Fans of cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch have shared their go-to method for softening hard towels.
Towels can turn hard and scratchy for many reasons – hard water, too much detergent and overfilling the washing machine when cleaning them.
The minerals found in hard water, friction during the washing process and a build-up of laundry detergent can all cause your once soft and fluffy towels to become rough.
One person struggling with washing “rough” towels was Facebook user Gemma Driscoll.
Fed up with her scratchy towels, Gemma asked the Facebook group, ‘Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips’ for help. She posted: “I use fabric softener/conditioner when I wash my clothes but my towels especially are quite rough and not soft when drying them outside on the washing line. How can I stop this from happening? I haven’t got a tumble dryer at the moment.”
Gemma’s post was inundated with responses from fellow Mrs Hinch fans who suggested avoiding fabric softener.
Karen Hilton said: “I never use fabric softener with towels as it makes them hard, I only use a washing tablet.”
Bonnie Brown replied: “Exactly. Fabric softener actually puts a film on your towels keeping them from being soft. Will also hold odours. When you stop using it, after a few washes it brings your towels back to their original state.”
Jennie Green commented: “I never use fabric softer in towels. Clogs the fibres.” Diane Thompson suggested: “I use white vinegar no softener they come out soft no smell either.”
Despite the name, fabric softener or fabric conditioner can reduce absorbency by coating a towel’s fibres. This can cause the towel to become hard and scratchy.
Other suggestions from Mrs Hinch fans included using white vinegar and baking soda to soften rough towels.
Sonia Wright posted: “I mean, you’d think the clue was in the name of the product but fabric softener does do that to clothes. Towels are the worst.
“You can possibly make it better by using less of it. However, white vinegar works as a softener. Maybe try that in a wash and dry the same way to see if there’s a difference.”
Kathryn Hopkins commented: “White vinegar in your wash, kills all bacteria too.”
Anna Barr Todd wrote: “Vinegar and baking soda.”
Karin Lane shared her method for washing towels. She said: “Set your washing machine temperature to 30 degrees. Don’t overfill the washing machine drum. Add half a cup of baking soda directly to the wash. Add half a cup of white vinegar to your rinse cycle. Add essential oil to make your towels smell good.”
White vinegar is often recommended for towels because it can penetrate the towel’s coating and act as a natural fabric softener.
The natural household item can remove any residue that is left behind by fabric softeners, reducing that unpleasant, scratchy feel.
