AnnaM Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I am thinking of switching to white bath towels. Anyone use white towels? Any thoughts on brands? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I researched the heck out of towels last month and ended up getting Macy's Hotel Collection microcotton. They're wonderful. We didn't get white though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehon Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I researched the heck out of towels last month and ended up getting Macy's Hotel Collection microcotton. They're wonderful. We didn't get white though. Do they seem to be holding up well? I need to get new towels for the kids & need something that will really bear up to 6 kids' hard use & washing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caroljenn Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I always buy white towels. The lady I grew up with living next door to me was an R.N. for over 40 years. She always bought white because you could bleach them and make them more sanitary. I do replace every few years, but I won't go back to colored. They always lose their color and look weird anyways! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I read a book called Home Comforts about how to keep house and the author said to get white towels because you could bleach them. That's what I get now, but we still have some older colored towels around too. The blue towels in the kids' bath all have pink splotches on them--something went very wrong with the color! Someday I'll just replace everything with white. Haven't had any problems with the white towels we own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckles Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I buy all white towels. I get them from Costco. They aren't super expensive, and they can be easily replaced. I bleach every load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I have Costco towels as well. Love them. Mine are taupe colored tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Do they seem to be holding up well? I need to get new towels for the kids & need something that will really bear up to 6 kids' hard use & washing. Very. The initial shrinkage wasn't even noticeable and they give up next to no lint in the dryer. ETA: They're *very* plush though, so you'll want to take washer capacity and family size into account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Ours are white Thomas O'Brien (don't know who he is, but I like his towels) from Target. I learned my lesson after needing to bleach a tan-colored towel; it is now a color I can describe only as Angry Octopus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs_JWM Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I find my whte towels still get discolored. I used to use regular liquid detergent, bleach, and hot water. Then I switched to detergent and ammonia - much whiter! Now I use soapnuts, occasionally with ammonia for really stained whites, and I'm going to try bluing in the rinse water next. I love white, white, WHITE towels...not dingy ones! My white towels and napkins are taking up way too much of my (limited!) brain power! We also have hard water, just to add some additional info. that I'm sure you were DYING to know! Maybe I'll try this every other month or so: http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/04/miracle-laundry-whitening-solution.html I <3 Jillee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnaM Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 I am glad you mentioned the soapnuts. We try not to use harsh chemicals unless absolutely required. I will have to research how to get them really white without bleach. We also are now on septic so I don't think the bleach would be good on that system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs_JWM Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I love the soapnuts for all our clothes! They have worked great - everything smells clean, fresh, not perspiration-y - AND we switched to coconut-oil deodorant, so I was worried. Interestingly, my new white shirts no longer have gross yellow armpit stains, and I attribute it to the deodorant. Sorry for the brief hijack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I have Ikea white towels. They have different grades. They look fine: I wash them on hot (really hot) and it sterilises my washing machine at the same time. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 We have very plush-fluffy white towels in our master bath. I pretty much just wash them in hot with All-Free and clear, no bleach and they are still bright white. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I made the switch in October. Best bathroom change ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prudent Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 We have white Ikea bath sheets. They aren't plush, but they have held up wonderfully. I wash them in hot water with a lot of bleach and then a second cycle with a bit of tide to rinse all the bleach out. There are no holes or fraying after 3 years of bleaching. All of my towels are white, I wouldn't have it any other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I learned my lesson after needing to bleach a tan-colored towel; it is now a color I can describe only as Angry Octopus. :smilielol5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I am glad you mentioned the soapnuts. We try not to use harsh chemicals unless absolutely required. I will have to research how to get them really white without bleach. We also are now on septic so I don't think the bleach would be good on that system. FYI: Septic systems are happy with Amway laundry products, including the bleach (which is a dry, non-chlorine bleach). I'm sure Shaklee products would be fine, too. Neither company makes "harsh chemicals." :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I have off-white from costco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 I have off-white from costco. Renegade! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Be aware that your dc will use said white towels to clean their dirty feet and the towel will be black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Snort! :scared: That would cause me to break out the bleach! Our white towels are in the master bath...dh knows how to use them. LOL. My sheets are white too. Be aware that your dc will use said white towels to clean their dirty feet and the towel will be black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Yeah, my white towels are in the master bath as well. The kids have dark colors. However, my 8 yr old decided to go into my bathroom when I told him to wash his feet. I guess it saved him a trip upstairs. He took my white hand towel, got his feet wet in the sink, and wiped them off. I was not happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbpaulie Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Can we come back to this discussion w/ addt'l ideas on how to keep these towels white? I've thought of going to white, but it seems like bleach doesn't really even help at our house. White socks are still gray and ucky after being washed and bleached. Kids "wash" their hands and I find their dirt (paint, glitter, whatever) on the towels. I hand wash dishes w/ wash cloths that were once white and are now beyond the hope of seeing white again. So, would white towels work for for us if: 1) kids haven't figured out proper handwashing and 2) I guess I haven't figurered out laundray, but would like to.... and if they'd work, how????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I recently went to all white towels for the master bath, but the kids each have their own color. (Trying to make them accountable for their own laundry, lol.) All our master sheets are white, too, and they've been that way for years. It's been about a year since I made the switch on the towels, and so far, so great. Our white towels still sparkle. I generally wash them in hot water with bleach (and homemade detergent), and it seems to work great. (I use cold water if they get bloody, of course.) Occasionally, I've seen a small stain on one of the white towels, and I just run it back through on hot with Tide (or similar) and bleach again, and they've come out perfect. Now, I haven't tried letting the KIDS have white towels, but I would if I wan't focused on making them each accountable for their own laundry. The colored towels always end up with stains from various acne meds, etc, so my teen's towels look pretty weird, lol. My 10 yo's yellow towels are all still pretty. I went with Sam's Club towels, and they are decent, and cheap enough that I figure I won't be too peeved to replace them all in 5 years. After a year of LOTS of washing (they throw the towels on the floor after each use! Dang it!), they still are fluffy and nice. No stains except the bleach stains from acne meds. The first time I bought nice towels, when dh and I got married, Lands' End still made great stuff, and those towels really lasted well for a decade, and then a batch of Target towels lasted another good 5 years, and were still hanging in by a thread at year 16 or so when I gave up on them last year and replaced them all. I just couldn't convince myself that ANY towel was worth $20/towel, so the cheaper ones at Sam's that felt nice, looked good, etc, seemed worth a try, and I've been pretty happy so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somo_chickenlady Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 All of our towels are white b/c I can bleach them. I can't remember what brand mine are or where I got them from, but DS uses ones that we bought at Sams, and they are really nice! Fluffy and soft. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I don't have much experience with white towels, but I have thoughts on brands. Our towels from Costco have lasted 2 1/2 years so far, and still look great. I am just starting to be able to tell the ones that are washed several times a week from the ones that hang on a decorative towel rod. We have two sets- brown and tan. I think they say to wash and dry at cool temps, :ack2: but I do both at the highest setting possible. I'm counting on heat to kill the germs. I also have stripes and two shades of blue towels from Target. They have not held up well at all. They started getting pulled threads very early on, and look pretty ratty. Actually, we have had some white hand towels. They got gross pretty fast. They developed grey centers with white edges. I guess people(kids) dried their hands before getting them truly clean. I can't use bleach, so we've just turned them into rags. So, would white towels work for for us if: 1) kids haven't figured out proper handwashing and 2) I guess I haven't figurered out laundray, but would like to.... and if they'd work, how????? See above. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I had 3 wash clothes get kind of grungy recently. I soaked then in bleach water over night and they are now as good as new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somo_chickenlady Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I am glad you mentioned the soapnuts. We try not to use harsh chemicals unless absolutely required. I will have to research how to get them really white without bleach. We also are now on septic so I don't think the bleach would be good on that system. Oxiclean!! Well, I actually use the "Awesome" brand from Dollar Tree. It breaks down to oxygen and ash, so it is safe for septic tanks. My towels are always nice and white, and even my dish towels (which sit in a bucket until it is full) come out clean and smelling nice, no mildewy odors or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa in SC Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I use white towels primarily, but also have some that are black, which are great when one of the girls decides to dye her hair. I also use black washcloths because then I don't have to mess with makeup,stains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 The colored towels always end up with stains from various acne meds, etc, so my teen's towels look pretty weird, lol. I hadn't considered that aspect of using colored towels. We have a houseguest who has bleached spots on several of our colored towels with her beauty products. I'm getting ready to redo the kids' bathroom colors. Those teen years will be here before I know it, so I guess that is something to consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Do your towels that you wash in bleach smell like bleach? We have some white sheets that I used bleach to clean, and since then they have always smelled like bleach. Washed multiple times (years) since I washed in bleach and they still have a slight bleach smell... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upward Journey Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Be aware that your dc will use said white towels to clean their dirty feet and the towel will be black. Or you husband will use them to wipe down his motorcycle.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I use all-cotton white sheets, and white washcloths, dishcloths, and dishtowels. I also have some white towels, and white cloth napkins. I presoak all the white linens in Amway's non-chlorine dry bleach for about an hour, then wash them with Amway laundry detergent and bleach. All my white stuff is wondrously white. :-) You can only use non-chlorine bleach on fabric that is not all-cotton. If you use chlorine bleach on non-cotton whites, the fabric will actually yellow/gray over time; the chlorine will also cause any elastic to deteriorate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Do your towels that you wash in bleach smell like bleach? We have some white sheets that I used bleach to clean, and since then they have always smelled like bleach. Washed multiple times (years) since I washed in bleach and they still have a slight bleach smell... No, not at all. But, I use simple unscented chlorine bleach, and I use hot water, and a front loader that SPINS stuff really dry before they ever hit the dryer. I think the front loader (IME) gets more of the water out before they hit the dryer, thus gets out more of the residues from any detergents, etc. I do use an extra rinse cycle on clothing and sheets, as I have pretty sensitive skin, but I don't do that on towel loads, and I never smell bleach on anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 The colored towels always end up with stains from various acne meds, etc, so my teen's towels look pretty weird, lol. This is why we switched to white towels. But I have hair-dye boy use the old colored/spotty ones because he uses demi-permanent dye that comes off on the towels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 never mind We've gotten assorted white towels at Tuesday Morning, really nice ones, for reasonable prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 We used Charisma brand white towels from just before we married until about 2 years ago. So like 10 years. Longest lasting towels ever. We got them on sale at Macy's. Loved them. We like white towels the best but ended up with color ones for the boys and beige for us. I hate beige. When these wear out, they will be replaced with all white again. But that will be awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 We used Charisma brand white towels from just before we married until about 2 years ago. So like 10 years. Longest lasting towels ever. We got them on sale at Macy's. Loved them. We like white towels the best but ended up with color ones for the boys and beige for us. I hate beige. When these wear out, they will be replaced with all white again. But that will be awhile. Charisma is the brand of towels that Costco is currently selling. I love them! They are holding up much better than the previousl brand they sold. I put the older brand of hand towels in my laundry room/bathroom and they are not nearly as fluffy and soft as the newer Charisma ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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