It is recommended that tea towels be soaked in warm water right after they are purchased in order to get rid of any extra oil left over from the manufacturing process and to activate the towel’s absorbency. If they are colored tea towels, they should be washed separately from other laundry to avoid running colors. Just like all towels, over time tea towels get stains and build-up bacteria if they are not washed carefully. Use detergent instead of fabric cleaner when you wash your tea towels to keep them durable for longer.