Here’s how to wash beach towels:
- 1. Shake out any loose sand or dirt
- 2. Separate your beach towels from the rest of your laundry
- 3. Add a laundry pod to your washer drum
- 4. Select the “heavy duty” setting on your washer
- 5. Wash in warm water
- 6. Tumble dry on medium heat
Beach towels live hard. Between sunblock smears, sandy naps, salty dips, and chlorine-soaked pool chairs, they pick up a lot more than just memories of a great beach day. They’re basically the unsung heroes of summer—soaked, stomped on, and stuffed in the trunk for days.
But if you want your towels to stay plush, clean, and ready for your next adventure, they need more than a lazy spin cycle.
Washing your beach towels the right way not only keeps them soft and smelling incredible, but also extends their lifespan so you’re not rebuying new ones every season. In this guide, you’ll learn the steps (and a few towel-saving secrets) to help your towels bounce back from even the messiest beach days.
1. Shake Out Any Loose Sand or Dirt
Before you even think about the washing machine, give your towel a good shake. Sand, grass, and all kinds of outdoor debris can linger in towel fibers and wreak havoc in your washer—scratching up the drum and embedding deeper with every cycle.
If the towel’s still damp, let it dry out first; dry sand shakes off way more easily. Bonus move: if you’ve got access to a leaf blower or vacuum with a brush attachment, go to town. Your washer (and your next laundry load) will thank you.
2. Separate Your Beach Towels from the Rest of Your Laundry
Beach towels aren’t just oversized regular towels. They’re heavier, more absorbent, and usually grimier than the rest of your laundry. Mixing them in with your swimsuits, t-shirts, or anything white is a recipe for pilling, snagging, or even dye transfer.
Keep them in their own load and let them stretch out—they need room to tumble properly, not be shoved in like sardines. This helps them wash more thoroughly and dry faster. Think of it as towel VIP treatment.
3. Add a Laundry Detergent Pod to Your Washer Drum
Skip the liquid pour-over and toss a Laundry Sauce pod into the washer drum before you load in the towels. Why? Laundry pods dissolve evenly and get right to work on the grit, grease, and smells that love to linger in beach towels.
Laundry Sauce pods are especially up to the task—each one has a concentrated blend of bio-enzymes that break down all the summer gunk (sunscreen oils, sweat, mysterious beach bar stains) on a molecular level.
Bonus: Our laundry pods are crafted with summer-ready fragrances like Italian Bergamot and Indonesian Patchouli, so your towels won’t just be clean—they’ll smell like they came from a five-star resort.
4. Select the “Heavy Duty” Setting On Your Machine
Choose your machine’s “heavy duty” setting to give them a thorough clean with a longer wash time, stronger agitation, and extra rinses. This setting helps push out all the sunscreen residue, sand particles, and built-up grime that lighter cycles leave behind.
Don’t worry—it’s still gentle enough to protect your towel fibers, but strong enough to get the job done.
5. Wash in Warm Water
Warm water strikes the perfect balance: hot enough to dissolve oils and sanitize, cool enough to avoid shrinking or damaging the towel fibers. Hot water may seem like a shortcut, but it can break down towel loops and lead to rough, scratchy fabric over time.
Unless your towels are white and looking tragic, stick with warm—your beach towels will stay absorbent, soft, and vibrant longer.
6. Tumble Dry on Medium Heat
Cranking the dryer to high might seem like a time-saver, but it’s actually a towel killer. High heat can fry the loops, leaving your towels crispy and rough. Stick to medium heat and let your towels tumble dry thoroughly without scorching them.
Throw in a couple of wool dryer balls if you want extra fluff and faster drying. And always make sure towels are completely dry before storing—damp folds are where mildew throws a party.
Common Questions About Washing Beach and Pool Towels
Still wondering how to keep your towels summer-ready? Let’s answer a few frequently asked questions.
Can You Use Fabric Softener On Beach Towels?
Skip the fabric softener when you wash beach towels—or any towel, for that matter. It coats the towel fibers and reduces their absorbency, making them feel soft but no so great at soaking up water.
Can You Put Beach Towels In the Dryer?
Yes, you can put beach towels in the dryer—but use medium heat. High heat can break down the fibers and leave your towels stiff or misshapen.
Can You Use Dryer Sheets On Beach Towels?
Avoid dryer sheets with beach towels. Like fabric softener, dryer sheets can leave behind residue that reduces their absorbency.
How Can You Soften Beach Towels?
Adding vinegar to the rinse cycle every few washes can help soften beach towels. You can also toss in some dryer balls to fluff them naturally. Just avoid fabric softeners that coat the fibers.
Treat Your Towels Right This Summer with Laundry Sauce
Washing beach towels the right way isn’t just about cleanliness—it’s about performance. Towels that still smell like sunscreen and feel like cardboard aren’t doing you any favors. Treat them right, and they’ll stay soft, absorbent, and fresh all summer long.
