Detergent buildup traps towel bacteria, chef says, advocating 15-minute boil instead

Washing machines sold to households as labor-saving devices may be working against anyone trying to keep tea towels clean, according to a chef who says detergent buildup leaves odors where a normal cycle cannot reach them.

Chef Charles Kim, known to his social media followers as Chef Fatty, posted a video telling viewers: "Never ever ever wash a stinky towel. Let me explain." He said bacteria living inside towel fibres survive a normal wash, and that adding more detergent compounds the problem. "Using more detergent actually makes it worse by trapping the gunk inside the fibres and making it harder to actually wash out," Kim said.

The mechanism he describes involves residue. Excess detergent or fabric conditioner leaves a waxy film on fibres; that film holds body oils, dead skin cells and moisture instead of releasing them, creating conditions where odor-causing bacteria grow. Damp towels left too long develop mildew and bacteria quickly.

Kim's alternative skips both machine and detergent. Fill a bucket or large saucepan with boiling water, add roughly two tablespoons of washing soda, submerge the towel and boil for at least 15 minutes. Washing soda can be bought ready-made or made at home: Kim previously explained that spreading baking soda on a baking tray and heating it at 180 degrees for 30 minutes converts sodium bicarbonate into sodium carbonate, the alkaline cleaning agent found in washing powder. The heating drives off water and releases carbon dioxide gas, raising the pH level.

For households without a pot large enough to hold a submerged towel, Kim suggested setting a washing machine to its hottest cycle with oxygen bleach powder and detergent. Fabric softener stays off the list either way. Kim's video did not address how often tea towels should be boiled or whether the method applies to other fabrics.