White towels that I'm not supposed to wash with bleach?

Question

I went looking for white bath towels, with the idea that when I wash them I can use bleach in the laundry cycle for cleanliness/sanitation.

Instead, all I find at stores are white towels with directions to use 'warm water and non-chlorine bleach'.

Why can't I use regular bleach to wash them? The towels are all-cotton, so what is the problem?

Answer 1

I would think that "all cotton" could be bleached.  Maybe the factory put the wrong directions on those towels.  I'd try bleaching one of them to see what happens.  I can't imagine not being able to use bleach with cotton.  Try one.  lol  See what happens.

Answer 2

Chlorine bleach will eventually leave them yellow.  It will also weaken the fibres.  Use an oxygenated bleach, or (if you are in the UK) a washing powder for whites that already has oxygenated bleach incorporated in it.  If you wash them in hot water they will be sanitised and the oxygen bleach will also sanitise them.