Few laundry mysteries are more frustrating than pulling freshly washed towels from the dryer and discovering orange stains that weren’t there before. These rusty-looking marks cling stubbornly to the fabric, refuse to wash out, and often reappear no matter how much detergent you use.
The good news? These stains aren’t random—and once you understand what causes them, you can eliminate them for good.
What Causes Orange Stains on Towels?
Orange stains on towels almost always come from one of five sources. Some are related to your water, while others come from everyday products you might not realize contain ingredients that stain.
1. Hard Water + Iron Content
If your home has iron-rich water, the mineral deposits can interact with detergent, heat, or oxygen and leave behind rust-colored stains.
Signs this is your issue:
Stains appear after washing or drying
Orange discoloration also appears in sinks or toilets
You use well water or live in a hard-water region
