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Wrapping yourself in a soft, fluffy towel after a shower or bath feels wonderful. But when towels go hard and scratchy, drying yourself with them is not the same indulgent experience and can feel like drying yourself with sandpaper.
Laundering towels with care can restore and prolong their softness. Limescale and detergent buildup are the two main things stiffening your towels. To strip them, a cleaning fan has given their suggestion on Mumsnet, and it does not involve using white vinegar.
Taking to Mumsnet, Sunflower6 asked: “Has anyone got any tips on how to make towels soft again once they have gone hard? I tried washing without fabric conditioner, but that hasn’t helped.”
One user recommended using soda crystals alone in the washing machine without adding detergent before transferring the towels to the tumble dryer.
User wowfudge said: “Wash with soda crystals only in your machine – no washing powder or liquid – on a hot cottons wash, then tumble dry.
“Towels tend to go hard when they have washing powder/liquid residue in them.
“They should be washed at 60 degrees (or hotter) with only a little detergent and no fabric softener. Don’t mix them with other washing – wash towels together, separately from clothes, etc.
“The soda crystals will clean the towels and break down the detergent deposit [that is] making them hard.
“Tumble dryer is optional, but it’s the best way of getting lovely fluffy towels at home – you could always take them to the launderette to use the dryer there.
“I find line-dried towels go crisp – you can kind of soften them up (and someone I used to work with swore by ironing them to do so), but it’s not the same.”
People have been using soda crystals to clean and soften laundry for at least 100 years, so it’s no surprise they’re often referred to as “washing soda”. Soda crystals can help to remove stains and soften water. Just add a tablespoon to your detergent in the wash.
The cleaning fan shared their bad experience with using vinegar to soften towels: “Some people recommend white vinegar in the machine as a substitute for fabric softener – I tried this once when I ran out softener and it made everything smell like a chippy although I only used a small amount. I had to wash it all again.”
