Abstract: A towel guard is used in conjunction with a beach towel to exclude sand and other debris from the surface of the beach towel. The towel guard is long enough to extend around the perimeter of the towel, and has a cross-sectional shape that provides enough height to exclude the debris. The towel guard may be permanently attached to the towel, or releasably held to the towel. As a releasable attachment, the hook member of hook and loop fasteners is used, the hook member being fixed to the towel guard and engageable with the nap on the surface of the towel.