For years, the writer thought their laundry routine was foolproof — until a small orange spot appeared on a gray towel and mysteriously grew brighter with every wash. Soon, more towels showed the same vivid tint, and no amount of scrubbing or rewashing made it fade. They checked everything: the washer, the dryer, the counters, the bathroom surfaces — nothing offered a clue.

After some searching and a conversation with a skincare-savvy friend, the answer finally came into focus. The towels weren’t stained at all — they were being bleached. Benzoyl peroxide, a common acne-treatment ingredient, can break down fabric dyes on contact. What starts as a faint dot eventually turns into a permanent, unmistakable orange patch. And once heat from the washer or dryer sets it in, the damage is irreversible.

Understanding the culprit made the strange pattern make sense. Any towel that touched skin too soon after applying acne products was slowly losing its color. No detergent or stain remover could fix it, because the dye wasn’t dirty — it was gone.

The solution, thankfully, is simple. Switch to white towels, let skincare products fully absorb before drying off, wash hands thoroughly after applying treatments, or even keep separate “skincare towels” for everyday use. A small change can save a whole stack of towels — and prevent the mystery orange spots from returning.