Have you struggled to keep your towels soft after repeated washes? These pieces of absorbent fabric can easily get stiff, crispy, and rough on the skin after a couple of washing cycles. Often, their crispness and scratchiness stem from using the wrong types and amounts of washing detergent and fabric softener. It’s also crucial to mind how you dry your towels.
Here are five tips presented by Fresh Clothes to keep your towels super soft and in great shape:
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Wash Your Towels at 30 Degrees
Setting your washing machine temperature to 30 degrees can help maintain your towel’s fluffy feel. While 60 degrees can help prevent any buildup of bacteria or remove stubborn stains on the fabric, it might make the towel stiffer with each wash cycle. 60 degrees is also required for non-biodegradable detergents because it takes more heat and more work to remove the detergents from the fabric. Setting your washing machine temperature to 30 degrees helps conserve energy. It also works best with biodegradable detergents, which are also more eco-friendly.
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Don’t Overload Your Washing Machine
For best results, your laundry load should be able to freely move around and properly soak in the detergent, softener, and water. Overloading the washing machine prevents this from happening, making it more difficult to properly wash and keep your towels soft. Also, overloaded machines take longer to do the job, eating into your time and wasting energy. To prevent this, laundry experts recommend not loading more than five large towels into the machine per wash cycle.
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Incorporate Baking Soda into Wash
Incorporating baking soda directly into the wash can improve your laundry results. Half a cup should be enough to eliminate tough stains like grease. It can also neutralize odors that may remain on the clothing long after each wash. The fact that baking soda is non-toxic and safer for the environment makes it an excellent laundry detergent for a broad array of fabrics and garments, including towels. It’s also a gentle option for people with sensitive skin or allergies.
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Soften with Vinegar During the Rinse Cycle
Instead of using a fabric softener, add white vinegar, an affordable eco-friendly solution, to the rinse cycle to soften your towels. It powerfully breaks down any debris or chemical remnants in the fabric, preventing any gradual buildup that may stiffen up your towels. Add half a cup of the solution to the rinse cycle to keep your towels fluffy through multiple wash cycles. If you’re worried about vinegar’s smell clinging to the towels after their wash, don’t be! After the drying cycle, your towels won’t retain any vinegar scent.
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Tumble Dry the Towels
How you dry your towels can also affect their softness over time. Experts recommend tumble drying your fluffy pieces of fabric in the dryer for best outcomes. Be sure to select the right dryer configuration for towels, such as the medium setting. Remember, towels take longer to dry than clothes, so wait until they’re completely dry before removing them from the dryer.
If you do not want to worry about doing all of these extra steps, send your towels to Fresh Clothes. We will ensure your towels are returned within 24 hours feeling soft and clean!
