Purchasing wholesale towel sets for your business is an investment. Keeping your towels in the best condition possible extends their longevity and keeps your customers happy. Follow these tips for washing your towel sets to keep them clean and robust. 

Follow Label Instructions

The first thing you need to do when washing your towels is to check the towel's label. Towels differ in material and construction.

Your towel's label instructions might include:

• Whether or not the towel is machine washable
• The ideal cleaning temperature
• Chemicals to use for cleaning
• Chemicals to avoid when cleaning
• The ideal drying temperature
• Whether or not the towel can be ironed

When you do not follow the label instructions, you risk damaging your towels. Damage might not show up immediately; it can happen over time. Results of improper cleaning include shrinkage, discoloration, accelerated wear and tear, and material breakdown. Turns equal guest nights. Wash your towels correctly and extend the number of turns before you need replace the towel. 

Sort Your Towels

When you are ready to clean your towels, separate them into groups first—separate bath towels from other types of laundry like bed linens, cleaning towels, and bath mats. Towels need to be sorted a few other ways, too.

Wash By Color

It's a great idea to purchase towels of different colors for different uses. For example, your bath towels should be a different color than your beach and pool towels. We sell color-coded bed linen (by different color hems e.g., blue thread for queen size) to quickly sort white bed linen in the wash.

When you go to wash towels, start by sorting your towels by color. Washing your towels by color groups will remove the risk of color transfer from darker towels to lighter towels.    

Wash By Towel Type

The towels will vary by type. Sort your towels into categories before you wash them. For example, wash your white bath sets together, but wash delicate towels or oversized towels separately. 

Always separate terry towels from microfiber cloths. Microfiber cloths are lint free, while white terry towels will lint extensively during the first couple of washes. The lint will stick to the microfiber material. Remember, never dry microfiber cleaning cloths with heat.

If you use cleaning towels with a designated chemical, wash them separately from your other towel types. This way, there is no chemical transfer between the towels you use. For example, never use bleach or fabric softener with microfiber cloths, these chemicals will neutralize the natural positive charge of the fibers.

Washing your towels by type will help you follow the label's cleaning instructions. It will also help you during the folding process, too. The towels will already be sorted by type, so you won't waste time sorting them after they've gone through the dryer.  

Use the Right Detergent 

Washing your towels with the right detergent will help them last longer. Using the wrong detergent or chemicals could cause unwanted discoloration or damage to an entire load of towels. Most colored towels should be cleaned with a non-bleach detergent. 

Check the label on your detergent to know how much to use for each load. Using too much detergent won't help clean the towels any better than using the correct amount. Overusing detergent will cause increases in your detergent costs and can leave behind unwanted soap residue. 

Underusing detergent isn't beneficial either. If you don't use enough detergent, your towels won't come out clean. You might have to run the wash multiple times for the desired level of cleanliness. 

Pretreat Stains

To keep your towels looking new, always try to pretreat stains. Washing a stained towel will only set the stain and make it difficult, or even impossible, to remove it. 

There are two standard ways to pretreat a stain. The first way to pretreat a stain is to use a small amount of compatible detergent. Put the detergent directly on the stain and gently rub the detergent into the stain. Check to see if the stain has improved by rinsing the stained area before washing the towel. Treat the stain again if needed, then wash the towel like usual.

The second way to pretreat a stain is to use a specialized stain treatment. Stain treatment sprays are usually safe to use on all fabrics; however, test a small portion of one towel before applying the treatment to multiple towels. After you know the stain treatment will not damage your towels, follow the treatment instructions. Some stain treatments need to be rinsed off prior to washing, whereas others don't.   

Monitor Load Size

Understand your washer and dryer's load capacity. It is possible to wash small loads, but a washer should never be overloaded. 

Overloading a washer can cause damage to the machine and its contents. Towels will not clean properly if they are overloaded in the washer. The washer's energy efficiency will also decrease if loaded over capacity.

Make sure the dryer isn't overloaded, either. The drying time of multiple loads stuffed into one dryer will not decrease. Overfull dryers take longer to dry, use more electricity, and are at risk of overheating. Overheating can cause damage to the towels or, worse, a fire. 

Regulate Cleaning and Drying Temperature

The care label on your towels will indicate specific information about the ideal water and drying temperatures. The label will also specify the recommended cycle, too. For example, some towels need to be washed on a gentle cycle. 

The colors of towels you are washing will determine the temperature you want to wash them. Cold water is commonly used to clean dark-colored towels because it extends the towel's life, helps prevent colors from bleeding, and shrinkage is less likely to occur in cold water. 

Check the towel's label to see if there is a recommendation for the drying temperature. Most towels require a low heat setting. Tumble dry on low to extend the life of the towel and ensure the towels do not overheat. 

Microfiber cloths contain 1000's of microscopic hooks that attract and lock in dirt. These hooks are delicate and will melt under high-heat. Hanging your microfiber cloths to air dry is the preferred method, you may also tumble dry on low setting (separately from terry products).

Keep Transfer Time Low

Towels shouldn't sit in the washer for an extended amount of time. Quickly transfer the towels from the washer to the dryer to prevent odor-causing mold and mildew. 

Purchase Our Wholesale Towel Sets

Purchase your wholesale towel sets through Host & Home. Our durable towels come labeled with easy-to-read cleaning instructions. We have a wide selection of bath sets, pool sets, and cleaning towels. You can also choose from towels made with 100% cotton or a cotton blend. With Host & Home, you can improve your customer's experience by providing various high-quality towels in different sizes.