Ironing a hammam towel: necessary or not?

A hammam towel sometimes comes out of the washing machine with a few creases. Flat-woven cotton simply shows wrinkles more than a fluffy terry towel. That is why many people ask: should you iron a hammam towel? The short answer: in everyday use, usually not. But there are situations where the iron is worth it – and a few things you should keep in mind so that the fabric and fringes stay beautiful.

Contents9

1. Why does a hammam towel crease at all?
2. Ironing a hammam towel: when it is worth it
3. Avoiding creases – without an iron
4. Crease-free on the go: travel, beach and sauna bag
5. Typical mistakes that cause creases in the first place
6. If you do iron: step by step
7. And the bathrobe?
8. Conclusion
9. Frequently asked questions

Why does a hammam towel crease at all?

A classic terry towel has loops that stand up and visually swallow creases. A hammam towel, on the other hand, is flat-woven. The threads lie close and smooth next to each other, which makes the towel light and quick-drying. The downside: every crease created during washing or spinning remains visible on the smooth surface.

A towel creases most when it is left lying wet and compressed – in the drum after spinning or in the laundry basket. As it dries, the creases are practically set in place. This is not a quality defect but typical of cotton in this weave. Incidentally, according to the product descriptions of our towels, the cotton becomes softer with every wash, and the creases are often less noticeable then too.

Ironing a hammam towel: when it is worth it

Whether you reach for the iron depends mainly on what you use the towel for. In the sauna, shower or on the beach, light creases bother nobody. But as soon as the towel is used visibly as decoration, given as a gift or laid on the table, a smooth surface looks nicer.

Use	Iron?	Our tip
Sauna, shower, bathroom	No	Shaking out and hanging up smoothly is enough
Beach, lake, travel	No	Roll instead of fold, then hardly any edges form
Tablecloth, picnic	Can be worth it	Smooth out the centre crease in particular
Gift	Yes, if permitted	Neatly folded, it looks more high-quality
Decoration, wall or sofa	Yes, if permitted	Large surfaces show every crease

"If permitted" means: check the care label first. The iron symbol tells you whether and how hot you may iron. We explain all the symbols on the label in detail in our article Care symbols explained.

Avoiding creases – without an iron

Most creases can be prevented before they form. With these simple steps you can skip ironing in almost all cases:

1. Do not overload the drum: If the towel has room in the machine, it gets compressed less.
2. Take it out right away: Wet laundry left in the drum for hours creases the most.
3. Shake it out firmly: Hold the towel by two corners and flick it vigorously two or three times. Then do the other side.
4. Hang it up smoothly: In a single layer over the line or drying rack, smoothing the edges with your hands. The weight of the damp fabric pulls many creases out by itself.
5. Air-dry: According to the care instructions, our hammam towels such as the Ocean hammam towel or the SULTAN hammam towel should be washed at 30 °C, without fabric softener, and air-dried.
6. Fold or roll as soon as it is dry: If the towel lies crumpled in the basket, new creases appear.

You can read more about washing in our article Washing a hammam towel, and how to store towels in a space-saving, crease-free way is shown in Folding or rolling a hammam towel.

The bathroom trick

For individual creases there is a simple solution: hang the towel on a hook in the bathroom while you shower. The warm steam relaxes the fibres, and many light creases drop out by themselves afterwards. A handheld garment steamer works on the same principle and is especially convenient for large towels, because the towel can simply stay hanging.

Crease-free on the go: travel, beach and sauna bag

A hammam towel is popular for travel precisely because it takes up so little space. To keep it from creasing in your suitcase or sauna bag, one simple rule helps: roll instead of fold. Rolling creates no sharp edges, and the towel arrives almost smooth. To do this, fold it once lengthwise and then roll it up loosely from the short side.

In a hotel or holiday apartment, it is best to hang the towel up as soon as you arrive – over the back of a chair, a towel rail or the shower rod. After one night, most traces of the journey are gone. On the beach or in the sauna rest area, light creases are not noticeable anyway once the towel is on the lounger or wrapped around your shoulders.

Typical mistakes that cause creases in the first place

• Spin speed too high: The harder the spin, the more firmly creases are pressed into the fabric. A medium setting is usually enough for light towels.
• Washing with heavy laundry: Jeans or thick terry towels squash the thin towel in the drum. It is better to wash it with similarly light laundry.
• Folding it over a thin line: If the towel hangs exactly in the middle over a single line, a fold often remains there. Spread over two lines or across the rack, it dries smoother.
• Too long in blazing sun: The towel dries quickly but can become stiff, and strong colours may look lighter over time. A semi-shaded spot is a good compromise.
• Fabric softener as a remedy: It does not make the towel smoother but coats the fibres. Our care instructions therefore advise against it.

If you do iron: step by step

If the towel needs to be really smooth for a tablecloth or a gift, this is the best way to go about it:

1. Check the label: If the iron symbol is crossed out, do not iron. The dots in the symbol show the permitted setting. One dot usually stands for low, three dots for high temperature.
2. Iron while slightly damp: A towel that is not quite dry is much easier to smooth. Alternatively, dampen it with a spray bottle or use the steam function.
3. Start on a lower setting: Test on a corner first, then increase the temperature up to the permitted level if needed.
4. Work in lanes: Iron along the direction of the weave, not in circles. That way the fabric does not get pulled out of shape.
5. Leave out the fringes: Only smooth the surface. Do not press the fringes flat.
6. Let it cool: Leave the towel lying flat for a moment and only then fold it.

What happens to the fringes

Hand-knotted fringes, like those on the SULTAN hammam towel or the grey fringes of the MAHINA hammam towel, look best when they fall loosely. The iron flattens them and they lose their character. Better: shake them out after washing and pull them into shape with your fingers. You will find detailed tips in our article Caring for hammam towel fringes.

And the bathrobe?

The same question arises with light cotton bathrobes. Here it is worth taking a close look at the care instructions: for the Trimita Barok bathrobe they explicitly say "do not iron". With the Trimita hooded bathrobe made of three-layer muslin, the crinkled texture is even intended – it is part of the look. Ironing would do more harm than good here.

Related reading: Drying laundry in winter: why hammam towels have the edge · Organising Your Linen Cupboard: Spring Cleaning in Six Steps · Hammam towel as a wall hanging: how to hang it

Conclusion

You do not need to iron a hammam towel for everyday use. Take it out of the machine promptly, shake it out firmly, hang it up smoothly and fold it as soon as it is dry – that keeps most creases away. For a tablecloth, decoration or gift, the iron can make sense if the care label allows it. Then iron while slightly damp, in lanes and without the fringes.

Frequently asked questions

Does ironing make a hammam towel less absorbent?

We are not aware of that. For absorbency, it is more important to avoid fabric softener – which is also what the care instructions for our towels recommend.

Can a hammam towel go in the dryer so it does not crease?

Air-drying is recommended for our hammam towels. Always follow the label of your towel.

What is the right ironing temperature?

The iron symbol on the label tells you. If in doubt, start lower and test on a corner.

Can I smooth a hammam towel with steam?

Yes, steam is a gentle alternative to ironing. Even the steam from your shower helps against light creases.

Does every hammam towel crease equally?

No. Thinner, light towels often show creases more clearly than heavier ones. How much a towel creases depends mainly on how it is washed and dried.

See hammam towels

Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam and sauna operator at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.