Keep Your Cotton Looking Its Best
When you've invested in the luscious luxury of
Egyptian cotton bed linen, towels or robes, you'll want to keep it in top condition for as long as possible. For this reason, it's essential to take care of your new purchase! After all, you don't want your precious bedding to shrink in the wash or become discoloured.
Of course, the first thing to take into account - as with any clothes or linens - is the care label. Be sure to pay close attention to the instructions. It may seem like a bit of a chore, but if you go off-piste and damage your
Egyptian cotton towels, you've only got yourself to blame!
Washing Egyptian Cotton Bed Sheets and Linens
When it comes to washing your new items, don't turn the temperatures up too high. A
cool wash of 40 degrees Celsius will keep your bedding looking its best. To stop colours from running, make sure to
separate darks and lights before putting anything into the machine - and look out for rogue socks that could ruin everything!
One useful tip that you might not be aware of is to keep your Egyptian cotton away from other types of fabric. If you throw it into the washer alongside polyester, polycotton or acrylic fabrics, these fibres can cause aggravation. Your cotton could pill faster and look older after just a few washes. To avoid this, it's best to only wash cotton with cotton.
Egyptian cotton bedding can be
tumble dried on a low setting. To keep it looking its best, take it out of the dryer right after the cycle is completed, and iron quickly, while it's still very slightly damp, before folding and putting away. You might find that your bedding lasts longer if you
hang it out to dry. This is also an environmentally friendly option, and it can
reduce creases, allowing you to
cut down on ironing time. Of course, it all depends on the weather!
Washing Egyptian Cotton Towels and Bathrobes
Egyptian cotton towels and robes should be treated differently from bedsheets. First of all, you might find that your towels and bathrobes feel a bit stiff or harsh straight out of the packaging. It can take several washes to "break them in", giving them that soft, comfy feeling against your skin that you crave. For this reason, it's a good idea to
wash them before using them for the first time. This will kickstart the softening process.
Your towels and robes may also seem slightly larger than life when you first get them. They are made bigger than the "official" dimensions, as we expect them to shrink a little bit when washed for the first time.
Up to 5% shrinkage is expected and accounted for, so don't panic about that! Any further shrinkage can easily be avoided if you follow these sensible tips for taking care of your towels.
Any towelling fabric needs to be treated carefully.
Don't use fabric conditioner in the wash. This can adversely affect absorbency, making it harder for you to dry yourself after a bath or shower. If you really insist on it, use just a
few drops, and even then, it's better to use it only every other wash - or less, if you can stand it.
To keep your towels fluffy, run them through the
tumble dryer. Keep the
heat low, to stop shrinkage from being a problem. Either add
dryer balls or, if you don't have them, throw a couple of
tennis balls into the dryer with your towels or robes. This is a great way of keeping that delicious cosy fluffy texture wash after wash! Never dry clean these products, as it can ruin the texture irreversibly.
