01The towel is the guest's first touch
A guest arriving after a long journey usually heads for the bathroom within minutes. The first thing they handle there is a towel. If it is thick, soft and smells clean, the room immediately feels generous. If it is thin, stiff or faintly musty, the impression is the opposite, however good the rest of the room is. Towels punch well above their weight in reviews, in both directions.
Towels also take more punishment than almost anything else in a hotel. They are used wet, rubbed hard against skin, dropped on floors, smeared with make-up and fake tan, stuffed into bags damp, and washed after every use. They then go through hot dryers in large loads. It is no surprise that towels wear out faster than sheets, or that many small hotels find their towels feel tired long before they expected.
The good news is that most towel problems come from a short list of causes, and most of those causes are in the wash, the dryer and the way towels are handled between rooms and laundry. Fixing them costs little and pays back in softer towels, fewer complaints and fewer replacement orders.
What a good hotel towel feels like
A good towel feels soft and full when you pick it up, absorbs water quickly rather than pushing it around the skin, smells of nothing in particular, and looks even in colour. The loops stand up rather than lying flat. Keeping a towel in that state through many washes is what towel care is about.
02How a towel actually works
To care for towels properly, it helps to understand what makes them work. A terry towel is a base fabric with thousands of small loops of yarn standing up on one or both sides. Those loops are what give the towel its softness and its absorbency. Each loop acts like a tiny sponge, drawing water in by capillary action.
When the loops are open, clean and upright, the towel is soft and absorbs well. When the loops are clogged, flattened or coated, the towel feels hard and pushes water around instead of drinking it in. Almost every towel problem comes back to what has happened to the loops.
What clogs the loops
Detergent residue, fabric softener, minerals from hard water, body oils and product residues all coat the loops. A coated loop is less absorbent and stiffer. Over many washes, the coating builds up, and the towel gradually loses its softness even though it looks clean.
What flattens the loops
Heavy loads that crush towels, very hot drying that bakes the fibres, and storing towels tightly compressed while damp can all flatten loops. Flattened loops make a towel feel thin and less absorbent.
03Why towels go hard
Hard, scratchy towels are the most common towel complaint. They usually come from one or more of these causes.
| Cause | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too much detergent | Residue left in loops | Measure the dose; rinse thoroughly |
| Fabric softener | Coats fibres, reduces absorbency, builds up | Avoid, or use rarely and sparingly |
| Hard water | Mineral deposits stiffen fibres | Water softening; suitable detergent |
| Over-drying | Fibres become brittle, loops flatten | Dry until dry, then stop |
| Line drying without movement | Loops set stiff | Tumble briefly or shake well |
| Overloaded machines | Poor rinsing, loops crushed | Load to capacity, not beyond |
Fabric softener: the surprising culprit
It seems logical that fabric softener would make towels softer, and for the first wash or two it can. But softener works by coating fibres with a waxy film. On towels, that film builds up in the loops, reduces absorbency and eventually makes the towel feel slick and then stiff. Many professional laundries avoid softener on towels for this reason.
Over-drying
Towels are thick and take time to dry, so it is tempting to run dryers long and hot to be sure. Once the towel is dry, though, continued heat damages the cotton, makes it brittle and flattens the pile. The aim is fully dry, then out.
04Why towels smell
A towel that smells musty when unfolded, or that smells fine dry but stale as soon as it is used, has a problem that washing alone may not have fixed.
Damp time
The main cause of musty smells is time spent damp. Wet towels left in a bag for hours, towels folded while still slightly damp, and towels stored in a humid room all allow bacteria and mildew to grow. The smell then lives in the fibres.
Residue
Detergent and softener residue can trap odours. Towels that are over-dosed with detergent may smell clean straight from the dryer but stale soon after.
Fixing a smell
A thorough wash at the temperature the label allows, with the right dose and good rinsing, followed by complete drying, usually removes musty smells. Then fix the cause: shorten the time damp towels wait, and make sure towels are fully dry before they are folded.
05Washing towels properly
The washing routine is the biggest factor in towel life. These principles apply on site or at a laundry.
- Wash towels in their own loads, separate from sheets and clothing.
- Wash white towels separately from coloured towels.
- Use the correct detergent dose for the load size, soil and water hardness.
- Wash at the temperature the label allows; many white cotton towels tolerate hot washes.
- Do not overload; towels need room to move and rinse.
- Rinse thoroughly to remove detergent and soil.
- Avoid fabric softener, or use it rarely and lightly.
Why towels go in their own loads
Towels shed lint, which ends up on sheets and dark clothing. They also need different treatment: towels benefit from thorough rinsing and careful drying, while sheets may be pressed. Washing them separately gives each the right process.
Heavily soiled towels
Towels with make-up, fake tan, blood or hair dye should be set aside and treated before washing. Washing them with the rest of the load can spread colour and oils onto clean towels.
06Drying towels well
Drying matters as much as washing. Good drying leaves towels soft, fluffy and fully dry; poor drying leaves them hard, damp or both.
Tumble drying
Tumble drying is what gives hotel towels their fluffiness. The tumbling action separates and lifts the loops. Use a moderate heat and stop once towels are dry. Over-full dryers dry unevenly, leaving some towels damp and others over-dried.
Check for dampness
Thick towels can feel dry on the outside while the hems and folds are still damp. Check a few towels at the hems before unloading. Damp towels folded into a stack will develop smells within hours.
Cooling before folding
Towels straight from the dryer are hot and the fibres are relaxed. Letting them cool briefly before folding tightly helps them keep their loft.
07Folding and storing
How towels are folded and stored affects both how they look in the room and how well they last.
Folding for the room
Hotels usually choose a standard fold so every room looks the same: bath towels folded in thirds lengthways, then in half or thirds; hand towels folded to match. Folding with the closed edges facing out gives a neat stack. The fold should be loose enough not to crush the pile.
Storage
- Store towels fully dry, in a dry, ventilated linen room.
- Keep stacks moderate in height so lower towels are not crushed.
- Keep towels away from bathrooms, boilers and other damp areas.
- Rotate stock so every towel is used equally.
08Keeping colour: white and coloured towels
Most hotels use white towels for the same reasons they use white sheets: they look clean, can be washed hot and match everywhere. Some use coloured towels for spas, pools or a particular design style.
White towels
White towels grey when washed with colours or with too little detergent, and yellow when over-dried or coated with residues. Washing them only with other whites, with a measured dose, and drying carefully keeps them bright.
Coloured towels
Coloured towels fade over time, especially with hot washes and strong detergents. New coloured towels can bleed dye in the first washes, so wash them separately at first. Coloured towels used for make-up removal hide marks well but should still be washed thoroughly.
Mixed colours in one bathroom
If a bathroom uses white bath towels and coloured hand towels, make sure both are replaced on similar cycles, so one does not look much older than the other.
09Common towel stains
Towels collect stains that sheets rarely see, because guests use them to remove make-up, dry dyed hair and wipe away tanning products.
| Stain | Notes |
|---|---|
| Make-up and mascara | Oil and pigment; pre-treat before washing |
| Fake tan | Can be stubborn; treat before hot washing |
| Hair dye | Often permanent |
| Blood | Cold water first; never hot |
| Shoe polish and dirt | Guests sometimes wipe shoes with towels |
| Orange marks after washing | Some skin products react with hard water |
Make-up cloths
Providing dark make-up cloths, or disposable make-up wipes, reduces stains on bath and hand towels considerably. A short note telling guests where to find them helps.
10Handling towels between room and laundry
The journey from bathroom to laundry is where many towels pick up smells and stains.
- Collect used towels separately from sheets.
- Never leave wet towels sealed in bags for long periods.
- Get used towels to the laundry, or into the wash, as soon as possible.
- Keep stained towels in a separate bag and label them.
- Never use guest towels for cleaning floors or wiping spills.
Wet towel bags
If wet towels must wait, use breathable bags and keep them in a cool, ventilated area. A bag of wet towels left over a weekend in a warm basement is one of the most common causes of permanently musty towels.
11Towel reuse policies
Many hotels ask guests on longer stays to hang towels they are happy to reuse and leave on the floor towels they want replaced. This reduces washing, saves water and energy, and reduces towel wear.
Making it work
The policy only works if housekeeping follows it. If guests hang towels and find them replaced anyway, they stop trusting the system. If guests leave towels on the floor and find them not replaced, they complain. Train staff clearly and check from time to time.
Communicating it
A short, friendly card in the bathroom explains the policy. Keep the message positive and clear, and avoid overclaiming the environmental benefit.
12Buying towels that last
The best care cannot make a weak towel last. Buying well is the foundation.
- Choose towels made for commercial or frequent washing.
- Look for a medium weight that dries reliably rather than the heaviest available.
- Check that hems are double-stitched and woven borders are firm.
- Choose cotton with longer fibres, which sheds less and stays softer.
- Buy enough stock that each towel is not washed too often.
- Stick to one range for easy replacement and consistent rooms.
Weight and drying
Very heavy towels feel luxurious but are slow to dry, which increases the risk of dampness and smells, especially for on-site laundries. A medium-weight towel that dries fully every time often gives a better result in practice.
13How long towels last
Towels do not have a fixed lifespan. How long they last depends on quality, washing, drying, handling and guest use.
Signs a towel is near the end
- The pile is flat and thin, and the towel feels light.
- The towel stays hard after correct washing.
- Hems are fraying or the border is coming apart.
- Stains or discoloration that do not come out.
- Holes, pulled loops or thin patches.
- A smell that returns quickly after washing.
Replacing in batches
Replacing towels in batches, room by room or floor by floor, keeps bathrooms consistent. One new towel next to an old one makes the old one look worse.
Second life
Retired towels make excellent cleaning cloths, maintenance rags and pet bedding. Mark them clearly so they never return to guest rooms.
14Presenting towels in the room
How towels are presented in the bathroom shapes the guest's impression as much as the towels themselves. Neat, consistent presentation says that someone has taken care.
How many towels
A common standard is one bath towel and one hand towel per guest, plus a bath mat per bathroom, with face cloths where guests expect them. Rooms booked for more guests than usual, such as a family in a double with a sofa bed, need extra sets. Check the booking, not just the room type.
Where to put them
Bath towels are usually folded on a shelf or a rail, hand towels by the basin, and the bath mat over the side of the bath or folded on a stool. Some hotels place a set on the bed so the guest sees them on arrival. Whatever you choose, do it the same way in every room, and show new staff a photo.
Folds and details
Many hotels have a signature fold, and some add a small touch such as a ribbon or a folded edge facing the door. Simple is usually best: a clean, even fold with no visible labels or frayed edges looks more professional than an elaborate shape.
Hiding the labels
Turn towels so care labels face inward or downward. A visible label, especially a faded or frayed one, makes even a good towel look tired.
15Hand towels and face cloths
Smaller towels get more frequent use and more abuse than bath towels. Hand towels by the basin are used by every guest many times a day, often with wet, soapy or make-up-covered hands. Face cloths are used for make-up removal more than anything else.
Make-up and hand towels
Hand towels are the items most often marked with make-up. If make-up marks are a constant problem, providing dark make-up cloths or disposable wipes next to the basin protects the white hand towels considerably.
Washing small towels
Small towels are easy to lose in large loads and often end up tangled in sheets or caught in machine seals. Washing them with bath towels, in towels-only loads, is usually best. Count them separately because they go missing easily.
Face cloths
Some guests expect face cloths, others never use them. If you provide them, use the same quality as the towels. Grey or thin face cloths look worse than none at all.
16Washing towels on site
Some small hotels wash towels on site. It can work well with the right equipment and habits.
Equipment
Towels are heavy when wet, and a full drum of towels puts a lot of strain on a machine. Machines designed for frequent heavy loads cope better. Dryers need enough capacity and venting to dry towels fully without excessive heat.
Routines
Weigh a few loads to learn what a full load really is. Measure detergent. Wash towels in their own loads. Check that the dryer is reaching temperature and that the lint filter is cleaned every load; a clogged filter makes drying slow and uneven and is a fire risk.
When to outsource
If towels come out hard, musty or still damp despite good habits, the equipment may not be up to the volume. Comparing the full cost of on-site washing, including staff time, energy, water, maintenance and towel replacement, with a laundry's charges often shows that outsourcing towels is worth considering.
17What guests say about towels
Reading reviews for mentions of towels shows exactly what matters to guests. The comments tend to fall into a few patterns.
- "Fluffy", "soft", "thick" and "like a spa" for towels in good condition.
- "Scratchy", "rough", "thin" and "like cardboard" for towels that are hard or worn.
- "Smelled damp" or "musty" for towels not fully dried.
- "Not enough towels" when the set does not match the number of guests.
- "Stained" or "grey" for towels that should have been retired.
Acting on feedback
When a review mentions towels, look at the towels in that room. Are they from an older batch? Were they folded damp? Did the room have the right number? Each comment is a chance to fix a specific problem.
18Getting new towels off to a good start
New towels behave differently from towels that have been in use for a while, and the first few washes set the tone for their whole life.
Wash before first use
New towels are often treated with finishes that make them look and feel good in the shop but reduce absorbency. One or two washes before they go into rooms remove these finishes and let the loops open up. Guests notice when a new towel pushes water around rather than soaking it up.
Expect some lint
New towels shed more lint than older ones. Washing new towels separately for the first few cycles keeps lint off other linen, and cleaning dryer filters frequently during this period matters even more than usual.
Watch for colour
Coloured towels can release dye in their first washes. Wash new coloured towels separately until the water runs clear, so they do not tint anything else.
Introduce them together
When new towels arrive, introduce them room by room or floor by floor rather than mixing them into the existing stock. That way no bathroom has one fluffy new towel beside a tired old one, and you can see clearly how the new range performs over time.
Record the date
Note when each batch went into service. Knowing how long a batch has been in use makes it far easier to judge whether towels are wearing out normally or too fast.
19The towel care checklist
- Wash towels in their own loads, whites apart from colours.
- Measure detergent; avoid fabric softener.
- Do not overload washers or dryers.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Tumble dry on moderate heat until just dry.
- Check hems for dampness before folding.
- Store fully dry in a ventilated linen room.
- Keep wet towels from sitting in bags.
- Provide make-up cloths for guests.
- Never use guest towels for cleaning.
- Replace in batches when worn.
How ArkLaundry helps
We wash hotel towels at the right temperature, dry them through without over-drying, and return them folded. Bath towels from your own stock are £1.45 each, excluding VAT.
