When Drying Microfiber Towels, Avoid Common Mistakes

Microfiber towels can be a useful tool to have around the home — these towels have a quicker drying time, are highly durable, don't generate lint, and are hypoallergenic. They aren't as abrasive as standard towels, and there are certain things you should always be cleaning with a microfiber cloth. They're well-suited for cleaning glass or the screens of electronic devices. Despite their advantages, you need to be mindful of how you care for them. Washing and drying these towels correctly will help you prevent damage and continue getting the most value out of them.

When washing and drying your microfiber towels, you'll need to avoid one key mistake: washing them with other types of fabrics. You need to wash microfiber towels on their own since washing them with other fabrics can cause them to pick up dust, lint, and hair. Microfiber towels can attract lint and dust easily, even when in a washing machine or dryer.

Before washing microfiber cloths and towels, aim to remove any dirt from them that you can. Then, be sure to use only a light amount of detergent that doesn't have any additives or fragrances. Never use a fabric softener on microfiber towels. Pay attention to the machine settings as well. Machine wash on a gentle cycle, ideally with cool water. For heavily soiled loads, you may consider using a warm water cycle instead.

Air drying is always the safest choice when drying microfiber towels and will help prevent the damage that sometimes occurs to them in electric dryers. You can air dry them either on the line or by simply laying them on a flat surface. This will give them the best chance of retaining their absorbent qualities and will likely extend their lifespan.

If you prefer not to air dry microfiber towels, you can use an electric clothes dryer instead. However, it's a mistake to use just any dryer settings when doing so. Before drying, you'll want to ensure that you clean out the dryer lint trap. Also, as with washing, you should ensure you dry microfiber towels on their own without other items. Use a low heat setting to keep them safe, or alternatively, use the air-dry setting. Avoid adding dryer balls or dryer sheets when drying microfiber towels; otherwise, the microfibers may absorb waxy residue from their fragrances and ingredients. Also, be sure that you don't iron your microfiber towels since this can cause additional damage to them.