Nothing feels more luxurious after a shower or bath than wrapping up in a soft, fluffy white towel. But over time, those bright white towels can start to turn yellow and look dingy.
Yellowing towels can be frustrating, but with the right care techniques, you can restore their brightness and keep your towels looking fresh. Read on to learn why towels turn yellow and how to combat discoloration.
What Causes Towels to Turn Yellow?
There are several common culprits that lead to yellowing of white towels:
Body Oils and Dead Skin Cells
Towels absorb the natural oils and dead skin cells shed by your body every day. Over time, these oils can oxidize and cause yellow discoloration in the fibers. Areas where you frequently dry your face and hands are especially prone to this type of staining.
Hair Products and Cosmetics
Shampoos, conditioners, hair gels, face creams and cosmetics contain ingredients that can transfer onto towels and cause yellowing. The oils, pigments and chemicals leave residue that penetrates the fibers.
Sweat and Deodorant
Sweat, antiperspirant and deodorant residue also contribute to towel yellowing over time. The aluminum compounds in many deodorants can react with detergents and oxidize, leading to stubborn yellow stains.
Detergent Residue
Using too much detergent and fabric softener means residue gets left behind on your towels. When subjected to heat in the dryer, these residues get “baked” into the fibers and make them look dirty.
Hard Water Minerals
Mineral deposits like iron, manganese and limescale in hard water will build up on towels and cause yellow or brown staining. This is especially common around the hems and edges.
Heat Damage
Washing towels in water that is too hot can scorch the cotton fibers and cause yellowing. Similarly, over-drying towels or using too much heat can damage fibers and remove their brightness.
How to Keep Towels White
Luckily, there are some easy methods you can use to keep your towels looking their whitest.
Wash Towels Separately
Wash towels separately from your regular loads of laundry. Mixing them with clothing (especially darker fabrics) increases the likelihood of color transfer and yellow staining on the towels.
Use the Right Detergent
Choose a detergent specially formulated for white fabrics, and follow the recommended dosage for your machine. Too much or too little detergent can cause residue buildup leading to yellowing.
Wash in Warm Water
Wash your towels in warm water to effectively remove oils, residue and grime without damaging or prematurely aging the cotton fibers like hot water can. Check labels for the ideal temperature.
Avoid Liquid Fabric Softeners
Liquid fabric softeners and dryer sheets can leave a residue that reduces your towels’ absorbency. This residue also attracts dirt over time. Use white vinegar or wool dryer balls instead.
Address Hard Water Issues
Installing a water softener can help reduce mineral buildup from hard water that leads to dingy towels. Alternatively, use a detergent made for hard water or add a water softener to each load.
Dry Thoroughly
Remove towels from the dryer promptly once dry. Any remaining moisture allows odor-causing bacteria to grow. For brighter towels, dry them outside in direct sunlight occasionally.
Don’t Use Chlorine Bleach
Avoid using chlorine bleach except for disinfecting or removing severe stains on white cotton towels. It can damage fibers, cause yellowing and weaken towels over time.
Check for Lint Buildup
A dirty lint trap or vent hose full of lint particles in your dryer can recirculate lint back onto your laundry, making whites look dingy. Clean them regularly.
How to Whiten Yellowed Towels
If your towels have already started to look yellow or gray, don’t worry—you can still restore their brightness. Here are some simple steps:
Baking Soda Soak
Add 1/2 cup baking soda to a bucket or bathtub filled with warm water. Soak towels for at least an hour before washing as usual. The alkaline baking soda helps lift stains and odors.
Vinegar Rinse
During the rinse cycle, add 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar which will help remove any detergent residue. The vinegar also acts as a natural fabric softener.
Lemon Juice
For a pre-treatment, soak towels in a mixture of 1 cup lemon juice and 1 gallon of warm water. The citric acid works to brighten the fibers. Let soak 30 minutes or more before washing.
Hydrogen Peroxide
As a bleach alternative, mix 1 cup hydrogen peroxide with 1 gallon of warm water and soak towels 30-60 minutes before washing. It works to lift discoloration without harsh chemicals.
Sunlight
The UV rays naturally bleach and disinfect laundry. When possible, hang towels outside in direct sunlight to dry for brighter results.
Oxygen Bleach
An oxygen bleach product is safe for most fabrics. Follow package directions to soak towels overnight before washing for best results removing yellowing.
Avoiding Chlorine Bleach
While effective at whitening, chlorine bleach should be your last resort. It can damage fibers and cause further yellowing with long-term use. If you do use it, limit to 1/4 cup diluted in a full wash cycle.
How to Remove Stains from Towels
On top of overall yellowing, towels easily collect specific stains that need targeted treatments. Here are some tips for removing common towel stains:
Makeup Stains
Work a bit of liquid laundry detergent directly into makeup stains on dry towels before washing. For stubborn stains, try soaking in white vinegar diluted with water for 1-2 hours before washing.
Dye Transfer
If colored clothing bleeds dye onto your white towels, treat the spots with a stain remover made for dye transfer before washing. Or try rubbing them with bar soap and rinsing before washing as usual.
Rust Stains
Mix lemon juice with salt to make a paste. Apply it to rust stains and let sit 30 minutes before washing. The citric acid tackles the iron oxide molecules that cause rust discoloration.
Mildew Stains
Mildew and mold can grow on damp towels leading to discoloration and odor. Treat with lemon juice or a paste of equal parts baking soda and water. For severe cases, use diluted chlorine bleach.
Blood Stains
For fresh blood stains, apply hydrogen peroxide directly and rinse with cold water before washing. For dried stains, make a paste with meat tenderizer and cool water. Let sit 15 minutes before washing.
How to Keep White Towels White
With proper laundry habits, you can prolong the bright white life of your towels:
- Wash them in warm or cool water using an enzyme-based detergent safe for whites.
- Use white vinegar instead of fabric softener to brighten and soften.
- Wash and dry towels separately from colored items.
- Check labels and wash in recommended temperatures to avoid heat damage.
- Inspect towels before washing and pretreat any stains.
- Hang towels openly or tumble dry on a low setting to avoid over-drying.
- Add oxygen bleach or borax to your wash routine to help whiten.
- If using chlorine bleach, limit to 1/4 cup every few weeks to avoid fiber damage.
Whitening White Towels FAQs
How do hotels keep towels so white?
Hotels keep towels bright white by washing them very hot, using commercial grade detergents and bleaches, adding brighteners like bluing, and using professional housekeeping techniques.
Can vinegar discolor towels?
Vinegar is safe for use on most white fabrics. However, soaking too long or using excessively on delicate fabrics could potentially cause discoloration over a long period. Always check garment labels.
Does baking soda bleach towels?
Yes, baking soda has natural whitening properties that make it great for whitening and brightening towels and other laundry. It works to lift stains and odors that make whites look yellow.
How often should you replace bath towels?
On average, bath towels should be replaced every 1-2 years with regular use. Higher-quality towels or those cared for using proper techniques may last several years. If towels become frayed, thin or remain damp, it’s time to replace them.
Conclusion
Although yellowing is a natural part of a towel’s lifespan, you’re not powerless against it. With this guide, you should understand the common causes of yellowing towels and have the tools to keep your towels looking fresh and bright white for longer.
By taking preventative steps like washing in warm water, using the right detergents and avoiding fabric softeners, you can proactively slow discoloration. And if your towels do start to yellow, treatments like lemon juice, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide can restore vibrancy.
Implementing these tips will extend the life of your bath and kitchen towels, so you get the most out of your high-quality linens. Say goodbye to grimy, yellowed towels!
