Home Style Decorating

Be it enjoying your bath towel collection or be wrapped in them, you need to choose the best. A collection of soft fluffy towels ensures that your bathroom offers you a spa-like experience at home.

The most well-liked fabric for bath towels is 100% cotton due to its high absorbency property. There are many sources of cotton but it is not necessary in considering what towel to buy. Occasionally, cotton is blended with polyester to minimize shrinkage and damage from daily wear and tear.

An important feature to consider when buying towels is how it feels. Good quality towels are soft, velvety and has a noticeable weight when you pick it up. Inferior towels are less absorbent, lose their shape easily and feels scratchy. Watch for dense stitching, double-folded ends and a solid border. The towels should be perfectly square at the corners when folded because lower quality ones lose their shape after it has gone through several washings.

Towels are described as either terry cotton or velour. Terry cotton is created through a weaving process that loops the fibres on both sides of the fabric. With velour, these loops are cropped to create a smoother texture. Water has a tendency to bead on the fibre, giving the impression that it takes hours to dry. Velour towels are more frequently used for decorative purposes while terry cotton towels are popular as towels for daily use. A latest innovation are microfiber towels which are made from 100% synthetic fabric. They are thin, long wearing and can absorb five time their weight in water. Athletes, fitness buffs and travelers find many uses for these towels because they dry quickly and are very lightweight. The only down side is that these towels do not come in a wide variety of colors.

Well-cared for towels will last longer and offers more comfort. Here are some tips on how to take care of your towels:

• Wash towels in either warm or cold water. Dry them outdoors on the line. If you pop them in the dryer, use the cool or delicate cycle to prevent the decorative strips from shrinking. Stretch the trim after each washing and drying, even if you hang the towels outside to dry.
• Wash dark towels separately; they can lose their color over time. Do the same for thick pile towels for at least the first five or six months to keep them fluffy.
• Don’t use fabric softeners. They contain silicone, which can reduce a towel’s ability to absorb moisture.
• Don’t wipe the sink with your towel. Toothpaste, makeup remover and some first-aid creams can stain or discolour your towels.

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