How to wash towels with bleach without ruining them

Keep your towels bright without compromising the fabric.

Bath and hand towels have a tendency to look dingy over time, even when they’re washed regularly. Bleach can help restore their bright appearance and tackle any stubborn stains, but using it incorrectly can weaken fibers and leave your towels looking worse over time. To help you revive your well-loved towels without ruining them, we spoke to cleaning experts who shared their tips for washing towels with bleach, including the best type to use and mistakes to avoid.

Meet Our Expert

• Alicia Sokolowski, president and co-CEO of AspenClean
• Robin Murphy, chief cleaning officer at Maid Brigade and creator of the cleaning blog Who Likes It Dirty?

Related: How to Wash Towels So They Stay Fluffy and Absorbent

Can You Bleach Towels?

Yes, but it is best to use oxygen bleach instead of chlorine bleach. “Chlorine bleach has the potential to strip color from the towels, weaken their fibers, and leave behind patchy yellowed areas,” says Alicia Sokolowski, president and co-CEO at AspenClean. “In comparison to chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach is a gentler alternative that is extremely effective at brightening fabrics, lifting stains, and freshening your laundry without being as tough on the fabrics.”

Robin Murphy, chief cleaning officer at Maid Brigade, agrees. “If your goal is sanitizing after illness, a laundry sanitizer or washing with detergent and drying thoroughly is often a better first option,” she says. “I reserve chlorine bleach for the relatively rare occasions when nothing else will do.”

She adds that it is especially best to avoid chlorine bleach on towels in the following circumstances:

• The care label says not to use it
• The towels are colored or patterned or have decorative trim or embroidery
• The towels are made from specialty fibers or blends that may be damaged by bleach
• The towels are already showing signs of wear

How to Clean Towels With Oxygen Bleach

Use oxygen bleach to lift stains and brighten fabrics without the color loss and fiber damage that can be caused by chlorine bleach. Here, Murphy explains how to safely clean and brighten towels with oxygen bleach.

1. Sort towels by color.
2. Add the recommended amount of laundry detergent to your machine.
3. Add oxygen bleach according to the manufacturer’s directions. (Most products recommend approximately 1/2 cup or one scoop for a full load.)
4. Wash using the warmest water the care label allows.
5. Dry according to the care label.

Tips

Avoid overloading your washing machine when cleaning towels, as the towels need some space to move around to get a thorough wash, says Sokolowski.

How to Clean Towels With Chlorine Bleach

If you absolutely must use chlorine bleach to disinfect or whiten, ensure you’re doing so safely. Murphy says to only use chlorine bleach on white towels, following these steps.

1. Check the care label to make sure chlorine bleach is permitted.
2. Wash white towels separately from colored laundry.
3. Add the recommended amount of laundry detergent to your machine.
4. Add chlorine bleach to the washer’s bleach dispenser, never directly onto the towels. Use the amount recommended on the bleach label and your washing machine’s instructions. (For many household bleaches, that’s about 1/3 to 1/2 cup for a full load.)
5. Wash using the warmest water the care label allows.
6. Dry according to the care label.

Never mix chlorine bleach with other household cleaners, as this may result in the formation of harmful, toxic gases that can be dangerous to breathe in.

How to Remove Stains From Towels With Bleach

Our experts recommend against using chlorine bleach to spot-treat stains. “Even when diluted, it can create lighter patches or weaken the fabric in one area,” says Murphy. However, Sokolowski says oxygen bleach is a suitable option for lifting stubborn stains. Here’s how to do it.

1. Mix oxygen bleach with warm water, stirring the mixture until the oxygen bleach has completely dissolved into the water.
2. Apply the solution to the stained area and let it sit for about five minutes.
3. Wash and dry the towels according to the care label.

Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning Towels With Bleach

Avoid these common mistakes when cleaning towels with bleach to ensure their quality and colors stay intact.

• Assuming bleach does the cleaning: There is a misconception that bleach cleans towels. “Detergent does the cleaning,” says Murphy. “Bleach is a specialty product that can whiten or disinfect.”
• Pouring bleach onto the fabric: If you do use chlorine bleach on your towels, Sokolowski says to never pour the bleach directly onto the fabric. “Doing so damages towels very quickly,” she says.
• Overusing bleach: Be cautious not to overuse chlorine bleach on white towels, as this will weaken the fibers, resulting in the need to replace them more frequently.
• Using chlorine bleach on colored towels: Never use chlorine bleach on colored towels, as this will cause the colors to fade or create some patchy spots, says Sokolowski.
• Adding more product than recommended: This applies to chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach. “More isn’t better, and it increases wear on the fabric,” Murphy says.

Read the original article on Martha Stewart