Most people assume that more detergent means cleaner laundry, but experts are now warning that this widespread belief is actually doing more harm than good. Dr. Primrose Freestone, an associate professor of clinical microbiology at the University of Leicester, explains that excessive use of both detergent and fabric softener can produce the opposite of the desired result. Over time, residue from these products builds up inside the fabric fibers, making towels progressively rougher and less effective. The damage is gradual, which is exactly why so many people never connect their habits to the problem.
When too much detergent is used, the leftover residue accumulates with each wash cycle and actually prevents fresh detergent from fully penetrating the fibers during future washes. Dr. Freestone recommends cutting your usual detergent amount by roughly a third to avoid this buildup. She also advises rinsing towels thoroughly in cold water after washing, which helps remove leftover product and allows cotton fibers to return to their natural state. A quality washing machine should handle this rinsing effectively without needing an extra cycle.
Perhaps the most counterintuitive piece of advice from experts is to stop using fabric softener on towels altogether, despite how logical it might seem. Fabric softener works by coating textiles with electrically charged substances, typically silicones and ammonium compounds, which create a soft feeling on first touch. However, with repeated use, this coating accumulates and causes towels to feel stiff and unpleasant over time. Experts at SAGA have flagged this as one of the most common mistakes people make when doing laundry.
Chrissie Rucker, founder and owner of The White Company, has also spoken out about the damaging effects of fabric softener, particularly on brand-new towels. “To keep towels wonderfully soft, avoid using fabric softener on the first wash as it coats the fibers and reduces absorbency,” Rucker stated. The logic is straightforward: once those fibers are coated, the towel loses its primary function, which is to absorb water efficiently. What feels like a softness boost is actually a long-term trade-off against performance.
When it comes to wash temperature, many people default to 140°F cycles, which are often the preset on standard washing machines, but specialists say this may not be the most effective approach. Certain bacterial spores and viruses are capable of surviving at 140°F, meaning the high heat does not guarantee complete sanitation. Washing towels at 104°F combined with a bleach-based detergent is actually a more reliable method for eliminating harmful microorganisms. Biological powder detergents are particularly recommended by experts, as they are highly effective at destroying bacteria and viruses while still being gentle on the fabric itself.
Towels are generally made from cotton, which is a natural fiber known for its high absorbency and durability when properly cared for. Cotton terry cloth, the looped fabric most commonly used in bath towels, gets its absorbency from the large surface area created by its loops. The quality of a towel is often measured in grams per square yard (GSY), with higher GSY indicating a denser, more absorbent product. Most bath towels weigh between 400 and 600 GSY, with luxury towels sometimes reaching 900 GSY or more. Proper laundering not only extends the life of a towel but preserves those loops and fibers that make it functional in the first place. Egyptian and Turkish cotton are widely considered premium materials because of their extra-long fibers, which produce a softer and more durable weave.
If you have been using fabric softener on your towels for years, share your experience and thoughts in the comments.
