Can You Donate Old Towels? What We Collect
Yes, you can donate old towels, and we’ll collect them free from your doorstep. Bath sheets, bath towels, hand towels, beach towels and tea towels are all welcome, even if they’re faded or a bit thin, as long as they’re clean and dry. It’s part of our free doorstep linen and towel collection, and you don’t need to be in.
- Free
- Faded is fine
- No need to be in
- Bed linen can go in too
Why they matter
Old towels are still useful towels
Towels are some of the most hard-wearing things in the house. They fade and soften long before they stop doing their job, so a towel you’ve grown tired of usually has years of use left in it.
Faded is fine
A towel that has lost its colour still dries you just as well. We don’t need them to look new, just to be clean and dry.
Always needed
Anyone setting up a home needs towels, and good second-hand ones cost far less than new. Some of the towels and bed linen we have collected have even gone to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home as cosy bedding for the animals.
Out of the cupboard
When you buy a new set, the old ones tend to pile up at the back of the airing cupboard. One collection clears the lot.
No trip to make
Towels are bulky, and not every charity shop has room for them. We come to you instead, so there’s nothing to carry and nowhere to drive.
There are no fees, a large percentage of the proceeds goes to the charity you choose when you book, and every towel that is used again is one less in the bin.
What to give
What towels can I donate?
The test is simple: if it’s clean, dry and someone could use it tomorrow, we’ll take it. Every size and colour is welcome, from a tiny face cloth to the biggest bath sheet.
- Bath sheets and bath towels
- Hand towels and guest towels
- Face cloths and flannels
- Beach towels and swimming towels
- Tea towels and kitchen towels
- Gym and sports towels
- Children’s towels, including hooded ones
- Faded, thin or odd towels that no longer match a set
Bed linen too
Sheets, pillow cases, duvet covers and table cloths can go in the same collection. See what bed linen and towels can I donate? for the full list.
Dry really matters
A towel that goes in the bag slightly damp can turn musty within days and spoil everything packed with it. Air them well first.
Please leave out
A few things we can’t take
Bath mats and dressing gowns
They often sit in the same cupboard as towels, but we can’t collect bath mats, or dressing gowns and towelling robes.
Instead: worn-out dressing gowns can go in a council textile bank to be recycled. Ask your local recycling centre about bath mats.
Wet, mouldy or badly soiled
Old is fine, but a towel that is damp, smells of mould or is heavily stained can’t be used again, and it spoils the bag it’s in.
Instead: wash and dry it fully first. If it can’t be saved, a council textile bank or your local recycling centre.
Pet bedding, blankets and pillows
We can’t take pet bedding, including towels kept for the dog’s basket, or blankets, throws, pillows and duvets.
Instead: many animal rescue centres welcome old towels and blankets. Check with yours first.
The full list for bedding and towels is on what bed linen and towels can I donate?, and for everything else, see what we collect.
Bagging up
How to donate old towels, step by step
Book online
Enter your postcode, pick a collection date and choose the charity you’d like to support. It’s free. If dates near you are full, you can join the waiting list for the next one.
Wash and dry them
Clean and completely dry goes in the bag. Shake the sand out of beach towels, and give anything from the back of the cupboard a sniff.
Pack bags a driver can lift
Fold or roll the towels into strong bags or boxes and tie each bag closed. Towels are bulky, so a few medium bags are better than one huge one.
Leave it out by 7am
On the doorstep, in the porch, or wherever you told us when you booked. You don’t need to be at home. The evening before, we email you an estimated arrival window and a link to follow the driver on the day.
Everything else about booking and the day itself is on how do I donate my bed linen and towels?
Afterwards
Where do donated towels go?
Back to our warehouse, where every bag is opened and the towels are sorted by hand. Most are used again: some stay in the UK, and others go to people abroad who can buy them at an affordable price. Plastic bags are reused as padding and cardboard boxes are recycled.
Every collection also raises money for the charity you chose when you book. Follow the journey on what happens to my bed linen and towels? and meet the people at the end of it on who do my bed linen and towels help?
Using a towel again also saves making a new one. We estimate that every kilo of linen and towels reused instead of made new saves around 3 kg of CO2e and 2,500 litres of water. Work out your own clear-out with the green calculator, or read why old sheets and towels shouldn’t go in the bin.
Questions
Questions people ask about donating towels
Can I donate towels that are faded or thin?
Yes. Faded, thin and slightly bobbly towels are welcome, and so are odd ones that no longer match a set. What matters is that they are clean and completely dry.
Do the towels need to be washed first?
Please send them clean and fully dry. Towels hold moisture for a long time, and one damp towel can make a whole bag musty.
Can I donate tea towels?
Yes, tea towels and kitchen towels are welcome, as long as they are clean. Table cloths can go in too.
Do I need to be at home?
No. Leave your bags out by 7am where you told us when you booked, and the driver collects them while you get on with your day.
How many bags can I put out?
As many as you have from a normal clear-out. If you have more than 20 bags or boxes, tell us when you book so we can make sure the van has room.
Can I give bed linen and other things at the same time?
Yes. One booking covers sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers as well as towels, and other things such as clothes and shoes can go in the same collection. See what we collect for the full list.
Can I book a collection for tomorrow?
If we are collecting near you tomorrow, yes. Tomorrow’s collections stay open until 4pm today. Enter your postcode on the booking page to see your dates, or check areas we cover.
More answers are on our frequently asked questions page.
Ready to donate your linen and towels?
It’s free, you don’t need to be at home, and you choose the charity your donation supports.