Have you ever anticipated something, dreamt about it and been willing to overlook the price tag because…well, it must be really good if it costs that much, right? RIGHT?? Especially if that item is made by a well-known designer whose name rhymes with Shmalvin Shmein, right? Well, this is how I feel about my towels. Yeah, you heard me right. Towels.
Like most somewhat-domestic women, I love me some good towels. Big (but not too big), fluffy, soft, colorful towels. When Robert and I registered for our wedding, I took great care in finding the perfect towels. While at Macy’s I felt every towel there. I compared colors. I compared shades of the same color. I was going to make sure that we were getting the best towels that I could buy (of course now that I look back, I would’ve gone to Restoration Hardware, but to make it easier on everyone else, we registered at Macy’s…because really, isn’t a registry about everyone else? And while I’m on the subject, why do people go to the store that you registered at to buy you a gift that IS NOT ON THE REGISTRY???).
After weeks (okay, maybe not weeks, more like an hour) of deliberation, we finally decided on the Shmalvin towels. The colors were nice, not too dark. And they were already so fluffy and soft, I couldn’t imagine what they would be like after being washed. Oh! And the size…just perfect. I was ecstatic, giddy even! I would anxiously check my registry to see if anyone had purchased them yet (yes, I am one of those people).
When we finally received them as a gift, I couldn’t wait to wash them and use them. Fluffy Towel Heaven, here I come! Only, not so much. Apparently, I would have to wait for heaven on earth as these towels just weren’t going to take me there.
First of all, the lint. Oh the lint. It was everywhere. In the washer, in the dryer, on the lint trap, on the floor of the garage, on any clothes washed and dried for two weeks after, in the bathroom, in the bedroom, ON THE DOG. Every. Where. When we got out of the shower and dried ourselves off, we would be covered in lint. I was using a lint roller on myself! It’s bad enough that we are covered in dog hair all the time, but lint too?
The second thing that happened is what really got me. Now, I’m still not sure what caused this to happen, but something that I use bleaches the towels out. Not any towels, not all towels. Just these towels. I haven’t switched detergents, cleaning products or personal grooming products. The towels that I used before these? No bleaching. The towels downstairs? No bleaching. Just. These. Towels. And believe me when I tell you that it’s not just a spot here or there. Nope. It is HUGE spots all over the towels. I have one hand towel that is almost completely orange! It used to be green.
So you see my frustration. I have these lovely towels that I had dreamt about and cost a pretty penny to boot. Yet, every time I look at them (which is several times a day), I cringe. I hate them. Hate. Yet, I feel that I have to continue to use them because of what they cost and the fact that they were a wedding gift. With that being said, how long do I need to use them before I can justify buying new towels. What is the life expectancy of a set of towels? And if I buy towels at Target, does it count? Can it just be considered a wash?
At least my husband has a good sense of humor about the whole thing. He says that we should have dry cleaned the towels. As he put it “you aren’t supposed to get the towels wet.”
16 Comments
Sometimes big bucks doesn’t translate into quality product. What a bummer with those towels!
The best towels I have ever had I have gotten as gifts from the in-laws’ and you know where they get them?? COSTCO! Of all places! They are big and soft and fluffy and I love them. But it’s so hard to find god towels anywhere else. Forget Sears or Wal-Mart or Zellers (kind of like a Canadian K-Mart) or anything. Costco seems to be where it’s at!
You could use those towels as emergency back-up ones, you know? Less lint in your every day life but they would still be in the cycle of use?
You could totally be me. I did the same thing when we registered. I found the thickest, softest towels I’ve ever owned. And I was positively giddy when we opened them after the wedding.
Then the bleach spots. Only on the towels. Not on my clothes or my sheets or the kids’ towels. Nope, just ours. I had plenty of theories about what it could be, but none of them made sense.
Finally, I’d had it. So The Hubs and I went to Linens N Things and got just normal towels. They weren’t scratchy, the were big enough for my 6’2″ husband, they’d work. Whatever. I think we spent maybe $8 a towel. MAYBE. I brought them home, washed them, and oh sweet domesticity, they are the softest things ever and no bleach spots. Who knew. I am officially a cheap towel girl.
I have a similar problem with finding dish towels that actually, you know, absorb water. Do you know how many dish towels seem to be WATER PROOF. Humph. I’m getting all worked up just thinking about it.
I say dump em. Who needs all that lint? At least you got a funny story out of it…
Hahahaha- I was just thinking about you donating them to charity and the poor people who get them are so mad when they get lint all over them! “Who would donate these?” HAHAHAHA.
This is why I buy cheap things. And why I don’t have a washer. Or a house. Or a dog
Or a wife. Who obviously can’t wash towels properly
Note to self: Only spend an unnecessary amount of money on name brand jeans.
LOL, the irony of it all. The poor dog with lint on him (her, I forget already). I am thinking that Schmein might have thought that these towels were for looking at and “making a statement” and not actually for everyday use?
And I agree with Smiley! LMAO I have yet to find a dishtowel that actually sops up liquids.
I’m glad I read about these towels that rhyme with Calvin Klein and remember this story next time I feel compelled to buy some!
I’m so late in thanking you for stopping by my blog when I was featured on SITS. I look forward to returning and reading more!
I was stopping by to do some fact finding for your new blog design and I was glued to this post. We are going through the EXACT same thing. I’ve taken to buying 1 towel every place I go that sells towels just to find the perfect towel. It’s nuts.
So here’s what I have so far: expensive towels, middle-of the-road-towels, cheap towlels. And some from each category are terrible. I even have towels like yours (not Schmalvins, but expensive towels nonetheless) that shed like nervous cats and have the same strange bleached spots. I thought I was going nuts with those spots. I couldn’t figure out what happened (my towels are chocolate brown!).
So the greatest towels I’ve found lately? Target. 5.99. No lint-y mess and no bleach spots. They are not the thickest, most luxurious towels, but they are nice and they do the job. Crazy, I know.
So now I’m going to try to refrain from going back through your archives and reading every post you’ve ever written. Why? Because I have blogs to design. Namely yours.
We had some do this, too. We bought green ones & tan ones at the same time, same brand. The green ones are fine, the tan ones are splotchy orange ickyness now.
My mother-in-law told me that this indicates a bad dye run, and that it happens in the cheapest or the nicest towels. And to return them. Mine were too cheap to bother with, but if you paid a lot of money, I would return them post haste!
That is disappointing! Although I love your husband’s comment, so maybe it was worth it? Seriously, I think you should contact CK (the company, I don’t mean that you should show up on his front door) to explain what happened. They should stand behind their product. Or be wrapped up in it.
i got some really nice towels at macy’s and they just don’t wash very well. the towels i got from mervyn’s when i was in HIGH SCHOOL are still soft and are still nice.
i effin’ hate macy’s. hehe.
CattyPants: Okay, Costco…I will look into it!
Insta-Mom: Linens-n-Things…will check there as well!
Sam: Yeah, Robert and I have an ongoing battle with dishtowels as well! Hate them! HAHA!! If I donated them, they would get returned soooo fast!!
SJ: Are you implying that I don’t know how to do laundry? Can you suggest this to my husband in hopes that he will take that chore away from me?
Peanut: Yes! I wish I would’ve given myself that mental note a few years ago!
Angela: I know, my poor lint-covered dog! I don’t know what’s worse, making towels to look at only, or the fact that there are people out there would buy “look only” towels!
Angie: Thanks for coming by, I enjoyed reading your blog!
Christy: Thanks for coming by and commenting! We actually bought some Target towels for our guest bathroom and I have to admit, they are much nicer than our expensive “luxury” towels! And yay! I am so excited for my new design.
Wendy: How funny! The towels we bought are green and tan, too. And unforunately they are both bleachy and splotchy.
Marinka: Yeah, it might be a good idea to go straight to the company, as the level of concern from the Macy’s employees seems to be pretty non-existent.
Grace: I hate Macy’s too! Boo!
For pete sakes! Just get some new gosh darned towels already! And use the old expensive ones on the dog.
Still laughing over Shmalvin Schmein!! I wanted ivory towels – big pretty soft ivory wrap-me-in-clouds towels. I found them at Bed Bath & Beyond and they went on our wedding registry. And then we used them….ahem…I used them and kept them oh so nice…Hubby used them, and let’s say I have to repeat, “These are IVORY!! Not for cleaning up stuff!!!” We now have taupe towels from Target….and they’re actually softer than the others and are now my favorite.