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Towels can lose their fluffiness as the weather turns colder, with dryers being too aggressive for the fabric and air-drying often causing a musty odour.
Overusing fabric softener or laundry detergent is another no-no, as it causes a chemical build-up that stiffens the towels.
But fear not, natural cleaning guru Nancy Birtwhistle has a simple solution to rejuvenate your towels. She suggests adding soda crystals to your laundry routine.
In an Instagram video, Nancy explained: “Just two tablespoons of washing soda dissolved in hot water is fantastic because its natural [antibacterial] qualities will dissolve any grease and dirt, neutralise any odour, and soften the water in the washing machine.”
Soda crystals not only tackle detergent or fabric softener residue clinging to your towels but also combat hard water, which contributes to towel roughness.
On social media Nancy noted that soda crystals are preferable over other natural remedies like vinegar or baking soda due to their superior alkalinity, making them more effective at clearing fabric build-up.
To start with this tip, pop the towels you want to soften into the washing machine, taking care not to cram too many in as they’ll need space to swish about.
Put the two tablespoons of soda crystals into the detergent compartment. Should the towels be extra grubby, add a tablespoon of liquid soap straight into the machine’s drum, but steer clear of any fabric softener or regular detergent.
Run the washing machine on your usual cycle. After the cycle ends, resist the urge to use a dryer. Instead, give the towels a vigorous shake before hanging them out to air dry.
Nancy shared her tip: “What do you do with towels to get them nice and fluffy? Now you can either put them in an expensive, energy-guzzling tumble dryer, which I don’t have.
“Or you can dry them outside, but if there’s no wind like today, they’re going to dry hard. So this is what you do. We do a workout and we give them a good shake.”
Nancy demonstrated by grabbing one end of a towel and shaking it firmly, then flipping it over for another good shake.
This easy technique helps loosen the fabric fibres from every angle, fluffing up the towels.
Ideally, hang them outdoors for the breeze to add extra fluffiness, but indoors works fine too. Once dry, the towels should be back to their soft and snug glory.
