Can I Put Sand Towels in Washing Machine?
Can you put your beach sand towels in a washing machine to get rid of any sticky sand? No worries, here, you’ll get the answer.
Summers are nothing without having fun at the beach. But the beachy sand can be so annoying when it sticks to everything you get back home, especially the beach towels.
Although sand towels are sand-resistant and quick-drying, sometime they will end up hiding some of the pesky beach sand.
Get ready to play a trick with the beach sand that falls in love with your soft beach towel, every time you go to the beach!
Is it Safe to put Sand Towels in a Washing Machine?
A quick answer is “YES”, but it needs some extra care and proper direction.
Beach towels are not only caked with the beach sand but also loaded with sweating, extra sunscreen, tanning lotions, dirt, moisture, ketchup stains, and cocktails stains.
So, laundering the beach towel can be more tricky as compared to your bath towel.
In this blog post, you’ll get an easy and effective washing direction for cleaning your beach buddy!
Step # 1: Hard Shake and Sun Dry
No one likes to put sand-stuffed towels in a washing machine. While planning to pack up from the beach, give your beach towel a hard shake to shred the extra sand from the towel.
After shaking, it’s time to air dry the beach towel under the balmy sun. As the UV rays and natural air will kill the germs and bacteria that nurture in your moistened sand-caked towels.
Once the beach towel dried up completely, give it another strong shake enough to sound like a towel “snap” to loosen up the leftover sand.
Step # 2: Vacuum the Beach Towel
After coming back home, make sure to vacuum your beach towel to spell out the sand that is embedded deeply in the towel.
For vacuuming the beach towel, you can either use a handheld mini-vacuum cleaner or an ordinary room vacuum cleaner extension.
Step # 3: Basin Washing
Before putting it in the washing machine, wash it in your basin by following the below steps:
- First, fill a basin with lukewarm water.
- Pour a mild liquid detergent into the water.
- Swirl the beach towel in that warm soapy water.
- Wait for a while until any remaining sand grains will drift out at the bottom of the sink.
This process is a final trick to remove any remaining grains of sand from the beach towel and make it ready to swirl safely in your washing machine.
Step # 4: Washing Sand Towels in a Washing Machine
Before putting the beach towel in the washing machine, sort out the light and dark-colored piles. This will ensure keep their original colors intact.
Now, it’s time to wash your beach sand towels in a washing machine in a cold setting. As washing in cold water not only loosens any leftover sand from the beach towel but also lessens fabric shrinkage and protects the towel color from fading.
You can also choose a hot wash i.e. from 40 to 60 degrees to get rid of any bacteria and germs from your beach towel, but make sure to rinse in a cold setting.
Step # 5: Drying the Beach Towel
You can either opt for tumble–drying or simply air-drying your beach towel.
- For maximum fluffiness, choose tumble-dry beach towels.
- For economical and environmental prospects, go for air-drying. Before hanging them for air drying, give them a strong shake to fluff them up. Avoid direct sunlight, as it can fade the colors (unless the towel is totally white).
Bonus Tip: Always check the products’ tags for care instructions while washing.
Tips to Remove Sand from a Washing Machine
Sand’s abrasiveness can wear out your clothes, get all over the laundry stuff, and also causes overtime damage to the machine’s drum.
If you throw away your sand-covered towels in a washing machine without following any above instructions, the below tips will get you covered and also keep your washing machine from being damaged.
- Firstly, use a vacuum cleaner’s nozzle attachments to suck out the sand thoroughly in a completely dried-out washing machine.
- Secondly, take a wet paper towel and run it around the washer’s rim for getting rid of any excess grains of beach sand.
- Make sure to frequently clean your washing machine to remove any beach sand, and also to maximize its life and functionality. For washing your washer, you can use a homemade effective washing solution: hot water and vinegar.
Tips to Remove Sand from a Dryer
If you accidentally throw sand-caked beach towels in a dryer, it can ruin the dryer. Thus, follow the below tips to keep your dryer safe from the sand.
- Vacuum the sand out from the dryer by using your ordinary vacuum cleaner’s nozzle attachment.
- Take a clean damp cloth to wipe out any remaining sand from the dryer’s drum.
- If the sand runs deeper than the drum, it often requires dismantling your dryer for removing sand from the blower housing and you can’t do it by yourself. So, make sure to call for a professional’s help or manufacturer to solve the issue.
She started BeachXplore as a traveling blog covering particularly amazing beaches which she was lucky to visit and research about. Here you can find her writings on the best beaches, guides on beach wear, items, and more.