Soft and fluffy towels are an integral part of home comfort.
However, after repeated washings they often lose their softness, becoming stiff and unpleasant to the touch.
There are proven ways to restore softness to towels.
The stiffness of towels after washing can be caused by several factors. The main reason is the accumulation of detergent residues in the fabric fibers.
Hard water also promotes limescale build-up, which makes towels rough.
In addition, high temperatures during washing and drying can damage the structure of the fibers, depriving them of their natural softness.
To keep your towels soft, it is important to choose the right detergents. It is better to give preference to liquid detergents, as they are better washed out of the fabric.
Avoid using large amounts of powder as residue may accumulate in the fibres.
Fabric softeners help soften fabrics, but should be used sparingly to avoid reducing the absorbency of towels.
The water temperature when washing towels should not exceed 60°C. Higher temperatures can damage the fibers and make the fabric stiff.
It is recommended to use the extra rinse mode to thoroughly remove all detergent residues.
Before washing, towels should be sorted by color and material to avoid damaging more delicate fabrics.
There are proven folk methods for making towels soft. One effective method is to add table vinegar to the rinse water (50-100 ml per standard load of the washing machine).
Vinegar helps remove detergent residue and limescale. Another option is to use baking soda, which is added to the powder compartment (1/2 cup per load). Soda neutralizes odors and softens water.
The drying method also affects the softness of the towels. It is best to dry them in the open air, but not in direct sunlight, which can make the fabric stiff.
If you use a tumble dryer, use a gentle cycle with low temperature. Before putting the towels away, it is recommended to shake them to loosen the fibers.
The cleanliness of the washing machine directly affects the quality of washing towels. It is necessary to regularly clean the filter and drum from scale and dirt.
For this purpose, you can use special products or carry out preventive washing with citric acid or vinegar without loading laundry.
To maintain softness, it is important to store towels properly. They should be folded loosely, not packed tightly in the closet.
Good ventilation will help to avoid the appearance of a musty smell and will keep the fabric fresh. Periodically, the towels should be shifted so that the lower ones do not get caked.
If old towels have become too stiff, you can try to restore them.
To do this, they are soaked in a solution of warm water with the addition of 1 glass of salt per 4 liters of water for several hours.
After this, the towels are washed in the usual way with the addition of vinegar when rinsing. This procedure will help to restore softness even to the hardest towels.