Towels are, of course, one of the absolute essentials you provide for your guests. They can make instant negative impressions if they’re not in good condition, clean and comfortable as well.

Here’s some help on keeping your towels an asset to your property.

If you run a hotel that’s advertised as “eco-friendly,” or “green,” that’s great. Your towel laundering policy is probably a part of that. In all cases, make sure you’re laundering your towels regularly. They get grimy and streaky quickly without careful regular washing.

Hand towels get dirty faster than bath towels, they should be watched closely for any signs of use.

It’s a good idea to stick to the manufacturer’s recommendations when it comes to how much detergent you use. Putting in too much detergent doesn’t just get towels cleaner, it breaks them down more quickly, which means you need to replace them more often.

“As towels are meant to be absorbent, they tend to cling to excess suds. If not rinsed thoroughly, leftover detergent can actually feed bacteria and mold,” writes Good Housekeeping, leaving them stiff and scratchy: “If you notice residue or extra stiffness out of the wash, dial the detergent back.”

Plus, you don’t really need to - “Towels already absorb residual soap from our bodies, and because they’re used to dry clean skin, they don’t contain that much dirt,” says Donna Smallin Kuper, certified house cleaning technician and author of Cleaning Plain & Simple.

Same rule for fabric softener - adding too much is counterproductive.

Also, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for how hot the water can be and go to the maximum. They stay cleaner and more germ-free that way, again needing to be replaced less often.

And your grandmother knew to shake the towels out before she put them in the dryer, since that helped keep them fluffier over time.