How to keep your towels soft and fluffy

From washing with vinegar to a tennis ball in the dryer …

EVERyONE loves the feel of a brand new towel, but why is it that after a few washes, your beautiful, fluffy bath sheet now feels and looks like used sandpaper? getting them sparkling white and soft is, it seems, a secret that only five-star hotels and industry insiders know. FLIC EVERETT went to the top and asked Britain’s most respected laundry experts for the tricks of the trade . . .

CLEANING GURU

AGGIE MACKENZIE, cleaning expert and former head of the Good housekeeping institute, says: 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! DO: Add white vinegar to the rinse.

DON’T: Radiator dry.

LEGENDARY LONDON HOTEL

THE Dorchester is one of London’s best hotels. Executive housekeeper Sabah Smith says: ALWAYS buy good-quality towels — more than 500 grams per square metre, which refers to the towel’s density. The towels are more absorbent and longerlasting. Thinner towels feel scratchy after a few washes.

We generally wash towels at 30c — higher temperatures harden the fabrics. We never wash with starch, as it roughens towels.

DO: Buy the highest quality you can afford.

DON’T: Use starch products.

LUXURY TOWEL MAKER

SHERIDAN manufactures luxury Egyptian cotton towels, stocked at Debenhams and house of Fraser and in their dedicated Kings Road store. a spokesperson says: FOR best results, we recommend a 40c gentle cycle. Never use bleach to clean your towels, as it will destroy the fibres.

Try not to overcrowd the washing machine, so there’s plenty of water to soak and wash. Two bath sheets or three smaller towels a load is plenty.

We recommend a deep clean every few weeks, on a 40-60c cycle to remove bacteria and oils. We use a gentle eucalyptus-based washing detergent (eg. Eucalan) for superior colour retention so they look beautiful for longer. Avoid silicone-based fabric softeners and conditioners. They will repel water and reduce absorbency. DO: Use a stain remover.

DON’T: Crowd the machine.

INDUSTRY EXPERTS

VISION Support provide top global hotel groups with luxury turkish and Egyptian cotton towels. Spokesman thomas Mulrooney says: THE best temperature is between 40c and 60c — 40c ensures towels feel and look their best over a longer period, while removing most of the germs, but 60c will kill even more bacteria and potential mould.

We recommend occasional washing at 60c for the best results. Avoid fabric softener. — it deposits a thin layer of wax on the fibres, which decreases absorbency.

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.

DO: Add a clean tennis ball to the dryer.

DON’T: Use conditioner.

LAUNDRY SCIENTIST

RICHARD neale is chairman of LTC Worldwide Laundry Consultancy, which advises the global laundry industry on best practice. he says: WASHING at 75c is optimum for disinfecting the towel. Apart from killing the bugs, the heat swells the fibre, releases the soiling, and helps get a whiter towel.

The main soiling on a towel is skin sebum (oil). It’s protein based, so you need a cool prewash (under 40c) to soften the protein, then a wash at 40c or higher with plenty of botanical ( herb based) detergent to break down fats.

Emulsifiers — found in a goodquality detergent such as Ariel Automatic — break down fat and sweat. We also recommend a brightener formulated for whites. Don’t use fabric conditioner, as it affects absorbency.

And after hanging towels outside, give them a quick tumble dry to fluff them up.

DO: Pre- wash at low temperature.

DON’T: Tumble dry till they’re bone dry.