The first time you use a new towel, it's like a blank canvas. You can decorate it with lotions and perfumes and make it smell like roses and sunshine. But as soon as that towel has been used, the possibilities are over—it's just another piece of fabric that smells vaguely like you. To make sure your towels last longer and stay soft and fluffy, follow these steps:

Wash new towels before using them

It's true: some towels come from the factory with chemicals on them. If you don't wash them before using them, you can get a rash or other skin irritation—unless, of course, you like that sort of thing.

Also, it is especially suggested for Turkish Towels to prewash at least once since they get softer after each wash. It is the best way to really experience their softness. 

Washing new towels is easy: just throw them in with your regular laundry and go about your business as usual. Wash cold with detergent. If you're going for an eco-friendly approach (which we encourage), use organic or all-natural detergents instead of the regular chemical ones found in most mainstream brands.

Use warm water when washing

You might think that hot water is the best way to get your towels clean, but it's not. In fact, hot water can reduce the life of your towels by damaging their fibers.

Instead of using warm or cold water (which are both fine), use warm water instead. The reason why you should use warm water is because it's better for your skin and the environment. You see, there's a lot of debate over whether or not cold water is better than hot when you're washing off after a shower or bath—and we'll address this issue in more detail later on—but what we do know for sure is that warm water does not damage your skin in any way whatsoever; therefore it's safe to assume that using cool or lukewarm temperatures will not cause any issues either!

Use a gentle detergent

For towels that are going to be washed frequently, you should use a gentle detergent.

Avoid harsh chemicals. Did you know that many of the ingredients in detergents are poisonous? And even if you're not pouring them down your throat, they can still irritate your skin and other parts of your body. So avoid using bleach or fabric softeners (these will cause mildew), detergents with dyes (they'll stain), detergents with perfumes (they'll attract bugs), and those with optical brighteners (no need to stress over keeping your towels white). If all else fails, stick to the basics: Clean laundry will always smell like clean laundry—there's no reason to add extra smells unless it's something pleasant like lavender essential oil!

Don't use bleach unless it's necessary

Don't use bleach unless it's absolutely necessary.

If you are not running a hotel, no need to bring bleach into your laundry process. Your skin will thank you. 

Bleach can cause towels to lose their color, develop a musty smell and become less absorbent. It can also cause bleached towels to fade over time. If you must use it for some reason (like if your dog has an unfortunate accident on your towel), be sure to rinse the towel thoroughly after letting it sit in the bleach water for five minutes or so to make sure all traces of the chemical have been washed away before putting them back in rotation with other fresh linens.

Don't put your towels in the dryer

Do you have a cotton towel below GSM 600? No need to use the dryer. Just line drying is enough. 

Some people prefer dryers since they give an immediate cozy feeling once the towels come out of them, but don't forget this fact: Dryers are an underrated enemy of humanity. They're noisy, they get hot enough to cause fires, they make everything shrink and they spend energy to dry clothes that you can otherwise hang to dry naturally. This isn't good for your towels either—they need room to breathe in order to get soft and fluffy again.

Follow these steps to give your towels a longer life

• Use a gentle detergent.
• Wash in warm water.
• Don't use bleach unless necessary.
• Don't put in the dryer (unless it's a synthetic fiber towel).

There you have it! A few easy steps to make sure your towels last longer and stay fresh. We hope you enjoyed reading this guide, and we look forward to seeing you again soon at GRIDAL Lifehacks.