Why Choose a Bleach Safe Towel?

Created: Wednesday, 20 April 2016 09:56

That's why it's important to find high quality towels that can withstand tough washing and stain removal practices. Towels are used in a variety of ways at these establishments and they can become stained fairly easily. Whether your towels have discolorations from cleaning up spills, stains from hair products or just lingering germs from sweaty clients, all of these imperfections need to be completely removed from your towels before you'll even consider reusing them. The best and easiest solution is washing your towels with bleach.

Bleach is awesome at disinfecting and stain removal, but it can wreak havoc on certain materials and colors if they aren't made to withstand it. You need to look for towels that are labeled "bleach safe" or "bleach resistant" if you know you'll be washing your towels with bleach. Bleach resistant salon towels can be found in a variety of colors and sizes so you can match the décor of your establishment. And due to the longevity that comes from careful washing, buying bleach resistant towels at wholesale prices will save you money in the long run!

Why Are Bleach Safe Towels Better?

If you're currently not using bleach resistant towels and you're wondering why to make the switch, here are a few reasons that bleach safe towels may right be for you:

• Towels stay looking nice – No client wants to walk in to a nice salon and be handed a towel that has unsightly dirt, dye or other stains on it. That's why it's important to thoroughly clean your towels with bleach to ensure they're always looking their best. If your towels are not bleach safe, then even the bleach you're using to remove these stains can end up further staining your towels!

• Variety of colors – No longer do bleach resistant salon towels have to come in only white! There are so many bleach resistant towel colors to choose from, so you can color-coordinate with the décor of your business. Bleach safe colored towels are made from 100% cotton and use a special dye that is non-reactive to bleach, making them perfect for salons, spas, restaurants and many other businesses that use and wash towels day after day!
• Ease of washing – Washing bleach resistant towels is super easy! Because of their bleach safe technology, you can throw multiple colors together in the same wash load. No longer will you have to separate whites, lights and darks. By using bleach safe towels, you can simply throw them all together in the same laundry load, add your detergent and bleach, and you're all set! You'll save a lot of time and hopefully a little bit of sanity by not having to always remember which towels you can use bleach with and which towels you can't.
• Many sizes to choose from – There are many different sizes available when choosing bleach resistant towels, so you can use them for a variety of functions. For instance, you could use a large bleach safe towel to wrap a client's hair after using hair dye without fear of the dye permanently staining the towel. Or you could offer bleach resistant washcloths to gym-goers and have peace of mind that you can safely remove all germs by washing them with bleach before putting them back in circulation. Whatever the function your business needs to fulfill, bleach safe towels are available to help you do it.
• Long-lasting – Bleach resistant towels may be a little more expensive than regular towels, but the investment is well worth it! These towels are made from high-quality 100% cotton so they are sure to last a lot longer than the average towel. Look for bleach safe towels with lock stitch hemming so you know they will be extra durable to withstand the wear and tear of hard washing and heavy sanitizing each day.
• Keep costs down – Because these towels are long lasting, you'll end up throwing away towels less often than you would with ordinary towels. Bleach safe towels are much better at resisting unsightly stains or damage, even with heavy-duty washing every day. And the best part is that by purchasing bulk bleach resistant towels at wholesale prices, you will get a large quantity of towels that will save even more money!

What Is the Difference Between Colorfast, Non-colorfast and Bleach Safe?

The term colorfast — a common one on label wash instructions — means that the dye used in the fabric is resistant to removal. Non-colorfast means that the dye used in the fabric can be easily removed, whether it be from coming in contact with water in the washing machine or even rubbing off onto other fabrics.

Knowing whether the towels you have are colorfast or non-colorfast is especially important when laundering different fabric colors together. If a fabric is non-colorfast and is washed with other colors, then the dye from that fabric will bleed onto the other fabrics, causing discoloration on lighter fabrics.

There are a number of things that can contribute to non-colorfast fabrics losing their color, including:

• Laundry detergent, stain removers and bleach.
• Water temperature used to wash the fabric.
• Type of fibers in the fabric.
• Excessive sunlight or heat.
• Dry cleaning solvents.

While colorfast fabrics are certainly a step up from non-colorfast fabrics, bleach safe fabrics take colorfastness to the next level. Some colorfast fabrics may not be safe to use with bleach, but bleach safe towels have been tested using chlorine bleach and don't stain or fade when washed. If your towel is not specifically labeled as bleach safe, then you will want to test a section of your towel with a diluted bleach solution before adding bleach to your entire wash load. Otherwise, you risk ruining the entire load of towels for good.

To test for bleach resistance, create a small amount of diluted bleach solution by mixing together 1 tablespoon of bleach with ¼ cup of water. Dab a small drop of bleach solution on an inconspicuous area of the towel and wait for 1 minute. Then, dab the area with a white paper towel to check if any of the towel color rubs off onto the paper towel. Also double check the area surrounding the spot you dabbed with the bleach solution to make sure the fabric is the same color as the surrounding area. If both of these tests come out clean, then your towel is bleach safe!

What Are the Benefits to Washing Towels With Bleach?

There are many benefits to washing towels with bleach. Here are a few top reasons why salons, spas and other businesses should consider adding bleach to their wash cycle when cleaning their towels:

• Heavy-duty sanitization – Towels are used for a number of different reasons in professional establishments and can often be handled by a large number of people. It's extremely important that all germs, bacteria and chemicals be stripped from each towel before it's reused. Bleach is a highly effective disinfectant and will kill most germs that may linger on unwashed towels. By adding bleach to your towel wash cycle, you will have peace of mind that the towels you're giving your clients are germ-free!

• Remove tough stains – Things like makeup, hair products, dirt and dyes are commonly found on towels at salons and spas. And these things can all potentially leave unwanted stains or discoloration on your towels if not cleaned properly. These stains will likely not come out by washing with detergent alone. Bleach penetrates deep into towels to remove any unwanted stains or colors, and returns them back to their original color and condition.
• Keep whites white – If you offer white towels at your salon or spa, you know that over time they can start to look dull and dingy. Yellowing or greying of white towels can happen naturally because of all the dirt and grime that accumulates on them. Laundry detergent alone may not be strong enough to keep towels looking their whitest, and that is when it's time to reach for the bleach! By using bleach in your wash cycle, you will help keep your whites looking crisp and bright.

How Do I Use Bleach in the Wash Cycle?

Using bleach may seem easy enough. You just open the bottle and pour a little in, right? Well, there may actually be a few more steps to ensure your towels always come out looking good as new. Consider following these simple tips when using bleach in your wash cycle:

• Make sure fabrics are bleach safe – If your colored towels are not labeled bleach safe, you may end up ruining the appearance of your towels permanently by adding bleach to the wash cycle. You also need to pay attention to the type of fabric you're looking to wash with bleach because there are certain fabrics that just can't handle it. Bleach safe fabrics include cotton, polyester, nylon and acrylic. Make sure these bleachable fabrics are not blended with other fabrics such as wool, silk or spandex as these fabric blends are not compatible with bleach. Mixing them could cause these sensitive fabrics to stain, yellow or even fall apart.
• Use the proper amount – Always use the recommended amount of bleach in your wash load. Even if your towels are extra dirty, adding extra bleach may do more harm than good. Using too much bleach can cause yellowing or potential spotting because the concentration is too high. You only need about ½ cup of bleach for a regular size load with moderate soils, and 1 cup for large loads with heavy soils.
• Dilute first – Never pour bleach directly onto your towels. Undiluted bleach is too strong and can cause damage. Dilute your bleach in 1-quart water, then add it to your wash cycle a few minutes after it has started. Or, if your washing machine has a bleach dispenser, simply pour it in there and the machine will dilute it and add it when necessary.

• Check the quality of the water – Water quality will not have an adverse reaction with bleach, however if your towels are still ending up looking dingy you may have poor water quality. Minerals like iron and manganese can collect on towels and slowly alter their color over repeated washings. If you find that you do have hard water, install a filtration system to filter out these hard minerals and keep them from clinging to your towels.

How Do I Retain Absorbency and Fluffiness?

If you've had your towels for quite some time, you may one day notice that they just aren't as absorbent as they used to be. Don't sweat it... it's actually pretty common for towels to start to lose absorbency if they've been used and washed frequently. Things like detergent and fabric softener start to build up on towel fibers, causing them to retain less moisture than they used to. It's important that if you use fabric softener, you only use it every few towel wash cycles to avoid this waxy buildup and maximize absorbency.

If you do find that over time your towels are becoming less absorbent, there is a simple trick to bring them back to their natural absorbency and fluffiness. You will want to skip detergent and fabric softener, but add 1 cup of vinegar to the washer and fill it with hot water. Then, place all of your towels in the washing machine and run it through a complete wash and rinse cycle. When this first wash cycle is complete, add ½-cup baking soda to your wet towels and start the wash cycle again using hot water. After this second cycle is complete, pop them over to the dryer and dry them as you would normally.

This should remove the detergent and fabric softener residue that has built up over time. Your towels should be good as new and back to their original fluffiness and absorbency!

Where Do I Find Wholesale Bleach Resistant Towels?

If you're looking for bleach safe towels in bulk, Towel Super Center has you covered! We have a large variety of sizes and colors that will complement any color scheme and are completely bleach resistant. When you browse our vast selection of towel options for your business or home, you'll find that all of our bleach safe towels are made from high-quality, long-lasting 100% cotton. You can be sure you're getting nothing but the best. Contact Towel Super Center today to find out more about our wholesale prices and discounts for bulk orders!