Guests want to hop out of the pool and into a clean, plush, absorbent towel. But that can be easier said than done. Impress your guests by heading into swim season with a plan to properly maintain your pool towels. Get it right and you can give guests a memorable experience, protect your brand and reduce replacement costs too.
What are pool towels up against?
Pool towels (and lounge chair covers) are up against the elements. And each should be considered as you shop for and maintain your hotel’s pool linens.
- Chlorine and other pool chemicals: weaken fibers, fade colors and cause white towels to yellow
- UV Rays: break down fibers and cause colors to fade
- Sand: rough texture degrades fibers
- Saltwater: breaks down fibers, causes stains and reduces the towel’s absorbency
- Sunscreen and tanning lotions: create tough, oxidized stains and reduce the towel’s absorbency over time
Best practices for washing pool linens
Combatting so many threats requires a well-laid-out plan. Implement the following tips to ensure you get the most out of your swim towels and linens:
Keep pool linens separate
Don’t wash pool linens with bath, spa or bed linens. Avoid cross-contamination of odors and residue to help preserve the cleanliness and longevity of your other hotel linens. This also prevents lint transfer, which could cause colored fibers from your pool towels to attach to your pristine white bath towels
For easier sorting, choose pool towels that look different from your bath towels, such as our striped Oceania™ Pool Towels.
Does your property offer sandy beaches? If so, shake out towels to remove as much sand and debris as possible before washing. Sand can prematurely wear out washing machines and dryers. Plus, the coarse texture can alter the towel’s texture.
Pre-rinse immediately
Chlorine works quickly to degrade fabric. Saltwater that sits can cause stubborn stains and a rough texture. A pre-rinse cycle reduces chlorine and saltwater residue before it has the chance to cause a lot of damage.
Use proper laundering techniques
Pool textiles need hot water cycles and more time to soak in detergent to remove chemicals and residue. This will remove chemical residues, kill bacteria and break down sunscreen and other oils. Use proper amounts of detergent for the soil level and load size. Avoid fabric softeners, which affect a towel’s absorbency and texture. Instead, neutralize odors with specially chosen laundry detergents or additives like white vinegar or baking soda.
Cool down after drying
Dry towels well to avoid mildew or a musty smell. Then, consider a cool-down or air-drying cycle to preserve a fluffy texture. Excess heat can damage cotton fibers and reduce longevity.
Other pool towel maintenance tips
Maintaining pool towels and lounge chair covers doesn’t start and stop with a laundry cycle. Here are a few more steps to take to maximize the product life of your pool textiles:
Create a designated swim towel deposit spot
Encourage guests to place used swim towels in the return bin near the pool. Prompt collection makes prompt cleaning more realistic. Plus it helps to keep pool towels separate from in-room towels, thus preventing cross-contamination.
Schedule wear and tear inspections
You never want to learn about a ratty swim towel from a guest. Ensure guests always receive quality swim towels by scheduling regular inspections. Remove towels from rotation as soon as they show signs of wear that wouldn’t reflect well on your brand. Consider stains, discoloration, thinning fabric, loose threads, loss of absorbency or faded branding.
Rotate towels
Evenly distribute the wear and tear amongst your entire stock of pool towels by using a rotation system. Cycle through towels on a consistent schedule to avoid rapid wear of only a select group of towels. This keeps quality consistent across the hotel and reduces the likelihood that a guest will receive a worn towel.
Keep swim towel storage areas clean
Don’t place clean towels in a dirty storage area. Maintain the cleanliness of laundry facilities, storage closets, and poolside towel storage. Ventilate indoor pool areas to maintain proper airflow and prevent mold and mildew growth near towels. Use covered storage options, such as enclosed carts, lidded bins or storage lockers, to keep rain, bugs and other elements away from your fresh pool towels.
Choose high-quality pool towels
Finally, set your hotel up for a successful pool season by selecting high-quality towels from the start. One-hundred percent cotton is standard for luxury hotels due to its breathability, soft texture and highly absorbent properties. However, poly-cotton blends, which can add some improved fade-resistance, work great for economically-minded properties.
Focusing on fade-resistant dyes helps while shopping around for towels, too. Look for buzzwords like “colorfast” or “vat-dyed” when comparing options.
Turn to Venus for quality swim towels
Whether you need to refresh your chaise lounge chair covers or update to colorful striped towels, Venus can help. Our U.S.-based distribution facilities ensure prompt order fulfillment to keep hotels and resorts stocked for their summer—and year-round—pool needs. Questions? Please reach out! Speak to a textile expert today by calling 800-421-6599 or emailing [email protected].