The feeling of a brand new soft towel on your skin is something you wish for yourself every day. Only, over time, every towel loses the softness they were first bought with. This is due to the use, washing and drying of the material. Of course, this has to happen and unfortunately comes at the expense of the towel’s fine feel. But then how do you maintain this softness? Fortunately, there are many tricks for that. So, here are five tips to get your towels soft (again).
Tip #1 White vinegar
To start with, there are some washing tricks you can use to bring back the softness of your towels. The first is white vinegar. In a normally filled drum, pour a cup of white vinegar into the compartment for fabric softener. Using other types of vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar, is not recommended as it is not mild enough. It can damage the fabric, erode the colour and eventually leave stains in the towel. White vinegar does not do this. When using white vinegar in the washing machine, it is important not to wash hotter than 60 degrees. White vinegar is not only good for the towels, but also for the washing machine itself. It works descaling, degreasing and dissolves soap scum in the pipes.
Tip #2 Baking soda
Another washing tip that can be applied is to use baking soda. This is recommended to be used with white vinegar. After washing the towels with white vinegar, run the towels again after throwing 4 scoops of baking soda in the fabric softener compartment. Baking soda regulates the pH of the water, allowing the soap to do its job even better. As a result, the towels are free of unpleasant odours and even cleaner. Also, with this spin, it is important not to wash hotter than 60 degrees.
Tip #3 Finish with a cold rinse cycle
A final washing tip for washing your towels, when the machine lends itself to it, is to end the spin with a cold rinse cycle. Hot water opens the fibres of the towel, allowing dirt and soap residue to be removed by the machine. Cold water causes these fibres to contract again. This prevents the fibres from ‘clumping’. When fibres clump, they feel rough on the skin. Finishing with cold water prevents this and preserves the softness of the towel.
Tip #4 Balls in the dryer
Drying your towels correctly also affects their softness and quality. For drying, one of our tricks is to use balls in the dryer. Of course, this cannot be any kind of ball, no so-called dryer balls should be used. These balls are specially designed for dryers to separate the laundry during drying. As a result, the hot air circulates better and the textiles dry faster. A suitable alternative to ‘dryer balls’ are tennis balls. Thanks to the balls, towels dry faster, do not become static and are softer than if you do it without them. This is because the balls make the loops that make up the fabric of a towel stand upright again instead of lying flat.
Tip #5 Move the towel
So moving the towels around is important for preserving the loops. But I hang my towels outside instead of using a dryer, then they won’t move, right? No, that’s right! Merely hanging a towel on a clothesline or radiator has a tangible effect on the towel. The loops lie flat and this creates a rough feeling. Fortunately, there is a trick for this too, and that is to move the towel properly. You do this by giving the towels a good shake both before and after you hang them up to dry. This will make the material stand upright and, despite hanging still, the towel will remain soft.