Bathroom Linen
Linen is a type of woven fabric made from flax plant fibers. Though it does take a lot of work to manufacture, this fabric is valued for its freshness and coolness especially during hot weather. There are many types of linen and each type is made for different purposes. Palin-woven linen is basically for wiping glassware and other common uses, damask is basically used to make napkins and tablecloth, and toweling is basically what is used for bathroom linen.
Types of Bathroom Linen
You’ll find a lot of different kinds of bathroom linen. The most common ones are towels and shower mats. The items you find in the store are usually made from the same basic fabric. However, depending on the manufacturer and item you want to buy, some are made from a combination of different materials. You ought to be aware of these differences when you’re out to buy these items from the store.
Shopping Tips
There are a few other things that you should keep in mind other than the brand and price of bathroom linens. You should also inspect on the quality of the material you’re buying. If the fabric underneath a towel, poncho, or mat is visible underneath then you might want to switch to another brand.
Buy only the items that are made of the fabric that you’re comfortable with. If you’re not comfortable using a towel made of Pima or terry then don’t buy towels with the said fabric. If you’re after the functionality of linen, then you should check the level of its absorption. To do this, check the grams per square meter, GSM, of towels and other items.
You can also tell whether an item has higher absorption by the fabric that was used to make it. For example, cotton fabrics will most likely absorb more moisture than other fabrics. However, in case you’re looking for an alternative then you can go for terry cloth. It may absorb less water but it has a better drying ability than other fabrics.
Some people prefer velour because of its sheen, which makes it quite fashionable. Velour is basically terry cloth that is sheared into shorter terry loops on one side. This has the effect of having terry on one side and velour on the other. Remember to have the terry side on your skin and the velour exposed to the public for a fashionable display.
Towels
By simply looking at any catalog, it’s easy to figure out that this is the most common item on sale even in the stores you can find the Internet. Towels come in various colors, designs, and sizes. These items are even made from different kinds of fabrics. Walking through a store, you’ll find different sizes of towels from hand towels to extra large bathing ones.
The popular fabric choices for towels include bamboo, Egyptian, micro-fiber cotton, Pima, and terry. White is a classic color choice but you can always choose other colors that you prefer. There are also a wide variety of designs for you to choose from. Kid’s towels will be brightly colored with some printed with their favorite cartoon characters. Older folks can opt for more conservative patterns or some floral designs if you prefer those.
Bathroom Mats
Mats and rags are also commonplace when you purchase bathroom linen. Different brands will have different hues and designs. The ones that are non-slippery are the ones that have rubber backing. Another thing you should remember is that all the dirt and grime will be more visible on lighter colored rags and mats than ones that have a darker shade.
Bath Sheets
Bath sheets look very much like your bath towels only that they are quite longer. Other than using them as extra long bath towels, they are ideally used for packing when you’re leaving for a holiday trip.
Poncho Towels
Poncho towels are primarily made for kids. The children will dry off easily using these items. They will be quite a handy thing to have around in the bathroom or to bring with you to the beach. Children will love the designs that primarily include movie and cartoon characters.
Caring for Your Bathroom Linens
Of course, you don’t want to buy your linen only have it wear out in a few days. Never use fabric softeners on your linens especially on towels, bath sheets, and your kid’s poncho towels. It is quite obvious that you don’t need to fabric conditioners on your mats. The formulation for such substances will basically include silicone that eventually makes your linen water repellent.
Expect deeply colored fabric to bleed out within the first four washings. This simply means washing them separately. Never bleach your colored linens. Launder these items using detergent and soft water frequently. Never iron your towels, this will lessen their absorbency.