How to Make Turkish Towels As Absorbent As Possible

You've seen them everywhere. Modern hotels. Home decor magazines. Instagram. You love the way they look and are drawn to their minimalist design. But that question keeps burning. 

Are Turkish towels actually absorbent? 

Here's the thing - they're not... at first. But, don't get scared. I have a secret to share with you.

Want to know the secret to making Turkish towels super absorbent?

There are a few simple steps you can follow to properly care for your towels. The following steps will demystify Turkish towels and get you using them correctly from the start. 

 

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How to Make Turkish Towels as Absorbent as Possible

 

So let's start with basic Turkish towel care.

First, you need a Turkish towel. If you've never tried them before, start with a Perfect Classic. It's the, you guessed it, classic/original style towel. The Perfect Classic is our #1 selling towel and customers agree it's super absorbent.

 

Once you have your towel it's time to make it thirsty!

Pre-Wash/Soak

It's imperative to wash a Turkish towel before using. If you don't, you will be left with a stiff, un-absorbent towel that leaves your body feeling like you dried off with an old t-shirt. Not a feeling of bliss. 

Why do you need to wash a Turkish towel before you use it?

Turkish cotton has extra long fibers. In order to get those fibers to open up, they need to be exposed to water. Once the fibers are loose and open they're ready to soak up water off your bod.  

Extra credit: If you really want to get those fibers thirsty, soak the towels overnight in cool water. This is a one time step that fast-tracks your towel to maximum absorption.

Hang to dry or tumble dry on low.

If you're used to using a heavy-duty setting and blasting your towels with bleach and fabric softeners, hold your horses. Turkish towels need a delicate touch. You can machine wash and dry your towels, but use care. Turn your washer's setting to gentle and add just tiny bit of detergent.

Too much soap can make any cotton based fabric feel stiff and scratchy. Once your towels are done being pampered in a delicate wash, air dry or tumble dry on low. High heat will make the cotton fibers angry. Avoid high heat at all cost. Turkish towels are durable but they do desire a little TLC when it comes to laundering.

Do

• Wash before using
• Use a gentle setting Use detergent sparingly
• Air dry when possible

Don't

• Use before washing
• Expose your towel to bleach, fabric softeners or high heat 

Uses

Whew, did you make it this far? If so, you're ready to use your freshly-prepped towels. And you're in for a treat. Because Turkish towels are oh-so useful. The basic use is as a bath towel. The first time you step out of the shower and grab your towel to dry off, you'll be glad you took the time to prep it and make it absorbent.

When you're not using your towel, hang it on a hook or bar, or drape it over ladder rungs in your bathroom. They're too pretty to hide in a closet. But, if you do want to tuck it away, your towel will fold up flat to take up only a tiny bit of precious linen closet real-estate. 

Then you can move on to packing it for the beach or pool. They dry quickly, so you can dry off after a refreshing dip in the water and in no time flat you'll have a dry towel to sit or lay on. Plus, you won't have to pack a wet towel in your tote bag when you're ready to head home.

 

Another beach use, cover-up any insecurities by wrapping it high as a dress or sling it low around your hips for a skirt. The lightweight fabric will feel cool and protected from the hot sun's rays.

 

Traveling? It can be a scarf as you navigate the airport, then use it as a light blanket on the plane. The old terry cloth towels can't do that!

And once you get the hang of these ways, dive deeper into your Turkish towel obsession with Seven Clever Ways to Use a Turkish Towel. But slow down, all these uses have your Turkish towel needing a little extra care. 

Uh-oh, you've got a loose fringe.

It happens, fringes can come loose on your towel. Saltwater, sun, machine washing and just general uses can take a toll on the fringes. But don't fret the small stuff, because this is an easy fix. 

 

The Oh-So Simple Three Part Process for Fixing Un-Tied Fringes

 

1. Separate the fringe into two equal parts
2. Twist each section, separately, in a clockwise direction 
3. Twist both sections together, knot at the end

 

If you'd like a more in depth tutorial click to read more ----> 

You can avoid un-tied fringes by checking the fringes before or after you wash them. If you see one that's starting to loosen, just give it a tug to tighten the knot. Do an overall check of the fringes once in a while. It will take you no longer than 60 seconds to tighten each knot.

Gentle washing and air dry help alleviate un-tied fringes. A little intentional care is worth the reward.

You made it!

You're a Turkish towel maven. You've perfectly prepped your towel for maximum absorption. You've used and washed your towel. You've styled your bathroom with your new towels, and you survived, fixed and avoided un-tied fringes. See, it wasn't too scary.

The payoff - with proper prep and care your towel will get softer and more absorbent with use. Make sure you're avoiding bleach, and fabric softeners/dryer sheets. These will destroy and gunk up the fibers, making them less absorbent. 

Don't stop now. You're ready for this ----> 27 Practical Ways to Use a Turkish Towel