I have noticed lately that my towels are no longer soft. The towels have taken on a very coarse or rough texture, and they just don't feel very pleasant to the touch. I found an article on The Spruce that was titled how to soften your towels, and I thought I would give it a try.
Here is a quote from their site that may explain why towels lose their softness.
"Every towel will eventually become stiff and scratchy if body soil, body oils, detergents, chemicals, and minerals from hard water are left in the fibers after washing. Most of the time, the softness can be brought back to the towel fabric simply by stripping away the gunk and then following the easy steps to help prevent the problem in the first place."
Here is the list they give of what you will need to correct this problem
Supplies
Hot water
Distilled white vinegar
Household ammonia (optional)
(I bought distilled white vinegar on Amazon.)
Tools
Washing machine
Clothes dryer
Wool dryer balls
(I bought wool dryer balls on Amazon also)
Outdoor clothesline (optional)
Water softening system (optional)
I went on Amazon and ordered distilled white vinegar and wool dryer balls. I don't have household ammonia, an outdoor clothesline, or a water softening system so, I will give it a try without those items.
I told my daughter I was going to try this and, her concern was that the towels would smell like vinegar. I guess we won't know if that is that case until I complete the process so, let's get started.
*The first thing they say to do is load the washer and they warn not to overload. I do tend to overload and, that may be part of my problem.
*The water temp should be warm or hot and placed in a normal wash setting.
*They say to add two cups of the distilled white vinegar and do not add detergent and wash.
*When taking your towels out of the wash, give them a shake to fluff them up and load them with the wool dryer balls. The dryer setting should be placed on medium heat or permanent press.
*When you remove them from the dryer, give them a good shake before you fold them.
You may need to repeat this process if your towels are not as soft as you think they should be.
The Process.
*I did wash my towels before I started.
*I collected some of the towels that felt really rough to me to wash. I left on scratchy on out of the process to compare this one to the ones I wash with the distilled white vinegar.
*So I placed them in the washer with two cups of the vinegar; I did not overcrowd the towels, I will wash them in hot water.
*When taking them out of the dryer, I shook them and added them to the dryer with the wool dryer balls.
*I will dry them on the permanent press setting.
*Now let's compare the finished product to the towel I did not wash
The Outcome
I unloaded my towels and, I could not wait to feel the incredible softness. Sadly I noticed very little difference. A few of the towels may have softened a bit. I will continue trying. When I wash my towels, I will mix the vinegar with some detergent to make sure they are clean. I did not notice a vinegar smell when I removed my towels from the dryer. That is a good thing.
On the site, they also list ways to prevent scratchy stiff towels.
A few that I will try is to reduce the amount of detergent you use. Use warm or hot water in your wash. Don't overcrowd your washer. Use wool dryer balls when you dry your towels.
It was a fun experiment. I will keep trying to soften my towels.
Enjoy Your Home!
KathieyV
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