If your towels have been smelling musty and are stiff to the touch then you may be doing your laundry wrong, but there is a natural way to restore them with just one wash.
Nicholas Crusie, an expert from Miracle Brand has shared that the most common reason towels lose their softness is by using too much laundry detergent or fabric softener.
He said: “The main culprit for towels losing their magical softness is residue from detergents and body oils that build up within the fabric. This buildup of leftover products will cause stiffness and a rough, crackly feeling.”
If you use too many laundry products when washing towels, they will not be able to rinse off any residue and will lose their ability to absorb moisture, which is what causes them to feel brick hard.
However, it is incredibly easy to restore towels and make them soft again as all you need is baking soda, which you likely already have in your kitchen cupboard.
Nicholas said: “Add [half a] cup of baking soda along with your regular wash load to help bring towels back to life.
“On top of baking soda softening properties, it also helps eliminate odours – yay!”
Baking soda is mildly alkaline, so it can break down detergent and fabric softener that is residing in the towel fibres and causing them to feel stiff.
Once towels have been washed with baking soda the blockages will have been completely cleared from the fabric so they will be able to absorb water again and feel softer.
How to use baking soda to get towels soft again
To begin, place the towels but make sure to not overload the washing machine as it will make it difficult for the washer to completely clean your laundry if it cannot rinse it properly.
Place half a cup of baking soda (120g) into your washing machine detergent drawer where you would normally add laundry detergent.
Put the towels on a low-temperature cycle and then leave them to wash.
Nicholas said: “You may think the hotter, the better, but it’s actually the contrary. Once the water reaches (24C) or higher, it affects the detergent’s cleaning ability. Not to mention, hot water can damage fabric, causing shrinkage. In almost every case, opt for cold water when washing clothes (especially towels).”
If you are washing towels properly then it is better to put them on a wash of 60C or higher to kill bacteria, but if you are simply trying to make them fluffy again then a cooler cycle is better.
After the wash is done, make sure to whip your towels before hanging them up to dry as it helps lose the fibres to make them soft again.
Alternatively, place the towels in a tumble dryer in a low-heat setting. Place tennis balls or dryer balls in with the towels as this will also help fluff them up.
Once the towels are fully dry then they should be fully restored and back to their normal softness and smell fresh as well.
