May 19, 2025, 8:46 am | Read time: 3 minutes
If there aren’t enough clothes for a full load, you might wonder whether you can wash a few towels with your clothing—as long as the recommended temperature matches. But is that really a good idea?
With two sweaters and a T-shirt, you can’t fill the washing machine. However, you usually have a few towels that need washing too. But can you actually wash towels and clothes together? If both textiles have the same recommended temperature on the label, it shouldn’t be a problem, right? Yet, it’s often advised against washing towels and clothes together. So what’s the right approach? myHOMEBOOK has found out!
Overview
Wash Towels and Clothes Together – Yes or No?
Should you wash towels and clothes together or not? myHOMEBOOK asked Bernd Glassl from the German Cosmetic, Toiletry, Perfumery and Detergent Association (IKW). “In fact, outerwear should be washed in a gentler washing machine program than towels, which are more durable, can handle more ‘mechanics’ during the washing process, and can therefore be washed in the cotton program,” he explains. According to Glassl, textiles are stressed during spinning, and gentler washing programs spin for a shorter time and at lower speeds.
Why Clothes and Towels Don’t Mix Well in the Wash
So, you shouldn’t wash clothes and towels together. There are various reasons for this. Among other things, it should be avoided because towels can transfer lint to clothing. “This is due to the quality of the cotton, the material of the outerwear, and the washing program,” says Glassl. His rule of thumb is: “The gentler the washing program, the less likely textiles are to lint.” But especially new towels can shed lint that sticks to microfiber textiles.
Additionally, the washing drum can become unbalanced because the load is unevenly distributed during the spin cycle. “Such an imbalance can occur, for example, when a very absorbent item (such as a large bath towel) is washed with less absorbent textiles (such as synthetics = chemical fibers),” the expert explains.
It’s also often said that towels are rougher and clothes are softer, which could lead to the latter losing durability due to friction and wear. Glassl disagrees. He believes the impact of an incorrect washing program is greater than the influence of “rough towels” on “soft clothes,” especially since wet towels aren’t rough, according to the expert.
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If They End Up Together in the Machine
In general, it’s not recommended to wash towels and clothes together—but sometimes it just can’t be helped. Then the IKW expert has the following tips:
- You should choose the washing program recommended for the most delicate textile.
- Load the machine correctly: half the load in the easy-care program, a quarter of the maximum load in the gentle wash cycle. “This means that in a washing machine with a maximum capacity of 8 kilograms of dry textiles in the cotton program, a maximum of 4 kilograms of dry textiles can be loaded in the easy-care program, and a maximum of 2 kilograms in the gentle wash cycle,” says Glassl.
- Use the right detergent: “For wool and silk, use only wool detergent; for the gentle wash cycle, use fine detergent because it foams more and thus further reduces mechanical stress,” the expert explains.
His conclusion: “Sorting and washing textiles separately is worth it!”