I just wash mine with anything else that needs doing on my normal 40 wash .

This

Dragonflytamer · 18/01/2026 22:20

I've always wondered whether the people who feel the need to watch towels at high temperatures are doing something wrong when they are showering - who comes out of the shower that dirty?

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