How to Wash Towels Back to White with Laundry Stripping
As we’re coming into the season of hosting, house guests, and swapping linens for the winter months ahead, I’ve been working on my quarterly chore list. As I’m making bedding updates, I’ve also turned my focus to other textiles throughout our home that could use attention- including towels. I prefer classic white towels, but they definitely require a certain level of extra care and maintenance. Today, I wanted to share my simple steps on how to wash towels back to white with laundry stripping. This is helpful for towels that are beginning to show their age, have grayed over time, or could just use a really good cleaning. Click through for my process and some interesting before & after images…
I’ve been restocking and organizing all of our bathrooms with the change of seasons… the upstairs guest bathroom, the basement bathroom, the powder room, and of course- our primary bath. There is also a small chance we may be hosting this holiday season, so I’ve even revisited my post on stocking a guest bathroom for visitors well in advance. Let’s get to brightening those bath towels, shall we?
What is Laundry Stripping?
Laundry stripping has recently gained popularity, but in the chance you have no idea what I’m talking about… it’s basically a cleaning process that involves soaking your laundry for hours at a time to deep clean, eliminate odor, tough stains, and restore softness & absorbency. It works really well, too! This is how I do it at home…
Towel Stripping Process
Everybody does theirs a bit different, but this is my tried & true process for laundry stripping… this especially works beautifully on white bath towels.
New Towel vs Old Towel
Just for a quick comparison, this is where I started- a new Parachute bath towel (straight from the package) versus one I’ve been using for 2-3 years now. They’re the exact same item number and style. You can tell it has started to turn gray and dull. Gradual greying is inevitable, but I think this towel still has a little life left.
Laundry Supplies
The process is really easy, although time consuming… here’s what you’ll need (most of these items are probably already in your laundry room):
- Clean laundry (freshly laundered dry towels… no dirty towels)
- 1/2 cup Borax
- 1/2 cup Oxi Clean (or sodium carbonate)
- 1/2 cup laundry detergent (linking my current favorite)
- 4-5 wool dryer balls
Step One: Mix the Solution
Fill your bathtub or utility sink with the hottest water. Add the cleaning items (borax, OxiClean, and detergent), then give it a good stir until it’s completely dissolved.
Step Two: Soak the Towels
Add your bath towels, wash cloths, and hand towels to the prepared bath, submerging them completely, making sure they’re fully saturated. Allow them to soak, agitating the bath each hour, for 5-6 hours. Don’t be alarmed- the water will turn a dirty gray color (which I find quite satisfying).
Step Three: Rinse the Towels
Drain the dirty water, give the towels a quick rinse with warm water in the tub, wring the towels, then transport them to your washing machine.
Step Four: Cycle Your Towels Through the Washing Machine
Run the towels through your washing machine on a drain & spin cycle, followed by a regular cool water cycle with your preferred laundry detergent and a small amount of color-safe bleach or bleach alternative (I use 1/8 cup or less)– no fabric softener.
Step Five: Tumble Dry on Low
The last step is to tumble your towels on a low to medium dry cycle until they’re totally dry, warm, and fluffy (with 4-5 wool dryer balls)… sometimes I’ll even do this twice for extra fluff. That’s it- your cleanest towels that have been revived to the white they once were (or the closest they can be)!
End Result
These are the same two towels I shared in the “new vs old” towel image earlier in the post. Can you tell them apart? While it’s not as bright as the new towel… it’s pretty close! I always feel this is a worthwhile process that yields good results.
Regular Towel Washing & Care
For best results in keeping new bath towels white and fluffy, I recommend the following:
- Adhere to the washing instructions on the label.
- Wash them on high with hot water.
- Wash with whites only.
- Avoid fabric softener & harsh chemical bleach.
- Shake out towels before adding them to the dryer.
- Always dry them with wool dryer balls for fluffing.
At some point, towels will look past their prime and they’re difficult to revive. Which brings me to my next point.. when to replace your bath towels. With proper care, they’ll last you several years…
The Lifespan of a Bath Towel
I also think it’s important to be realistic about the lifespan of a bath towel that is being used regularly. Most laundry and textile experts recommend replacing your towels every 2-3 years… with five years being the maximum lifespan of a towel. That said, you don’t have to throw them away. We usually graduate our old towels to the “dog” or “cleaning” cabinets in our laundry room for wiping paws or for use cleaning our house. Once those cabinets are full, we donate any old towels to our local animal shelter- they’re always appreciative and in need of them.
Classic White Towels for Every Budget
Click directly on each towel below to be redirected.
If you’re in the market for new white bath towels… I’ve linked some of my favorites above. From luxury bath towels to affordable, good towels- these are the ones I recommend.
FAQ
I do this with our bedding when it’s time to swap it each season. Anything that is bulky and won’t fit in your washing machine, has stubborn stains, or is especially susceptible to body oils, musty odors, or is used frequently. White linens of any sort are perfect for this process.
Of course! I love No.723 from the Laundress.
All of my bath towels are 100% cotton and I’ve had really good luck with this method. For other fabrics, I’d double check the laundry label to ensure it won’t shrink with hot water. If so, you could just adjust the water temperature or machine washing portion of the process.
Related
Looking for more laundry or bath related posts? I’m going to link some of my favorites for you below…
- Stocking a Guest Bathroom for Visitors
- The Best Classic White Bath Towels for Any Budget
- Design Discussion: Stacked Laundry Units
- Tips for Making a Cold Bathroom Feel Cozy
- Guest Bathroom Reveal
- How to Care for Turkish Towels
- Linen Closet Update
Is there anything better than a fluffy white towel that makes you feel transported to the spa? It’s the simple joys in life… like clean towels. Everyone has their best practices, but this is what has worked best for me. Have you ever tried laundry stripping? What does your process look like? The next time you’re organizing your linen closet, pull out the towels and trying stripping them.