How to Keep Towels Soft When Washing Them

Wash towels with baking soda and white vinegar to both soften the pieces and remove unwanted odors.

A new, fluffy towel is a luxury that many people look forward to after a nice hot bath. Unfortunately, after time and several washings, even the most expensive towels can become hard, crusty and uncomfortable. The first place to start making towels soft again is in the washing machine. Properly washing towels will ensure they are soft and ready to use after ever shower and bath.

Things You'll Need

• Liquid laundry detergent
• Fabric softener
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 cup white vinegar

Instructions

1. Place like-colored towels into the washing machine. Avoid mixing towels and other pieces of clothing, which could cause the colors of the towels to bleed onto the garments.

2. Turn the machine onto the warm temperature and a delicate cycle. Place one capful of liquid detergent and one capful of liquid fabric softener into the machine. You may need to wait to place the fabric softener into the machine during the correct cycle for any older washing machine models.

3. Pour 1/2 cup baking soda into the machine. This will help soften the towels and remove any odors at the same time.

4. Turn the machine on and allow it run until the final rinse cycle.

5. Open the lid of the machine and pour in one cup of white vinegar, which will help soften the materials.

6. Close the lid and allow the machine to finish its final cycles. Remove the towels. The towels can either be tumbled dried for added softness or hung out to dry in the sun. Shake out the towels after removing them from the line and before folding to remove some of the stiffness caused by air drying.

References

• Cleaning Tips: Making Old Hard Towels Soft Again
• Interior Focus: Questions and Answers