Problems with stained towels

[Christina]

I wonder if anyone can help or advise on this problem please?

For new guests arriving at a property at the start of the their holiday, nothing is more unappealing than finding that stained towels have been left out for them! Well, I am only three 2 x week rentals into the season, and it appears that most of my new fresh white towels have acquired stains that the local laundry cannot remove on a 60 degree wash. Has anyone else had this problem, and is it anything to do with the new generation of sun tan/fake tan products? Do any owners actually charge for permanent damage to towels and if so, how do they monitor this? Is it worth mentioning in my pre-holiday information pack that guests should take care with towels and linen when using tanning products?  Is the answer to switch to darker coloured towels - which do not look as fresh, but at least may not stain so easily. All feedback appreciated - from both guests and owners.

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=12210.0

[clara 50]

Recently I dug out some of my white Kalkan vest tops and shorts. The tops had yellow marks on them especially underam and the shorts too had strange brown patches on the front at the bottom, which was probably from suncream and greasy avon sss etc and they must have worsened in hibernation. Absolutely gutted as they were like new otherwise, some bought last year. Before buying new I decided to try and save them. Ì bought a tub of Wizz Oxi in Tesco, it was under two quid much cheaper than the well known stain removers. I did as directed and pre-treated the smaller stains, making it into a paste and leaving to work. Other things I soaked overnight. Both treatments I finished of as suggested and washed at 60 with my usual detergent and two scoops of the remover. Apart from one almost invisible mark everything came up like new and sparkling white, even one white top that had seqiuins on it. Chuffed to bits and saved me a fortune, tried a few other items afterwards and same result. Will definitely be using it again. Probably could wash things like towels on the hottest cotton wash. Soak overnight, then machine wash as directed. For less than a couple of quid it was worth trying and it certainly rescued my fave Kalkan whites.

[Haybo]

Great advice clara50.  The apts we stay in have white towels for the bathroom etc and sumptuous purple towels for the pool area. If you got darker towels that matched in with an overall theme then they would be great!   Will look out for that product thou...think it might be useful for school shirts!

[clara 50]

I think coloured towels look great if they match the colour scheme. The product I mentioned would be great to bring back the sparkle to school shirts. So easy to use too and  it goes a long way for little money.

[felicity]

Nothing would ever induce me to provide white towels...asking for trouble! In my new marble effect bathrooms - I have co-ordinated with coffee coloured towels which looks great!

[Christina]

Thanks everyone for your great suggestions. Will definitely try the Tesco product and look for some tasteful coloured towels for next season.

[kalkan4eva]

I think this topic has been covered before and the culprit might be P20 sun lotion.... We always wash our towels after a couple of uses to hopefully lessen any staining that might occurr from sun creams or after sun lotions.

[Babs]

Christina, as a renter I would rather find tasteful coloured towels than stained/tired white ones......as lovely as a white fluffy towel is they must be a nightmare to keep that way!

[Haybo]

Eek! We are big fans of p20! Will keep an eye on the mess we are making!

[Christina]

Yes K4E I remember the 'yellow peril' discussion on the forum last year, and suggestions that the new 'once a day' sun creams had something to answer for. Come to think of it I have never had white towels at home - with a football-playing son and his foundation-loving girlfriend it would only have ended in tears. Appreciate your feedback Babs. Coloured towels it is next season and the 'white' ones can be donated to KAPSA.

[MartynE]

As the author of the original "yellow peril" thread last year I have to report that we (or rather Emine, our amazing cleaner) has found the solution...

do not use bleach as it makes the stains pink...
do not use any normal washing powders or liquid detergents - they just fix the stains...
do not wash at 90 degrees, for the same reason...

simply use Vanish, in a 60 degree wash. It works

We are still using white towels because, when they are clean, they simply look best. 

[Christina]

Wow - it's definitely worth a try MartynE. I made an impulse purchase of a bumper tub of Vanish last year, and never got round to trying it. I'll pop it in my case for when I'm over in 3 weeks - and my Turkish kitchen will be transformed into Widow Twanky's Laundry 

[MartynE]

Well...did it work, Christina? 

[Christina]

Sadly I will have to wait until I am next back in October to try out the Vanish trick. 10 days before flying out this time I fell and broke my wrist badly, requiring surgery to insert plates into hand and wrist. This has left me pretty much unable to do anything much apart from lie in the shade with a cool drink. Any sort of domestic/maintenance tasks have been out of the question. It's been pretty grim really - painkillers barely touch it and I am just about getting by. Even on Piña X yesterday with Bob & Jayne I couldn't get onto the sunbed deck as you need 2 hands to hoist yourself up, and the deck on that boat is pretty high. I ended up being given a leg-up from behind then crawling along on my elbows commando-style to reach a cushion. Recovery will be slow but hopefully will be feeling better by October.

[misty]

Use black towels hides a multitude of sins 

[MartynE]

Sadly I will have to wait until I am next back in October to try out the Vanish trick. 10 days before flying out this time I fell and broke my wrist badly, requiring surgery to insert plates into hand and wrist. This has left me pretty much unable to do anything much apart from lie in the shade with a cool drink. Any sort of domestic/maintenance tasks have been out of the question. It's been pretty grim really - painkillers barely touch it and I am just about getting by. Even on Piña X yesterday with Bob & Jayne I couldn't get onto the sunbed deck as you need 2 hands to hoist yourself up, and the deck on that boat is pretty high. I ended up being given a leg-up from behind then crawling along on my elbows commando-style to reach a cushion. Recovery will be slow but hopefully will be feeling better by October.

Sorry to hear that Christina. Hope you recover soon.