😲Every towel I own ends up with weird orange stains that never wash out. This one’s barely a month old — any idea why? And why always orange? All my towels are ruined!

I first noticed the strange neon-orange blotch on my favorite grey hand towel and assumed it was just rust or some forgotten spill. I washed it with extra detergent, but the mark stayed stubbornly bright. Weeks later, more towels showed the same orange stains — my bathroom looked like a pumpkin spice mess.

The main culprit? Benzoyl peroxide, a common acne treatment ingredient. Instead of typical stains, it bleaches fabric dye, leaving orange or yellow patches that won’t wash out. The marks usually appear where your skin touches the towel, building up over time.

Not all orange stains come from chemicals. If your water has high iron content, especially well water, it can leave tiny rusty spots on fabrics. I discovered this visiting a friend in the countryside — detergent didn’t help, but a rust-removing laundry additive did.

Hair products and self-tanners can also cause orange or brown marks. Even shampoos with warm pigments transfer color to towels when drying your hair.

Cleaning sprays containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide add another layer of risk. Wiping your hands on towels after using these products can create invisible bleach spots. A friend once thought her washing machine was turning towels pink, but it was actually surface cleaner residue.

To prevent damage, I now use white towels for face care, wait for products to dry before towel contact, use filtered water or rust remover, and keep a dedicated towel for hair.

Unfortunately, stains from benzoyl peroxide or bleach are permanent. Options include dyeing the towel, repurposing it, or bleaching it fully. Rust stains can often be removed with special treatments.

By understanding these causes, you can protect your towels and keep them looking fresh longer.