Summer is quickly approaching, and after a year of staying inside, many people are zooming to the beach to relax and enjoy the outdoors.
However, many of these people probably shared a similar experience of looking into the linen closet and seeing their faded, crunchy beach towels that also haven’t been outside (or laundered) in a year. Gross!
If you identify as one of these people, then you’re in the right place! Whether you are looking for preventative maintenance tips for your new outdoor gear or trying to refresh your old beach blankets, we’ve got you covered on washing tips.
Is There Something On My Towel?
Your used beach towel might be dirtier than you think.
Beach blankets are a perfect harboring ground for products, bacteria, and environmental factors. These things mingle on your towel during your day at the beach, and if not properly laundered after, soak into the fibers and make for a truly terrifying smell and texture.
It is important to follow a cleaning regimen after using your beach towel, so we’ve created a 5 step process you can use on your outdoor gear. We’ll discuss each of these steps in the next sections.
How to Wash Your Beach Towel: The 5 Steps
The five steps you need to remember when washing your beach towel are as followed: Shake, Read, Treat, Load, Dry (or SRTLD if you happen to have a brilliant idea for the acronym). Let’s explain each one further:
1. Shake it Out
The most important thing to do before laundering your travel towel is to shake it out.
(We mean your towel, but if you want to add a dance party to laundry day, be our guest!)
When introduced into a washing machine, Sand can clog the machine’s filter, which leads to broken water pumps and leaks. This is probably not something you’d look forward to after a long day in the sun…
If your towel is wet when you are ready to launder it, you will want to hang it to dry before this process, as sand tends to cling to the wet parts of the towel.
Once your towel is dry enough, shake it out!
Useful tip: check which way the wind is blowing before you shake out your towel to avoid sending a sand storm to your beach neighbor.
Give your towel a good shake, and if you still have sand, hit it against a hard surface like a chair or the ground.
Once you feel as though your towel is completely free of sand, it’s time to move on to the next step.
2. Read the Care Instructions
As with any garment, you want to read the care instructions on the tag to make sure you do not damage it. Beach towels are most frequently made with cotton or synthetic microfibers, but both fabrics have different care instructions.
The care instructions will also specify what temperature water you should wash your beach towel in. If you plan to wash in warm/hot temperature water, make sure you sort your loads into lights/darks to avoid dye transfer.
3. Treat Any Stains
Beach towels are often in contact with body products such as sunscreen, lotion, and self-tanner. These products, when mixed with water and sweat, can leave stains on your towel.
If you have a stain on your beach blanket, start by running it under cold water and dabbing the stain with a cloth. This will remove the excess product.
To pretreat the stain, pour a small amount of either laundry detergent or dish soap on the stain (make sure the shirt is wet first, though.) Then, rub the fabric gently together to loosen the stain and spread the detergent. Let this sit for 15-20 minutes.
4. Load The Washer
Once you have treated your stain, it’s time to load.
You’ll want to make sure that you load the washer with enough free space for the towel to move through the water freely, so don’t overfill!
Beach towels can be heavy, especially when they are wet, so you want to wash them in smaller loads to avoid washing machine issues.
Useful tip: Avoid adding fabric softener, as it can leave a layer on your towel and make it less absorbent.
Once you’ve loaded your towel and added detergent, it’s time to wash!
5. Dry Your Beach Towel
After your towel makes it through a full wash cycle, it’s time to dry.
Once again, check your towel’s care instructions – whether your towel should be air-dried or if it can be dried in a dryer.
It is essential to check your towel for stains before drying in a dryer, as the heat from the dryer can set in the stains. If you’ve checked your towel and are stain-free, put your towel in the dryer at a heat matching the care instructions listed on the. e tag, or hang your towel up to air dry.
After drying, your beach towel should be good as new!
Start Your Summer With A Fresh Beach Towel
So now you’ve learned how to take care of your beach towel, but what if you’re looking for a new one?
We’ve got you covered there too.
Our beach blankets have it all: waterproof, sand-proof, puncture-resistant, and small enough to fit in your hand when folded up into the carrying case so that you can take it anywhere.
Looking for something more absorbent? Don’t worry; we also carry quick-dry microfiber towels. These also come with a carrying case so you can travel with less weight in your beach bag.
Now grab your beach essentials and go outside! It’s beautiful out there.
