Should you wash towels in hot or warm water?

Hot water (around 130 to 140°F) is best for white towels, heavily soiled towels, and anytime you want to control bacteria and odor, because heat kills more germs and dissolves body oils that build up in the fibers. Warm water (about 90 to 105°F) is a good everyday choice for colored towels and lighter use — it cleans well while being gentler on dye and fibers. Cold water saves energy and protects color but is the least effective at removing oils and odor, so it is not ideal as the default for towels.

What temperature kills bacteria in towels?

Higher temperatures kill more bacteria, and washing at around 130 to 140°F is the commonly cited range for effective sanitizing of laundry. Some machines have a sanitize cycle that runs even hotter. For most household towels, hot water plus thorough drying handles ordinary bacteria and the odor they cause. If someone in the home is sick or the towels are used on cuts or by someone with a skin infection, a hot wash and a full hot-dryer cycle is the more cautious choice, and a laundry sanitizer can be added.

Why do my towels smell even after washing?

The usual culprits are washing too cool to remove body oils, using too much detergent or fabric softener (which coats fibers and traps odor), overloading the machine, and leaving damp towels in the washer. The fix is a hot wash, the correct amount of detergent, and prompt, complete drying. To reset already-smelly towels, wash them hot with a cup of white vinegar and no detergent, then a second hot wash with a half cup of baking soda, and dry fully. Skip fabric softener on towels.

Does fabric softener ruin towels?

It reduces absorbency over time. Fabric softener and dryer sheets leave a waxy coating on cotton fibers that makes towels feel plush at first but repel water and trap odor with repeated use. For towels, skip liquid softener; if you want softness, add a half cup of white vinegar to the rinse instead, which removes detergent residue and keeps fibers open and absorbent. Drying towels fully on a normal heat setting, and giving them a shake before drying, also keeps them fluffy without softener.

How often should you wash bath towels?

Wash bath towels after about every three to four uses, and more often if they do not dry fully between uses or if someone is ill. A damp towel is a breeding ground for bacteria and mildew, so hanging towels spread out to dry completely between uses is as important as the wash schedule. Kitchen towels and washcloths, which get wetter and dirtier, should be washed more frequently — every day or two. Gym and heavily sweated towels are best washed after each use.

What Temperature Should You Wash Towels At?

Written & researched by Derek Holt Home & Appliances Editor

Updated October 2026

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Wash towels in warm to hot water — around 130 to 140°F for white and heavily used towels, and warm water near 90 to 105°F for colored or lightly used ones. Heat matters for towels more than for most laundry because they collect body oils, dead skin and moisture that harbor odor-causing bacteria, and hot water dissolves those oils and kills more germs than warm or cold. Cold water saves energy and protects color but is the least effective at keeping towels fresh, so it is not the best default. Always check the care label, since hot water can fade some colors.

We never buy, test or physically handle the products we rank; recommendations come from aggregated owner reviews and expert consensus, described in how we rank. More at the cleaning and laundry hub.

Which temperature for which towels?

The right setting is a balance between cleaning power and protecting the fabric. Hotter cleans and sanitizes better; cooler protects color and saves energy. Match the temperature to the towel:

Towels	Water temperature	Why
White / heavily used	Hot, ~130 to 140°F	Removes oils, controls bacteria and odor
Colored / everyday	Warm, ~90 to 105°F	Cleans well, gentler on dye and fibers
Delicate or dark colors	Warm to cool	Prevents fading
After illness	Hot + full dry	Sanitizing

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Why does temperature matter for towels?

Because towels are the laundry item most likely to smell, and heat is what stops it. Towels stay damp, absorb body oils and skin cells, and are reused several times, which makes them a favorable home for the bacteria that cause that sour, musty odor. Washing around 130 to 140°F dissolves the oils that cold water leaves behind and kills more of the bacteria feeding on them. This is why a towel washed cold can come out smelling worse than before — the water was not hot enough to remove what is causing the smell. Thorough drying afterward finishes the job.

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Why you should skip fabric softener

Fabric softener works against towels even though it makes them feel plush at first. It leaves a waxy coating on cotton fibers that repels water — the opposite of what a towel is for — and traps odor with repeated washes, so towels become both less absorbent and smellier over time. For softness without the coating, add about a half cup of white vinegar to the rinse instead: it strips detergent residue and keeps the fibers open and thirsty. Drying towels fully on normal heat, with a shake beforehand, restores fluffiness without any additive.

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How do you fix already-smelly towels?

If towels have gone sour, a two-step hot reset usually revives them. First wash them hot with about a cup of white vinegar and no detergent; then run a second hot wash with a half cup of baking soda. Dry them completely afterward, since leftover dampness restarts the smell. Going forward, wash hot, use the correct detergent amount rather than overdosing, don't overload the machine, and never leave wet towels sitting in the washer. A clean machine helps too — see how often to clean a washing machine.

Temperature is one lever; drying and machine hygiene are the others. See how often to clean a dryer vent for drying performance, how often to wash bed sheets for a related schedule, and our best laundry detergent roundup for what to wash with. More in the cleaning and laundry hub.