Tea Towel not absorbing?Updated 9 days ago

A Tea Towel loses absorbency if it has been washed with fabric softener or dried on high heat. Both coat or damage the fibres so water sits on the surface instead of being drawn in. Rewash the towel without softener, or strip the residue with a hot water and vinegar rinse: run a wash with a cup of white vinegar and no detergent, then a normal wash with detergent. Line dry afterwards.

Residue from detergent, fabric softener or conditioner reduces how well the towel polishes and leaves streaks on glass. Wash the towel with plain hot water or a mild detergent and make sure it is rinsed thoroughly. Also check you are using the diamond weave, dry, for polishing, since the waffle weave is built for absorbency rather than a streak-free finish.

Shedding and snagging usually come from the wash load. Avoid washing Tea Towels with lint-producing items like cotton, use a gentle cycle, and keep zips or hook-and-loop fasteners out of the load, since they catch the towel surface. Trim any loose threads rather than pulling them, because pulling makes the snag worse.

If a towel still will not absorb after a vinegar strip, feels permanently stiff or matted, or is fraying badly, it has reached the end of its useful life and should be replaced. Repurpose it as a cleaning rag rather than putting it in the recycling bin, since it is not kerbside recyclable.

Tea Towels 2pk

Waffle for drying, diamond for polishing. 410 GSM, 60 by 40 cm, reinforced stitching for daily use.

Sensitive Laundry Liquid

Softener-free, so it will not coat the fibres in the first place. Also available as Sensitive Laundry Sheets.