Experts have issued a message to people who use fabric softener, and it's a mistake we could all be making. According to Which?, Dr Primrose Freestone, an associate professor of clinical microbiologyat the University of Leicester, says that using this could be why your towels are ageing.

You might assume that using more detergentwill result in cleaner towels, but it can actually backfire. Gradually, leftover detergent accumulates in the fabric, preventing new detergent from fully reaching the fibres during future washes.

To address this issue, Dr Freestone suggests reducing your usual detergent quantity by up to a third. She further advocates for a comprehensive cold-water rinse following the wash cycle to eliminate any remaining residue and allow the cotton fibres to return to their original form. A high-quality washing machine should perform this rinsing process effectively without requiring an additional rinse cycle.

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Contrary to its name, fabric softener is not advisable for towels. It functions by covering fabrics with electrically charged substances, usually silicones and ammonium compounds and whuile this coating may initially make towels feel pleasant, with repeated use, it accumulates, rendering them rigid and less agreeable.

It also diminishes the detergent's effectiveness and stops water from adequately penetrating the fibres. As well as this, your towels become less absorbent, undermining their function of drying you after a bath or shower. Specialists at SAGA highlight that this is a common error.

It says that Chrissie Rucker OBE, owner and founder of The White Company, notes that using a fabric conditioner, especially when washing brand-new towels for the first time, could damage them.

"For super-soft towels, don’t use fabric conditioner on the first wash as it coats the fibres and reduces absorbency", says Rucker.

Towels should be washed at 40C. Whilst many opt to wash them at 60C, which is often the default setting on washing machines, this approach could prove problematic.

Certain bacterial spores and viruses can withstand temperatures of 60C. A more effective approach involves washing towels at 40C using a bleach-based laundry product.

The specialists note that biological washing powder performs admirably, as it efficiently eliminates bacteria and viruses whilst being kinder to your fabrics.