All the Secrets about Hotel Towels - Soft & Fluffy

All the Secrets about Hotel Towels - Soft & Fluffy

Have you noticed how hotels have the softest bath towels ever? Do you ever feel tempted to steal one of them, just so that you can have a piece of that comfort in your home? Just like me, I am sure a few of you have thought the same way. And why won’t we? High-quality towels can all the difference after a warm relaxing shower.

Here is a chicky list of what you can and can’t steal from your hotel room...

So how do hotels keep their towels so soft? Why do our towels deteriorate fast and lose all their fluffiness? What does their management exactly do to offer us soft plush towels every single time? Well, luckily for you, we have revealed all the secrets about hotel towels in the following article. Before we keep rambling on, let’s take a deeper look into hotel towels.

Table of Index

japanese bath towels

 

How Do Hotels Keep Towels So White?

Most hotels tend to stick to white standard towels to match their interior design. But the big question is, how do they keep them so white? Different hotels have different tricks to keep their towels from going gray. While some may focus on using special detergents, others invest in their washing machines.

According to one hotel management, they first treat all stains on the laundry. Then, they toss them in a big pot full of a mixture of baking soda, laundry detergent or soap, and cold water. The towels are then boiled for around half an hour, wrung out, and thrown into the laundry machine.

Some hotels prefer using new technology like Sonic Soak to keep their clothes white. This mini washing machine emits high-frequency ultrasonic waves to break down stains, dirt, and remove germs at a microscopic level. Coming to the best part, they are small and time-efficient.

Fact 1 - How Do Hotels Keep Their Towels Soft?

I am sure you have asked this question to yourself, just like I have. Do they change their towels regularly? Why can’t we achieve this level of coziness at home? It can be quite frustrating when you splurge on the softest bath towel, and they end up losing their fluffiness after a few washes.

To help you out, we have listed down a few hotel tricks on keeping their towels soft in the following section. 

  • Detergent

When it comes to detergents, practice the rule of less is more. If you use less detergent with your towels, it will be much easier to get rid of the soap from the fibers. Towels tend to build up soapy residues and, thus, get stiff over time and lose their absorbency.

Apart from this, it is better to use mild detergents with normal pH. Hard detergents can damage your expensive fiber, making them fall apart and lose their softness.

  • Fabric Softener

Even though you might be sold with the word softener, these chemicals are a no-go for your towels. They might make your luxury hand towels soft for a little time, but over time, they build up a layer of chemicals on top of the fibers. This greatly decreases the absorbency of your luxury hand towel.

Instead of using these harsh chemicals, opt for natural solutions like using vinegar to wash your towels. Not only will they make your towels fluffy, but they will remove all sorts of smells and stains from them.

  • Washing Regularly

Damp towels are a beacon for mildews and germs. Along with absorbing water, they take up odors, dead cells, and even soap from your body. Therefore, you need to be diligent when it comes to maintaining hygiene. Never wait for your towel to start smelling or going gray before you pop them in for a quick wash.

Fortunately, the smart Mizu towels have realized the importance of hygiene and added color-changing strips. These alert you whenever your towels need a wash.

  • Drying

There are two aspects that you need to be careful of while drying your towels. You cannot either under-dry or over-dry. The former aids germs and mildew in settling in the fibers while the latter damages the fiber. Thus, hotels take out the towels from the drier before they can dry completely and hang them on a drying line. 

  • Baking Soda

Add half a cup of this natural ingredient to your regular laundry can make a huge difference. Baking soda helps to soften up the fibers and remove stains easily. Along with this, it is quite helpful in removing musty odors from your towels. In this way, it helps to maintain the softness of your towels for a long time.

bacteria detecting towels

 

Fact 2 - What detergent do hotels use?

Hotel towels need a laundry detergent that fights stains the first time through. Many hotels choose to use HTD Heavy Duty Detergent. This powdered formula, which contains phosphates, fights the toughest stains quickly and effortlessly. Some of the best HTD laundry detergent brands that we recommend to use in 2021 are: 

  • Persil ProClean.
  • Tide Original.
  • Persil ProClean Sensitive Skin.
  • Tide Purclean.
  • Kirkland UltraClean.
  • Gain Original.
  • Purex.
  • Arm & Hammer CleanBurst.

 

What Kind Of Towels Do Hotels Use?

You might have observed how almost every hotel provides the same standard towel in every room. They are big, fluffy, soft, and white. Does this mean that every hotel buys their towels from the same company?

Is there some secret brand that provides towels to just hotels?

Well, the answer is no. All of them might look quite similar, but they are constructed differently.

When it comes to towels, you need to look at a lot of different factors. This includes the material, the GSM, and even the towel weight. Five-star hotels offer only the best combination of such factors to give you the softest bath towels ever. Without further due, let’s see which towels are preferred by hotels.

  • GSM

Coming to towel rating, we use GSM or grams per square meter value. High-quality towels have high GSM value, while subpar ones have a low rating. Hence, if your towel is not made from high-quality materials, the method of washing or using softeners will not affect the fluffiness of the towel.

So what is a good GSM rating? Well, if your towels have a 400-600 GSM, they tend to be more durable, softer, and even heavier. Moreover, they are highly absorbent to help you dry up as soon as you use the towel. In contrast, towels with 200-300 GSM are low-quality. Since they have a low density and are lighter, they can be packed easily for the gym or the beach.

Hotels require the highest quality towels to offer the best experience to their guests. Besides this, they need ones that can withstand multiple washes, do not deteriorate, and remain cozy for a long time. This is why they prefer to choose towels with a high GSM rating, like Mizu Towels

  • Material

The fabric of the towel can make quite a difference in its quality. Bear in mind that hotels look for only the best materials for their high-quality towels. Not only does it affect the absorbency, but it also adds softness and durability to the towel. Among a large variety of materials, we have found that hotels prefer using 100% cotton over any other.

Although bamboo, polyester, and microfiber towels are quite popular in the market, cotton has always reigned the king of fabrics. It is extremely strong, durable, and offers higher absorbency than other materials.

Besides all this, you should also know that there are types of cotton. High-end hotels prefer to use Egyptian cotton, which is softer, fluffier, and cozier than regular cotton. Such that, even Mizu Towels use this fabric to make their luxury towels. Although it is lighter than Egyptian cotton, some hotels also use Turkish cotton in their towels. 

  • Size and Weight

The more luxurious your hotel is, the greater the number of towels you will find there. So if you end up staying a few nights at a high-end hotel, you will be provided with a collection of towels. This includes washcloths, hand towels, bath towels, and even large bathrobes. All of them are made from the softest and coziest materials to give you the best experience.

Next, hotels consider the weight of the towel. If two towels have the same size, they are going to prefer the heavy one over the other. But what are the benefits of a heavier towel anyway? Well, to put it simply, they feel more luxurious and softer to guests. Also, denser towels absorb more water than light-weight towels.

Some towels might even weigh 20 pounds, isn’t that crazy?

Also read: How to Make a Towel Soft Again After Heavy Use?

Fact 3 - How Do Hotels Wash Towels?

Hotels need to wash a massive number of towels regularly. Hence, they have to follow a strict regime to optimize the towel’s quality along with being economical.

To begin with, these establishments flush their towels with water before adding any chemicals. Secondly, they make sure not to overfill or under-fill the laundry machine with towels. This allows you to clean the towels without affecting their fibers. Next, they only use warm water to wash their high-quality towels. While cold water cannot kill bacteria, hot water deteriorates the towel at a faster rate. 

It might seem unnecessary, but selecting the right laundry settings does affect the cleanliness of your towels. Thus, keep an eye out for the timing and strength of your wash. Apart from this, hotels only use mild detergents to protect the fibers of the towel and skip the fabric softeners to maintain absorbency.

To finish it off, towels are dried as soon as they are washed, and the laundry machines are washed regularly to maintain hygiene.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, hotels keep the softest bath towels to attract more customers and provide the best experience for their guests. With years of experience, they have learned how to be economical as well as use different techniques to keep their towels soft for a long time.

Hopefully, this article has delved deeply into the secrets of hotel’s high-quality towels. Just follow all the tips, and you might be successful in achieving the same coziness right at home.

You may also like: What Makes Sheets Soft? Incredible Facts Behind the Softest Sheets

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