They are ubiquitous in the home, but we hardly ever notice them. We’re talking about towels. You use them for different purposes, but some homes don’t have the right types.

We list the types of towels you must have in your home:

* A bath towels.

A bath towel is the most common type of towel and the largest one of all the types of towels manufactured for the home. Its standard size is 75 cm x 150 cm across most brands, and only beach towels may be larger. A towel smaller than this size is not suitable for an adult’s bath. They must be soft and highly absorbent so that you don’t need to rub the towel over your skin over and over to remove all the moisture from it. Also, the towel set must be made of cotton and not become stiff and scratchy with regular washing and use. You can get bath towel sets for the master bathroom and kids’ bath towels in cheerful colours and prints.

* Hand towel.

A hand towel, as the name suggests, is used for wiping the hands. It is a common fixture in the bathroom and is installed near the wash basin. Most hand towels also double up as face towels, but only because separate face towels are often not provided at the wash basin. They usually measure 40 cm x 60 cm across premium bath linen brands in India. The best way to distinguish between hand and face towels is the size: the latter is often a square variant measuring about 30 cm x 30 cm. Just like the bath towel, the hand towel must also be soft and rapidly absorb moisture. Indeed, the hand towel remains damper than bath towels because the former is used more often during the day by multiple people. Thus, the towel must be purchased from a reputed bath linen company and it must offer the same softness and absorption despite heavy use and repeated washing.

* Gym towel.

This is a type of towel used for the gym or by those who run or exercise outdoors. It is designed to absorb excess sweat and keep the skin dry and clean with one swipe. They are normally not as thick or fluffy as hand or face towels, but they offer the same absorbent and quick dry qualities that you seek from a towel of this nature. There are two types of gym towels: small and large. The small one is used for a quick mop of the face and neck, while the large can be used to wipe off the arms and also cover the bench or another surface that you might be working out on. These towels must necessarily be washed after every use, so they must be hardy enough to withstand repeated washing without losing their softness or absorbency.

How to care for your towels

Always buy 100% cotton towels, whatever their size or purpose. Cotton towels are highly absorbent easy to wash and maintain, and quite soft even after repeated use and washing. It is not necessary to wash them in hot water to remove germs or sweat – cold or cool water washing with detergent are enough. However, you should wash gym or swim towels using an anti-bacterial liquid. Hot water should be used only in case there is a bedbug or dust mite infestation in the house, taking care not to ruin the fabric’s thread count or colours. Once washed, dry them in shade without exposing them to direct sunlight.