Problems arise when kitchen towels are heavily soiled. Towels used for handling raw meat, greasy cookware, or major spills carry more contamination and should be treated differently.

These heavily used towels are best washed separately or on a hotter, more intensive cycle. This helps prevent residue from transferring to cleaner items like bath towels.

Bathroom hand towels can usually be washed with bath towels without issue, but kitchen towels should be grouped based on how they are used.

Instead of aiming for perfect separation, focus on a practical routine: isolate heavily soiled towels, wash the rest properly, and replace any that retain odor or feel unclean over time.