Eventually even the softest towels can get stiff and faded. And it is one of life’s cruel ironies that the more you launder your towels, the dingier they can get. Build-up from detergent and fabric softener is the main culprit as to why your comfy linens can get rough. To help combat the build-up and help loosen up the fabric, try these home remedies.
- Soak towels in hot water and 1/4 cup (or less) ammonia. The ammonia will help remove residue.
- Add 1 cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle to help soften the fabric.
- When the machine is full of water, add 1 cup Epsom salt. This will help remove chemical build-up.
- Do not overload the washing machine. It is important not to smash and compact the fibers during the wash.
- Use a round brush to bring your towel back to life. Lay the towel flat on the bed and use long brush strokes. Follow the brushing with a wash without detergent.
- Do not hang your towels out to dry. Though quaint and environmentally friendly, line drying can contribute to the stiffness of towels. Tumble dry instead.
Try some of these tips next time you find your towels more scratchy than soft. And for all your other laundering needs, please visit your neighborhood Classic Cleaners.
Great information!! Thanks for sharing… ps I am a customer, as the seasons change and so not a customer on a weekly basis, but your post sharing your expertise in softening fabric has made me a life-long customer… no reason to find anyone else to do my seasonal dry cleaning needs! (btw, my website is in the process of being created but soon it will be live, if your interested in music, polka’s, and odds and ends that come together, not in an odd way. ;))
[…] Towels – Wash bathroom laundry towels every 3-5 uses. Be sure the towel has time to dry off between uses to ward off mold and mildew. If you use your towel more than 3-5 times before washing it, remember, each time you dry off (even though you’re clean) you are scraping off dead skin cells that collect in the fibers of your towel. So you end up with 5 days worth of dead skin cells in your towel on that 6th use. Yuck! Have your towels started to get scruffy? Here’s how to soften them. […]