How to Wash Towels to Make Them Soft Again

Soft, fluffy bath towels add to the luxury of a long, hot bath.

Soft towels in the bathroom are a pleasurable part of the bath experience. One of the best parts of going to a spa is the warm, soft towels used to wrap around your body following a treatment. Adding this spa feature to your bathroom is as simple as utilizing a few tricks when washing your towels. Laundering bath towels with specific supplies and techniques ensures they come out soft, clean and fresh-smelling. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• Laundry detergent
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 cup white vinegar
• Wool dryer ball
• 2 drops essential oil (optional)
• 3 or 4 unused tennis balls

Instructions

1. 

   Leave room in the washing machine so water can circulate around the towels.

   Place towels in the water reservoir of the washing machine. Don't overload the washer with too many towels; this impedes the cleaning and softening process. Launder the towels with detergent and 1 cup baking soda to add a soft feel and fresh smell.

2. Add 1 cup white vinegar to the rinse cycle of the washing machine. In addition to softening fabric, vinegar also freshens the towels and reduces static cling.

3. Move the towels to the dryer. Use an environmentally-friendly wool dryer ball to soften towels and remove static electricity. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the dryer ball if you want towels to have a light scent.

4. 

   As tennis balls beat against the towels, fibers are fluffed and softened.

   Toss three to four clean tennis balls in the dryer with the towels. As they move around together the balls fluff the fibers, making the towels softer.

Tips & Warnings

• If you prefer to line-dry your towels shake them vigorously before hanging to fluff fibers.

• Clean towels after every two to three uses to prevent mold and mildew growth.

• Purchase high-quality towels made from absorbent terry cloth. A few well-made towels are better than a closet full of cheap towels that fall apart quickly.

References

• New Mexico State University; Getting Clothes Clean: Fabric Softeners; Susan Wright; April 2006
• Long Island Families; Luxurious Laundry: Tricks of the Trade for Keeping Towels and Sheets Soft and Fluffy; Mia Bolaris-Forget; 2006
• "The Boston Globe"; How to Get Line-Dried Towels Soft and Fluffy Again; Martha Stewart; August 2010
• Reader's Digest: 150+ Household Uses for Vinegar: In the Laundry Room: Soften Fabrics, Kill Bacteria, Eliminate Static and More

Resources

• Read this Article in UK English