Towels get hard after washing due to built-up detergent, fabric softener residue, mineral deposits from hard water, or over-drying, which stiffen the cotton fibers, making them rough instead of fluffy. The main culprits are using too much soap, not rinsing well, or using softeners that coat the fibers, but you can restore softness by using less detergent, adding vinegar or baking soda, and avoiding fabric softeners and bleach.
If your towels are very stiff and scratchy, try adding around 250ml of vinegar to a wash along with your laundry liquid. Add it to the washing machine drum just before you load and set the cycle going. Don't worry—it won't make your washing smell like a bag of chips as the scent dissipates during the washing process.
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Causes of Stiff Towels
Hard Water: Minerals like calcium and magnesium in hard water build up on towel fibers, making them rough and scratchy. Overuse of Detergent/Conditioner: Excess detergent and fabric conditioners can leave residues that harden the fabric.
For a bathtub, add ¼ cup borax, ¼ cup washing soda and ½ cup laundry detergent. Stir until all three ingredients dissolve completely. Submerge "clean" towels or sheets in the mixture and soak until the water has cooled, which usually takes at least four hours.
A good temperature for washing towels and sheets is 40 degrees, but a 60 degreewash will be better at killing germs. Changing your sheets and towels once a week can help to keep them fresh and clean**. Use ourlaundry tips section for guidelines on different fabrics.
If you are looking for extra, extra fluffiness and buoyancy, try washing with baking soda and detergent first, followed by washing with white vinegar.
Softening towels with baking soda
Using baking soda may be a better option than vinegar for those worried about odours and contamination, as it is a more neutral substance that will not linger in any noticeable way.
Being made out of 100% pure British wool, laundry dryer balls gently absorb excess moisture as they take a tumble with your clothes, bed linen and towels. The result is naturally softer, fluffier laundry with less creases.
Enzyme detergents are the best choice for towels: Enzyme laundry detergents break down protein, starch, and oil stains at the molecular level, delivering a deeper clean without damaging towel fibers.
Vinegar Soak: Place your towels in the washing machine and add one cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. The vinegar will break down mineral buildup and soap residue that can contribute to fabric stiffness.
Add some white vinegar to the fabric softening compartment in your washing machine. Don't use detergent for this load! If you want to use both, wash the towels first with detergent, then start another load with only vinegar.
However, as mentioned above, fabric softener and dryer sheets contain PDMS, which will coat the towel fibers and cause them to lose absorbency and become stiff and scratchy. Cutting fabric softener and dryer sheets out of your wash-and-dry routine for towels is the first step to keeping them soft, fluffy and absorbent.
Adding vinegar directly to the wash with your laundry detergent may compromise its cleaning performance. Laundry detergents are formulated for specific pH levels, which may be disrupted by the acidity of vinegar, leading to less effective cleaning. It's best to avoid mixing them to ensure optimal results.
But eight places you should never use vinegar include:
#2 – Set the Right Temperature for Washing Towels:
Moreover, setting the washing machine temperature to 40 degrees also ensures the elimination of bacteria and other germs that often breed in towels as towels accumulate sweat and body fluids due to constant use in hotel rooms.
Absolutely. If you need to perform stain removal on any of your clothes, then it is totally fine to opt for 40 degrees instead of 30 degrees on your washing machine. However, if you need to wash incredibly delicate fabrics like silk, then we would recommend sticking to 30 degrees.