Choosing the Perfect Beach Towel
Beach towels now come in all types, sizes, shapes, and colors. Although a beach towel is personal choice, you may want to consider some general tips before choosing a beach towel. For example, although many sunbathers like thick beach towels, a beach towel that is thin and fiber reactive is often best for a day at the beach, since thy dry faster and are easier to pack. When you choose a beach towel, you will certainly want to choose one that dries quickly. Not only is it miserable to lie down on a wet beach towel, but damp beach towels really attract sand, so that you may find yourself lying on a very sandy beach towel if you opt for a very fluffy kind of towel. A fiber reactive towel will also stand up better to the harsh sun and salt water of the beach, and will retain its color and shape quite well. This type of beach towel is very inexpensive, so there really is no excuse for lugging your bath towel to the beach.
Each person should choose their own beach towel, and children especially should be allowed to choose their own beach towel. Beach towels are a personal choice, and selecting your own is an expression of personality. More than that, though, choosing your own beach towel increases the odds that you will like the beach towel enough to use it. If you choose a beach towel you like, you are also more likely to be able to easily keep track of it on a busy beach.
Once you have selected a beach towel, you will need to take care of it. Every time you use your beach towel, you will want to keep it as dry as possible. Once you get it home after a day at the beach - or even an afternoon by the pool - you will want to let it dry completely. Leaving a beach towel overnight in your beach bag will grow mold and will make your entire beach bag smell bad. If at all possible, wash your beach towel after each use. If you can't, try at least rinsing it and letting it dry out very well before the next use. Once you do wash your beach towel, avoid sweet-smelling detergents and skip the fabric softener all together. Fabric softener will make your towel less absorbent and may even attract bugs. Skipping fabric detergent may also make some beach towels last longer, since the latest fast-drying beach towels may be damaged by the chemicals in bleach and some fabric softeners.