How to Care for Linen Tea Towels So They Last for Years

Here is the good news about linen: it is one of the few fabrics that gets better the longer you own it. A linen tea towel that is washed and used regularly softens up, drapes nicer, and becomes more absorbent over time. The catch is that a couple of common laundry habits work against all of that. So let me save you from them.

This is how I care for my own linen tea towels so they stay soft, bright, and useful for years.

Washing

Linen is happiest in a normal machine wash with a mild detergent. Warm or cool water is ideal for everyday washing. Wash your colorful towels with like colors the first few times, especially bold prints, and skip the bleach, which is hard on both the fibers and the artwork.

One thing worth knowing: brand-new tea towels sometimes are not fully absorbent right out of the package. That is normal. Linen reaches its full thirsty potential after a wash or two, so do not judge a new towel until it has been through the machine.

The fabric softener trap

This is the big one. Skip the fabric softener. It sounds counterintuitive when you want a soft towel, but softener leaves a waxy coating on the fibers that actually reduces how well linen absorbs water. Over time it makes a tea towel worse at its one job. If you want softer towels, wash and use them often. Linen softens naturally with wear, no chemical help required.

Drying and storing

You can tumble dry linen tea towels on low, or line dry them, which keeps colors vibrant and saves a little energy. Pull them out while still slightly damp if you like a smoother finish. A quick press with a warm iron while damp will get them crisp, though for everyday kitchen use I am firmly in the fold-and-go camp.

If your towels are too pretty to bury in a drawer (a real problem with the good prints), my post on displaying tea towels has ideas, and my fabric comparison of linen, cotton, and flour sack explains why linen is worth the care in the first place.

Frequently asked questions

How do you wash linen tea towels?

Machine wash with a mild detergent in warm or cool water, with like colors. Skip bleach on printed towels, which can fade the artwork and weaken the fibers.

Should you use fabric softener on linen tea towels?

No. Fabric softener coats the fibers and reduces absorbency, which makes a tea towel worse at drying. Linen softens naturally with regular washing and use, so you do not need it.

How do you make linen tea towels softer?

Wash and use them often. Linen becomes softer and more supple the more it is laundered, so the towel you use every day will feel better than the one saved for special occasions.

Can you tumble dry linen tea towels?

Yes, on a low setting. You can also line dry them to keep colors vibrant. Removing them while slightly damp gives a smoother finish if you like a crisper towel.

Why do my new tea towels not absorb water well?

New linen often is not fully absorbent until it has been washed a couple of times. This is normal and improves quickly, so give a new towel a wash or two before judging how thirsty it is.