A fabric softener can improve the fragrance of your laundry while helping prevent wrinkles and static cling on clothing. However, using this softener on your bath towel sets can harm the fibers as they contain oils that can coat towel fibers and destroy their absorbency and other fluffy fabrics. So, it’s better to not use them when drying your towels. Skip the softener every few washes if your towels don’t dry as well as when they were new. Here we have some alternative ways to wash towels to make them soft again.
Other Ways to Make Towels Feel Soft Again
You may soften your towels in a number of ways without using fabric softener. Here are some useful pointers you can take a look at:
1. Wash Towels With Vinegar
Wash colored towels with similar shades in warm water to prevent colors from bleeding for the first several washes. Use half the suggested amount of detergent for washing, and during the rinse cycle, add a cup or more of white vinegar to the water. Applying vinegar will help the colors stay in place and will get rid of extra detergent residue.
2. Use Baking Soda In Place of Fabric Softener
To make towels softer, baking soda works just as well as a liquid fabric softener. Your towels will smell great after washing if you add baking soda to your wash cycle. The baking soda loosens the towel’s fibers and removes product build-up. Additionally, it gently whitens clothing and gets rid of the musty smell from wet towels left in the laundry basket after a shower. To use baking soda on towels, add half a cup of the powder in the wash with your laundry detergent, then add your towels and wash on a normal cycle.
3. Wash Towels Separately
Lint is frequently produced by cotton towels because cotton is a natural material and sheds like other natural fibers. New towels should be laundered and dried separately during the first few washes to avoid lint picking. When washing, avoid mixing them with microfiber or corduroy. Towels are given the necessary care when they are washed in a separate laundry. This may seem tedious, but it’s all worth it.
4. Reduce Amount of Laundry Detergent
You don’t need too many laundry products when washing towels. There are probably several residues on stiff, scratchy towels. To avoid leaving soapy residue on your towel, it is preferable to use a bit less detergent while washing them. Alternatively, add more water during the wash to avoid product residue.
5. Use Warm Water
It is advisable to wash towels at a temperature that is close to your body temperature. Unlike hot water, using warm when washing won’t damage the cotton fibers. It may also absorb detergent more effectively, which results in less product buildup after washing.
6. Use a Lower Setting in the Dryer
Even the best cotton towels can be affected when subjected to high heat from the dryer. When drying your towel sets, set the dryer to a lower heat level. Shake the towel before moving it from the washer to the dryer. This helps make the towels fluffy after drying.
