Throwing towels in with your regular laundry might feel like a time-saving trick, but it can actually damage both your clothes and towels in the long run. While combining them in one load may seem efficient, it often leads to hygiene problems, fabric wear, and disappointing cleaning results.

Towels are much thicker and more absorbent than most garments, so they require a hotter, longer wash cycle to remove bacteria and dirt effectively. Clothes, on the other hand—especially delicates or synthetic fabrics—need gentler care. Washing the two together forces you to choose between under-cleaning towels or risking damage to clothes.

Lint is another issue. Towels, particularly newer ones, shed large amounts of lint that can cling to dark or synthetic fabrics, leaving behind a fuzzy coating. Often, this means you’ll need to rewash items, which wastes both time and energy. The rough texture of towels can also cause pilling, stretching, or snags in lighter fabrics.

At the same time, zippers and buttons from clothing can scratch or wear down towel fibers. On top of that, towels typically carry more bacteria, sweat, and dead skin, which can transfer onto clothing during a shared wash cycle. Drying presents its own challenge. Towels take much longer to dry, which can leave them damp while clothes become overdried and shrunken. For the cleanest, longest-lasting results, always wash towels separately using hot water, a strong detergent, and a full rinse cycle.