Common Mistakes To Avoid When Washing Microfiber Towels

What was cleaning like before the invention of microfiber towels? The practical tools are perfect for wiping up dust, getting windows and mirrors sparkling clean, and deep cleaning your bathroom or kitchen. Microfiber towels are something everyone should have in their cleaning arsenal. To ensure that the cloths keep your home pristine, it's up to you to make sure they stay fresh. And that isn't as simple as just merely tossing the towels in the wash when they're dirty.

There are some common mistakes people make when washing microfiber towels, starting with what they use to wash their towels. Think of your microfiber towels as the divas of your cleaning supplies — they don't get along well with other laundry. To keep them as lint-free and effective as possible, only wash microfiber with other microfiber. And, while towels are typically one thing you should always wash in hot water, that rule doesn't apply to microfiber. Heat can damage the fabric, so stick with a warm wash cycle.

When it's time to dry your towels, the dryer is okay, if you use a low heat setting. Air drying them is ideal, though. If you need to dry the cloths quickly, or don't love the idea of having a bunch of towels drying around your home, skip the dryer sheet and consider tossing a few wool dryer balls into the machine, which can help to make your microfiber towels last longer and speed up the drying process by breaking up stiffness. The key thing to remember is to be as gentle as possible when laundering them. If you're going to wash and dry them in the machine, choose a delicate cycle, as too much agitation can weaken the towel fibers.

Certain laundry products can damage your microfiber towels, including specific types of detergent, particularly ones with perfume, fabric softeners, or optical brighteners added. Use a small amount of fragrance-free, ultra-gentle detergent to wash your microfiber towels — no more than 2 tablespoons, and less if your machine isn't full. And, skip the fabric softener and use ½ cup of distilled white vinegar to soften the towels. Regular fabric softener actually leaves a coating on the microfiber, making the towels less absorbent. Consider adding on an extra rinse cycle — both before and after the wash cycle — to make sure that any dirt and detergent residue is really washed out of your towels.

One last mistake to avoid when washing your microfiber towels: Washing them too often. Frequent, repeated laundering will put a lot of wear and tear on your towels, causing them to degrade faster. If you're using microfiber for light jobs, try to wash them after three uses. The exception is if your towels are really dirty or soiled. If that's the case, send them to wash after a single use, being sure to shake them out first to remove any loose dust, dirt, and other debris.