Tackling laundry can usually be a piece of cake, but when it’s time to wash towels, things can get quite tricky indeed.
Towels may start off ultra-soft and seem perfect for the wash, yet somehow they emerge looking sad, all rough, less than fresh, and sporting that not-so-charming musty smell.
Faced with stiff, “cardboard-like” towels and puzzled on how to regain their long-lost softness, Sue Horne reached out to the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips and Tricks Facebook group to find a solution.
Her query was: “Keeping bath and hand towels soft. How do you keep them as good as new?”
Continuing, she explained her towel woes, adding: “I keep meaning to ask my mother what the secret is as her bath and hand towels are permanently super soft like new. I mean luxury soft. They’re cardboard-like at times. Rough and horrible.”
A flood of advice came her way from fellow Hinch enthusiasts suggesting she ditch the fabric conditioner which appears to be the culprit.
The root cause of sandpapery towels post-wash isn’t a mystery it’s the accumulation of gunk from fabric softeners and dryer sheets clogging up the fibres over time.
Sooner or later, every towel will turn into an exfoliating tool if residues from body oils, detergents, and hard water minerals aren’t completely washed away.
While white vinegar usually takes the crown for softening scratchy towels, Mrs Hinch’s loyal followers are championing another household hero – soda crystals.
Group member Mary Beaton tipped off: “I never use fabric conditioner as towels do not dry one as well. I just use soda crystals in the drum. If badly stained I use a 60 wash.”
Leonie Moore suggested a laundry hack, revealing: “I don’t use fabric conditioner as that makes them less absorbent. I add soda crystals to the wash which is supposed to help.”
Jenny Bans also favoured a fabric softener alternative, advising: “Ditch the fabric softener or only use a little and replace with soda crystals. Really does make a difference.”
Margaret Butcher had a firm opinion, stating categorically: “Don’t use fabric softener! That coats the fibres and makes them unable to absorb water. Put soda crystals in your washing machine drum with nothing else.”
Echoing this sentiment, Carmel Gardiner shared her personal experience: “I stopped using fabric conditioner and now use soda crystals instead in the washing machine. My towels are so soft.”
Adding to the chorus, Hayley Watts disclosed her own tip: “I use soda crystals with my towels to keep soft. I had a few towels that were going a bit crispy but doing this soon sorted it within the first wash.”
The team at Big Green Smile chimed in with professional advice on towel care, with a spokesperson saying: “If your towels are feeling a bit crunchy, it may be that they’re suffering from limescale and detergent build-up.
“Try soaking them in a medium-strength mixture of soda crystals and warm water. Rinse well, then wash them as normal.”
