Gross Hand Towels

I use plain liquid Tide with a "scoop (included with product) of Oxi Clean in hot water. Not only my towels but white cotton panties come sparkling clean. I use these two products on the rest of my wash but in cold or warm water as the tags indicate. If you have food spots etc, use Shout first, then wash as directed. Lots of luck.

ps: do not use bleach with these two products.

P.

Well, you could try Resolve. That has taken out some pretty tough stains in my house. Just soak the towels overnight and then repeat as necessary. Usually, it takes two soakings. Also, consider buying some hand towels just for company. You could throw the dirty ones in the cabinet when they are coming over; and put out the company ones. When the company leaves; replace with dirty. Good luck!!

I am a believer in BIZ! If ever I cannot get a stain out then I soak in BIZ for a week. Keeps my husbands white socks white even tho he keeps walking around in his socks & getting them dirty over & over. UUHHHGGG!

For whites try putting a half cup of peroxide in the wash or you can try som Rit whitening.

I have the same problem with the hand towel in my son's bathroom. I started using OxiClean in the towel wash to help really get the dirt out.

-L.

I feel your pain. This is what I have done because the kids NEVER end up wiping just CLEAN, WASHED hands on the towels - I have about 7 in the bathroom all folded except for the one on the rack. I switch them out at least once a day and sometimes twice. I am lucky that my washing machine is close!

do you have clay soil? Clay is the hardest to get out. I kept the stained towels out for the kids and put out nice towels when we have company. Try soaking them in different solutions before washing (soap, borax, soap & borax etc...) and then just a quick wash.

Try soaking in the smallest load possible with a cup of Oxy Clean and a cup of your regular detergent(no bleach). Soak overnight and then fill washer to highest water level and wash. You can fill the load with other clothes so as not to waste water. Oxy Clean has taken even old baby stains out for me. Good lick!

There are two things that come to mind, both of which are old fashioned rememdies. The first is the Borax 40 mule team powder. (It is also great to use if a child wets the bed). The other is called bluing. It is a liquid and is in a small dark blue bottle. Read the directions first because I can tell from experience just because a little is good- alot isn't better. Too much will actually give the towels a blue color, but the right amount works wonders!!!!!

Good Luck!

Part of it could be the type water you have. Also some dirt has more staining properties than others, I don't know what part of the country you live in, or if the kids play in it. Old fasioned lava soap gets the dirt off better, if your family would wash their hands in it. Also maybe soaking your towels in borax for 10 min. or so before you run then through the wash may help.

I no longer have to deal with the stain issue since I followed the recommendation of a friend who is a nurse and switched to paper towels. Cloth towels retain germs unless you wash them after one use. With all the emphasis on hand cleanliness to prevent illness this is a good solution and has worked great at my house. I have a container in which I place fancier good quality soft paper towels when having company so every person has a fresh towel on which to dry their hands.

I have a friend who has a basket of white wash clothes in her bathroom for people to use after they wash their hands. Everyone gets their own little towel. Then she just bleaches them all when she washes. Since each wash cloth is only used once, it doesn't get dirty very quickly. If your kids are old enough, they could be responsible for rolling or folding the clothes after you wash them and put them in the basket.

Hello K.,

Have you tried printed towels? I once found some zebra printed hand towels. I also use kitchen towels in the bathroom. they're easier to handle and easier to replace. I've gotten some even at the dollar store. Also, some towels say not to use chlorine bleach. I've also noticed that the quality of the towel makes a difference on how 'clean' it looks. I change the hand towels every day and sometimes more than once/day. Good luck! ~C.~

Mine are gross too! But I have a set that is nice for when company comes by. They are decorative or festive. That way the family can tell the difference between the ones they are allowed to use and the ones that they aren't. I keep the good ones out of site. I also use white ones that can be bleached but that doesn't get out every stain. Then I decided to go to a darker color so you couldn't see the stains, LOL. I also do the towels on my steam cycle in my front loader washer so I don't have to use bleach. That helped solve my problem. The hygeine issue still is something we address everyday also. If that much dirt is coming off your hands after you have "WASHED" then you aren't really clean are you. Because nothing should come off after you have washed.
Good luck on this battle,
L.

Hi K.!

The SAME EXACT THING happened to me many times! Our guest hand towels in the guest bathroom always looked dirty, right out of the dryer! I always used white or off white towels. I could never understand it until recently. I'm not positive, but my theory is this - the guest hand towels get used so much, that everyone is drying off their hands so much on the hand towels, and a lot of time, they are drying their hands on the same section of the towel, causing "wear and tear" so to speak (although the towel isn't tearing, just getting dirty from all of the constant use). It's not because peoples' hands are literally dirty, but the hands are rubbing on the towels in the same spot, causing it to look dirty. That is my theory. So, I stopped buying light colored towels. For many months, I have had the same hand towel in my guest bathroom, and it is BROWN, and it has worked! It still looks good! michelle

Hi K.,
Someone may have already suggested this, but how about darker colored hand towels?

Get yourself a clothes line, on the next sunny day wash them and hang them on the clothes line. The sun is a natural stain remover will take out the stains. Also you will have some wonderful smelling towels, and saved some electricity or gas.

I switched to kitchen towels too...because you could buy and 3 - 5 pack for much cheaper and then can switch them out more often. When we have a party or guests I buy the printed ones...besides the ideas of 20 people sharing a towel is a little gross to me.

Let your whites set all night; in the bleach.
Maybe this will help
MK

Get a nice paper towel holder and use paper towels.

Not quite as green but would eliminate your issue. You could always get dark brown or black as well.

it may be the water in the area where you live, is it hard or soft? also, change the temperature you're washing them in from hot to cold or warm. the reason is that hot water sets the stain and causes the dirt to set in too!! (i read this in an heloise helpful hints email years ago.) i was always taught whites and towels need to be washed in hot water but when i tried heloise's hint i was amazed at the results!!! you're already bleaching them so germs are taken care of. as for the laundry detergent i use melaleuca's mela-power & mela-brite color safe brightener...it has no sulfates or phosphates and it's natural and eco friendly...wonderful stuff!!!
hth...have a blessed life!!

I have had the same problem, especially right now w/all of the rain and mud around.
We use about a 1/4 cup of SimpleGreen and the stains come right out!
Our white socks are as bright as they were when we first bought them. My friend complimented me on a pair of socks I had to borrow from her son that they came back brighter then she loaned them.
I think you will be happy.
SimpleGreen is a biodegradable and non-toxic All-Purpose Cleaner.
Good Luck!

Have you tried blueing for the wash.

I would keep 2 for guests only - maybe find some with embroidery or something to signify to the kids that they are not to be used every day. Then, have you tried soaking them for about 24 hrs in Oxy Clean or Borax in a bucket or soaking sink? I've removed deodorant stains from white t-shirts by doing that and washing them in hot hot water. You can also try letting them dry in the sun. Chlorine bleach can actually cause yellowing of white fabrics and breakdown of the fibers so that may be why they don't seem to bleach white anymore.

We have the same problem. I have abought 2 towels (from WalMart)to match the guest bathroom for guests only. I keep them in my bathroom closet until guests arrive. We have many hand towels for both bathrooms that we use for everyday purposes. I have finally got my children to sing their abc's twice and wash away all the germs (bubbles) and that has helped tremoundously!