Preparation and Care Instructions

At Jennifer’s Hamam we want your handcrafted textiles to last for years while retaining their beauty and functionality. Proper care is essential, and we've provided detailed instructions to help you get the most out of your products.
‍
PREPERATION FOR COTTON ITEMS
NOTE: Soaking is recommended for cotton items that need to be absorbent for proper use. IF the piece you purchased is NOT intended to be used as a towel, then the soaking can be omitted; however, running it through the washer and dryer 2-3 times advised to removed the natural lint.   Washable wipes should not be soaked - simply wash them 1-2 times. While our products are colourfast, we recommend following best practices:  soaking whites separately, ecru separately, darks with darks, lights with lights.

COTTON Thick Looped Towels Preparation:
1.   Soak in cold water for 24 hours. Ensure the towel is fully saturated by pressing and squishing the fabric with your hands.
2. Hang to drip dry, or if preferred, spin in the washer and tumble dry.
3. Repeat 2-3 soaks and dries for the colourful or white towels. For ecru towels (natural coloured cotton), 3-4 soaks may be necessary.
‍
Tips for Stubborn Absorbency Issues:
Teaching your cotton how to be absorbent is not exact science, it's just water, time, and patience.   Ecru will always be more stubborn to 'learn' than white or colourful - this is normal.
- Hard water? Add 1/2 cup of clear vinegar to the soaking or washing water.
- Done the above but your towel is still not absorbent? A few hot water washes can assist in removing the natural oils in the cotton.
- Don't have a place to soak your towels? You repeatedly wash and dry instead.  It will take approximately 15-20 washes/dries for ecru thick-looped towels to become absorbent and 10-15 washes/dries for white or colourful thick-looped towels to become absorbent.
‍
COTTON Thin Flat-woven Pestamel Preparation:
1. Soak in cold water for 10-12 hours.
2. Hang to drip dry or use the washer's spin cycle and follow up with the dryer.
For pestamel, absorbency develops more quickly due to the lighter material, but follow the same steps as thick towels if needed.
‍
LINEN  Items
1. Cold wash and cool dry the towel a 2-3 times to get rid of natural lint.

________________________________________________________________________
‍Everyday care for COTTON or LINEN looped towels:  
washing machine 30-40 C
NO FABRIC SOFTENER, NO BLEACH
cool-medium dryer
Do not over dry cotton and do not use hot temperatures for linen

NOTE:  Should any loops on any thick-looped towel (cotton or linen) get caught or hang long, cut the longer loop off with sharp scissors at the length of the other loops. If you leave the longer loops, they will make 'babies' in our modern day washing and drying machines. Snip them off and the towel will remain looking new.
______________________________________________________________
‍Everyday care for COTTON or LINEN flat-woven pestamel:  
‍washing machine 30-40 C
NO FABRIC SOFTENER, NO BLEACH
cool-medium dryer
Do not over dry cotton and do not use hot temperatures for linen
______________________________________________________________
Everyday care for WOOL items:  
‍washing machine 30C
NO FABRIC SOFTENER, NO BLEACH
Lay flat to dry.  
‍
____________________________________________________________
KEEPING WHITES WHITE and dealing with STAINS
Harsh chemicals damages natural fibres. For a natural alternative:
-  Use  vinegar and Baking Soda to treat stains. Apply 1tsp - 1T of each directly to the stain, rub, and wash as usual.
- To whiten, add up to one cup of each to the washing machine.
‍
NOTE:  Mixing vinegar and baking soda causes bubbling, so do not combine them in a small container or put into the detergent drawer of the washing machine. Put either directly into the drum of the washing machine or onto the item that is to be washed..
_________________________________________________________
ENEMIES OF YOUR TOWELS
Some everyday hygiene products and habits can harm your textiles:
 
Chemicals in creams, deodorants, or prescription treatments can damage your natural fibres over time. Rinse thoroughly before drying off to minimize the towels exposure.    

Clorine in swimming pools will bleach and degrade fibres.

Avoid spills from hair dye, ink, or other permanent staining agents, as they will change the colour of the fabric immediately and there is no natural way of removing these kind of stains.

For other spills or stains, treat them quickly with vinegar and baking soda to prevent permanent discolouration.

Keeping Your Towels Soft
- Use detergents that are phosphate free and do not over use.
- Avoid harsh chemicals.
- Do not overload your washing machine
- Use wool dryer balls in the dryer
- Use lower temperature settings in the dryer
____________________
With proper care, your Jennifer's Hamam textiles will reward you with years of beauty, functionality, and enjoyment.
‍