5 signs you need new towels
Sadly, even if you have taken good care of your towels, there comes a time in every towel's life when they are no longer useful and need to be replaced.
5 signs you need new towels
Here are five clear signs it's time to say goodbye to your old faithful bathroom towels.
1. No longer soft and fluffy
As your towels age, they will lose what you loved about them the most: their fluffy exterior. Once they lose that softness, towels start to feel stiff and scratchy. If this happens to your towels, it might be time for some new ones.
Keep your towels softer for longer by following these towel washing tips.
2. Not absorbent
The purpose of a towel is to remove water after your shower. If you find that you have to dry yourself several times before you're actually dry, then it's time to say goodbye.
3. Rips and holes
A more obvious sign that your towel has seen better days is it's starting to fall apart. Holes, rips and frays mean it is time for new towels.
4. They smell
A smelly towel is not a good sign. Towels left damp for too long will develop a musty smell. Likewise, if you put them in the wash and forget about them, you will need to rewash them to avoid bacteria growth. If your towel starts to smell after only a few uses, no matter how you wash it, then there's a chance there are bacteria embedded in the fibres, and it's time to toss it out.
5. They won't stop shedding
New towels will shed to some degree initially. Still, if your towels continue to lose fibres, it could be a sign of poor manufacturing. When searching for a new towel, ensure the cotton is pre-combed.
How to recycle old towels
Thankfully, there are a few options for your old towels to avoid ending up in landfills.
-
The recycling program, Upparel will take all of your old towels (and other unsellable clothes), and recycle them into furniture and other bits and pieces.
-
Call your local animal shelter and see if they need any old towels or sheets.
-
Alternatively, your local mechanic might appreciate some old towels and sheets to work with.
Image: Getty