New towels often shed a surprising amount of lint in the first few washes. It clings to dark clothes, clogs the filter of the washing machine and leaves the bathroom floor covered in fluff. This is quite normal: loose fibres left over from the making of the cloth come away as the towels are washed. With a few careful habits, you can help the lint to disappear more quickly, and your towels will soon be soft and tidy.
Wash them in the right way
Wash new towels on their own, and do not mix them with dark clothes or delicate fabrics. Choose a normal programme, and use a small amount of detergent. Avoid overloading the drum, because the towels need room to move so that the loose fibres can be carried away by the water. An extra rinse at the end helps to wash out the last of the fluff.
Shake the towels well before you put them in the machine, and again when you take them out. Empty the lint filter of the tumble dryer after every load, and wipe the drum with a damp cloth. If you dry the towels on a line, shake them briskly so that the loose fibres fall off outdoors rather than in the house. A quick pass with a lint roller over dark surfaces can also help.
Be patient. It may take several washes before the shedding stops completely. Wash them a few times before you use them for the first time, since a first wash also removes any finish left from the manufacture. If the towels continue to shed heavily after many washes, check the label, since some fabrics naturally shed more than others.
Do not use bleach or harsh cleaning products, which weaken the fibres and cause even more shedding. Do not mix cleaning products. Keep new towels apart from old ones for the first few washes, and fold them loosely in a dry cupboard. Once the lint has gone, the towels will be softer and more absorbent, and they will last a good deal longer, giving you years of comfortable use.
