I have read on a diaper forum some of them use Dawn dish liquid to strip diapers. Not sure how they did it, that part I have forgotten. Using stpp should do it unless I'm mistaken.

Can I ask why you use Borax and Washing Soda if your stripping residues both of which are a common cause of residue?

I rarely strip anything I find the frequent use of STPP keeps everything nice.

If you are needing to strip towels every 6 months and are finding the water is nasty I would be reviewing my laundry practices.

Hope please tell us what your regular practice of washing your towels are...TL or FL? Detergent brand? Water temp? Boosters?

Were all here to help..there should be no reason you would have to deal with body oil residue...now detergent residue can be a common problem but it also can be solved.

I've never heard of this. I have a washing machine that cleans my towels just fine. Why go to all the extra work?

Kris...apparently its a good thing the op is going to the extra work if she's pulling out a lot of nasty. I hope she checks back in here perhaps we can all help her figure out why she's having the residue problems and she can solve it.

Yep my thoughts Roc too much detergent or additives...or not enough.

I've never heard of this practice. I wash them in hot water and proper amount of detergent and sometimes bleach but not every time. Our bath towels look and smell fine. And they still do the job. If my towels ever reach the point where they had to be 'stripped', I'd be at Kohls in a NY minute buying new ones.

And from a "musty" smell perspective, the towels need to be able to dry out! For instance, after a shower, I hang mine up. I let them dry, and then put them in the laundry basket 12- 24 hours later instead of wadding them up and throwing them in the basket wet.

I think the OP deleted herself. When I click on her name it says profile can't be found. Sigh.

Good topic regardless.