Dial-a-Maid
Bath towels are most often made of cotton.There are several different types of cotton fibers, says a 40+ year old Residential Cleaning Service in Evanston, Il. Cottons with a long staple ( which describes the length of each individual fiber) are softer than cottons with a short staple, according to Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. She mentions the following:
* American Upland, are terry-cloth towels which have short, sturdy fibers.
* Egyptian cotton has the longest staple length, producing fine, lustrous towels. It is renowned for its durability and absorbency as well as for generating less lint than other types.
* Pima cotton, which is named after the Pima Indians who helped develop the cotton, is the best-quality cotton of those commonly grown in America. This extra long staple cotton provides a lustrous, strong, and firm fiber. Supima is a trademark that appears on products made entirely from pima cotton.
* Sea Island is considered the finest of all cottons. It's a rare silky, white, extralong staple grown exclusively in the West Indies and the islands of the Carolinas and the Georgia coast.
* Organic cotton is grown without the use of commercial pesticides, insecticides, and defoliants, on land that is certified to be free of chemicals.
* Bamboo is gaining popularity as a towel fiber. It is a fast-growing alternative crop to cotton that doesn't require synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.The towels created from bamboo fibers are highly absorbent, naturally antibacterial, very soft, and quick drying.
* Linen Towels are made from the fibers of the flax plant, are smooth, strong, and are used as hand and guest towels. Like cotton, linen becomes stronger when wet.
When washing your white towels, to keep them white and prevent stains,use oxygen bleach, which is a lot gentler than chlorine bleach. Do not use fabric softener, which can reduce absorbency. Dry your towels on medium rather than high heat and remove them while still slightly damp. Over drying linens can weaken the fibers,says a 40+ year old Residential Cleaning Service in Evanston, Il.
