How to Keep your Towels Fresh for the New Season

You're using your towel all of the time, but are you taking proper care of it? If you aren't aware of how to properly take care of your towels, you may notice that they start to "smell" after a certain period of time. This is because the build-up of mildew could be causing them to lose their freshness, or absorbing odors from other fabrics in your laundry room like the washing machine.

Do you want your towels to smell as fresh as the day you bought them? Do you want people to think you just baked a pumpkin pie or finished picking apples when they come in close contact with your towels? You do? Well then, we’re here to tell you how to keep your towels fresh and foster that amazing aroma.

Sanitize your washing machine

We've all been there: you wash your towels in the washing machine, and when you take them out, they still smell musty.

The truth is that even if you clean your towels in a clean washing machine, it's likely you'll have trouble getting rid of the odor completely. But don't worry—there are a few simple steps you can take to get rid of those smells!

First things first: make sure your washing machine itself is sanitary. People shed a ton of dead skin cells every day, which usually ends up in your clothes, towels, and washing machine. Before washing your towels, run an empty load with ¼ cup bleach to disinfect the interior. Running an empty load with bleach prior to washing your towels will disinfect the interior of the machine without being harsh on the towel fabric.

Deep Clean your towels

If you've got a musty towel problem, there's nothing like a good cleaning to restore them to their original glory.

It's essential to perform some heavy-duty cleaning on your musty towels. We recommend washing small loads of no more than three towels in hot water on the longest setting. Use a regular detergent plus a booster like vinegar, which you can add to the fabric softener compartment. Make sure you remove the towels from the warm environment of the washing machine quickly or bacteria will start breeding within one to two hours (set a timer!). And be sure to dry towels completely.

If that doesn't work, try adding baking soda or bleach to your wash cycle (just don't mix them together). If you're feeling adventurous and want to go all out, try drying them in direct sunlight for a few days—it'll kill whatever's growing there!

Three is the magic number

You know how certain smells can get stuck to your nose? That's how it is with bacteria. If your towels are still smelling a little funky, it means that some of those bacteria are still hanging around.

If your towels are smelling like mildew or mold, it's probably because they're being kept in a damp place. That's why the best way to keep your towels smelling fresh is to hang them up on a towel rack. This way, you can air out the maximum amount of surface area and keep bacteria from spreading across your towel.

If you don't have a towel rack, don't throw a damp towel―whether it has been used in the kitchen or the bathroom―on the floor or in a hamper to dry. The residual buildup of bacteria only worsens if a damp towel doesn't dry completely between uses. Remember: wash your towels frequently and use a bath towel no more than three times between washings.

Use Grow’s 100% Plant-based sprays to keep them smelling like Fall

Do you like the feeling when people come over and their first impression is: "Wow, this place is amazing!" It's not just a matter of decorating taste—it's a matter of making sure your space smells good, too.

We recommend using our 100% plant-based spray on your towels to help neutralize bad smells and keep them from coming back as quickly. We all want our homes to smell like us—and we're sure your guests do, too. A Fall scent is a great way to make your guests feel at home when they visit, and it has the added bonus of making you feel like Fall has arrived!