4 Proven Ways to Freshen Bath Towels

Have you ever wrapped your little one in a towel after a bath, and realized your child is nice and clean, but the towel smells musty? It’s easy to assume bath towels are clean after going through the washing machine, but you actually need to add a little extra care to freshen bath towels!

Towels stay wet for quite some time after use, and damp towels are prone to bacterial growth. The sour odor is actually the smell of bacteria breeding. It’s not pleasant, we know, but that icky smell happens.

Save yourself the hassle of buying new towels or using harsh chemicals with these parenting hacks to get towels smelling fresh again!

Baking Soda and Vinegar Wash

Machine wash a load of towels with baking soda and vinegar (no detergent). Whether your towels are smelling musty or have lost their absorbency, this hack will work wonders on your towels!

1. First, wash your towels with hot water and 1 cup of white vinegar.
2. When the load finishes, sprinkle ½ cup baking powder over the wet towel and wash again on a hot cycle.
3. Whether you have a front loading washing or one that opens at the top, just place the baking soda over the towels.
4. Thoroughly dry.

You can also try one of these three tricks to keep your towel’s fresh longer.

Dry your Towel on a Rack (not a hook)

It’s important that towels get completely dry between uses. This will help cut down on the residual buildup of bacteria.

A rack gives maximum space to air out the towel, and aids in drying it completely before your next use.

Don’t Put Wet Towels in the Laundry Hamper

A balled-up towel with other dirty laundry will increase the residual buildup of bacteria. Air dry the towel before placing it in the laundry bin.

Parents try hard to get their kids 100% clean, but sometimes bath time is cut short by tantrums or other unplanned events. Any leftover sweat or body oil accumulated when drying off will cause the towel to get sour, especially when left damp.

Sanitize Your Washing Machine

It may seem counterintuitive, but washing machines need to be cleaned too. People shed about 1 billion dead skin cells every day, much of which ends up on your towels and washing machine.

Try running an empty load with a ¼ cup to ½ cup bleach to disinfect your washing machine. Depending on the amount of laundry you wash, try this method every month to keep everything clean.