There’s nothing quite like wrapping yourself in a big, soft towel after a dip in the Gulf or a long lounge under the Alabama sun. But if your once-cushy beach towels are now stiff, scratchy, or musty-smelling, you’re not alone. Beach towels take a beating—between saltwater, sunscreen, sand, and sun, they’re one of the hardest-working (and often most neglected) items in your summer routine. At The Laundry Lounge, we know a thing or two about bringing towels back to life. Whether you’re a local regular or just washing out the salt and sand from a beach vacation, these tips will help you keep your beach towels fluffy, fresh, and looking good as new.
Why Beach Towels Get Gross So Fast
Before diving into the how-to, let’s talk about why beach towels lose their luster in the first place. Salt from the ocean can dry out fabric fibers, making them stiff and brittle. Sand gets trapped in the weave, acting like tiny pieces of sandpaper every time you wash. Add in body oils, sunscreen residue, chlorine from pools, and heat from the sun, and you’ve got a perfect storm of towel abuse. Unlike bath towels, beach towels rarely get the gentle treatment they need. They’re often tossed in bags still wet, crumpled in the car trunk, or left out to dry in direct sunlight. All of this shortens their lifespan and affects texture and freshness.
The good news? A little extra care goes a long way, and we’ve got all the insider laundry tips to help.
Start With a Rinse, Not a Wash
This might sound odd, but the first thing you should do with a sandy or salty towel is give it a shake, then rinse it before washing. Shake it out thoroughly—preferably outside or at one of our outdoor rinse stations if you’re nearby. Once the bulk of the sand is gone, give it a quick rinse with cold water to help loosen the salt and debris trapped deep in the fibers. This pre-rinse helps your towel avoid becoming a sandpaper-textured disaster in the wash.
Avoid Overloading the Washer
Beach towels are bulky, and their fibers absorb a lot of water. If you stuff too many into one load, your washer won’t have enough room to agitate properly, which means your towels won’t get fully clean or rinsed. Plus, overloading can cause uneven spinning, which leaves your towels wetter than they should be. At The Laundry Lounge, our oversized washers are perfect for towel loads—you’ll get better cleaning power and more room for your towels to fluff up. We always recommend washing beach towels separately from clothes, especially sandy swimwear, to prevent cross-contamination of grime.
Detergent: Less Is More
It’s tempting to pour in a little extra detergent when your towels smell funky or feel stiff. But in reality, too much detergent is one of the main reasons towels lose their fluff. Detergent buildup clings to towel fibers, attracting dirt and making towels feel waxy or rough. At The Laundry Lounge, we’ve calibrated our machines for optimal detergent-to-load ratios, so you get the perfect clean without the residue. If you’re washing at home, use about half the usual amount of detergent and consider adding a second rinse cycle. That’s often all it takes to refresh your towels and bring back their softness.
Skip the Fabric Softener (Yes, Really)
This surprises a lot of people, but fabric softener is the enemy of absorbent towels. While it smells nice and feels soft initially, it coats towel fibers in a waxy residue that actually repels water—exactly what you don’t want in a towel. Over time, this buildup makes towels stiff, smelly, and less effective at drying. Instead of fabric softener, add white vinegar to the rinse cycle. Vinegar helps break down detergent residue, remove odors, and restore softness without any harmful coating. We offer an eco-friendly vinegar option at The Laundry Lounge for this very purpose, or you can bring your own and pour about a half cup into the designated softener dispenser.
Drying: Time It Right, and Fluff It Up
How you dry your towels makes a huge difference in their feel. High heat can scorch the fibers and leave them feeling crispy, especially after sun exposure. On the flip side, letting towels stay damp for too long leads to mildew and that musty “wet dog” smell. The trick is to dry your towels on medium heat and remove them while they’re still slightly warm, not bone-dry. Toss in a couple of clean dryer balls or even tennis balls to help aerate the towels and fluff them as they dry. At The Laundry Lounge, our commercial dryers rotate towels more evenly and gently than the average home unit, reducing wear and tear while keeping things soft.
If you’re eco-conscious or just want to extend towel life further, a combo of air-drying and machine drying works wonders. Hang towels outside to air-dry most of the way (in the shade, if possible), then finish with a short tumble dry in the machine to fluff them up.
Towel Rotation and Storage Tips
Believe it or not, how you store your beach towels also affects their freshness. Towels packed tightly in a trunk or left folded while damp become breeding grounds for bacteria and mildew. Always let them dry completely before storing. If you’re heading back from the beach and can’t wash right away, at least hang them up individually to air out until laundry time. Better yet, bring them to The Laundry Lounge after a beach day and get them washed, dried, and folded while you grab lunch or run errands nearby.
For families or frequent beachgoers, it’s worth keeping multiple towel sets on rotation. This not only prevents wear and tear on your favorites but also ensures you’re never forced to use a damp or musty one just because laundry wasn’t done in time.
Smell Check: Getting Rid of That Beach Funk
If your towels smell less like ocean breeze and more like locker room, it’s time for a deep deodorizing wash. Start with a hot water cycle and no detergent—just one cup of baking soda. Follow it up with a second wash using half a cup of vinegar and no detergent again. This one-two punch removes both odor and buildup. Our high-efficiency washers at The Laundry Lounge are perfect for this process, since they agitate more thoroughly and rinse cleaner than most home machines. You’ll be surprised how much better your towels smell (and feel) after a detox wash like this.
Upgrade Your Beach Towel Game
One last tip? Don’t be afraid to invest in better-quality beach towels—and treat them well. Thicker, higher-GSM (grams per square meter) towels hold up better under summer conditions and keep their plushness longer with proper care. A well-maintained high-quality towel will last far longer than a cheaper one washed the same way.
And if you do splurge on luxury beach towels, treat them right with proper washing, smart drying, and regular rotation. We can help you do that affordably and conveniently here at The Laundry Lounge.
Fluffy Towels = Happy Summer
There’s something simple and satisfying about a freshly laundered towel—especially when it’s soft, fluffy, and ready for your next beach trip. Whether you’re a weekend visitor or a Gulf Shores local, keeping your towels in top shape doesn’t have to be a chore. It just takes a little knowledge and the right equipment—and that’s where The Laundry Lounge comes in.
So the next time your towels come back from the beach looking rough around the edges, don’t toss them in frustration. Bring them to us. We’ll help you wash out the salt, fluff out the fibers, and leave with towels that feel just like new.
Soft. Fresh. Ready for the next adventure. That’s how we do beach laundry at The Laundry Lounge.
