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Here's why you should only use white bath towels

This is a bathroom game-changer.

Towels Credit: Ziraktr/Getty Images

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Ever since I was little, I have dreamed about one day owning white bath towels. They're so plush. So luxurious. So indulgent. And now that I'm a 28-year-old with the ability to spend my money on such necessities, that day has finally come, much to my mother's disapproval.

But according to one expert, my white towel obsession might not be so impractical after all. HGTV's Erin Napier recently revealed to Real Simple that she only uses white bath towels now—and for a good reason.

What makes white towels better than other towels?

Towels
Credit: Chiradech/Getty Images

So crisp, so clean.

One word: bleach. That's what Erin swears by to keep her towels smelling fresh and mildew-free. She explains that you can toss a little bit of bleach into every wash cycle with your white towels—something you can't do with colored towels unless you want unsightly bleach stains. Thus, white towels end up staying cleaner and smelling better longer.

Not only that, but our major home appliance and design editor, Cindy Bailen, adds, "From a design standpoint, white towels are the most neutral and never go out of style."

The myth that white towels get dirtier

Sure, you can see dirt and stains easier on white towels—but that doesn't mean they're dirtier. In fact, Erin believes that their inability to hide grime actually makes them cleaner than their colorful counterparts. That's because people are more likely to toss their bath towels in the wash as soon as they see visible dirt (which is much faster for white towels). And the more you wash your towels, the cleaner they'll be.

How to keep your white towels clean

WashTowels
Credit: Zephyr18/Getty Images

Bleach, wash, repeat.

It's simple—use Erin's bleach method. "You can chlorine bleach your towels or hang them in the sun to remove stains and kill germs," Cindy says, adding, however, "I don't use Clorox on mine, though, since oxygen bleach actually bleaches better."

Another rule of thumb that Cindy recommends—no matter the color of your towels—is to wash them every three uses to keep your bath towels as fresh as possible and prevent mildew. And of course, make sure your towels are completely dry before you fold and put them away.

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