Soft, fluffy towels, the most pleasant to use, are also the most difficult to maintain. Fortunately, there are simple and easy tricks to get soft, fluffy towels with every wash.
How do you care for your bath and shower towels?
Knowing how to properly wash your bath or shower towels ensures both softness and good absorbency of the material. Manufacturers’ care instructions vary from towel to towel, so always check the care label before washing. So here’s how to properly wash your towels to keep them clean and preserve their color and softness.
- Do not overload the washing machine
If the load is too heavy, the towels will not be rinsed properly.
- separate the colors
Separate colored towels from white towels before washing to avoid color stains.
- Don’t use too much laundry detergent.
If you want your towels to stay soft, avoid excess detergent which can make them stiff and rough.
- Select a normal wash cycle.
Faster spin and longer wash times compared to gentler cycles help better remove dirt and bacteria from the fabric fibers of towels.
- Remove excess water before drying.
After washing towels, take them out and squeeze out excess water. This shortens drying time and helps keep towels soft.
- Wash towels, and only towels, together.
When placing them in the washing machine, do not mix the towels with other items to be washed.
- Avoid using liquid fabric softener
Liquid fabric softeners contain oils and other additives that can create a film on the fabric of your towels. This film coating may also make you want to wash them more frequently. However, your towels will wear out faster.
How to wash bath towels for extra softness?
Here is an exceptional home trick to prevent your towels from becoming rough after washing ! It is very simple:
1. With vinegar and lemon, the perfect combination
- Fill a bowl with enough cold water to hold the towels and add a little lemon and vinegar.
- Soak the towels in the mixture for about half an hour, turning them over so they absorb the mixture well.
- Rinse the towels thoroughly with cold water to remove all traces of lemon and vinegar. Don’t forget to wring them out well.
- Put the towels in the washing machine. Choose a cold wash cycle and do not use too much detergent.
2. With vinegar and soap, another possibility
An effective alternative to the above trick is to change the combination to white vinegar and soap. When washing hand towels or any other towels in the washing machine, add a little white vinegar to the detergent box (along with a little soap), always referring to the manufacturer’s instructions.
How to wash a new bath towel?
Always remember to wash new bath towels before using them. This is an important step because it requires removing the factory coating, which can greatly increase their absorbency. When washing new towels, it is recommended to use only half the recommended amount of detergent. Also, it is worth adding 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the wash water. Adding vinegar with your laundry detergent will set the colors and remove any detergent residue on the bath towels, leaving your new bath towels soft, fluffy, and ready to use.
frequent questions
How do hotels keep towels soft?
The hotel trick is to add an ingredient that you surely have in the kitchen. It is baking soda, in addition to its multiple uses in the kitchen, it is one of those formidable products in cleaning.
Put a tablespoon of baking soda in the washing machine drum with the towels. Then, add your usual detergent, then, instead of fabric softener, add the same amount of white vinegar or vinegar cleaner. Finally, wash at medium temperature (maximum 30 degrees Celsius) and let dry normally. The cotton towels will have regained their fluffiness and will now be soft like hotel towels.
Why are my towels rough after washing?
The main cause of towels becoming scratchy and losing their softness is the residue from detergents and body oils that build up on the fabric. This buildup of leftover products causes stiffness and a rough, cracked feel. These leftover products also reduce the towel’s ability to absorb moisture.
What is the correct method for drying towels in the dryer?
Towels should be dried at a temperature appropriate for the fabric according to the clothing care label. Typically, they should be dried on medium heat. Use a dryer setting specific for towels or a normal/regular cycle. High temperatures and over-drying can damage the fabric, so be sure to remove towels promptly once they are dry. Some dryers contain moisture sensors that automatically stop the cycle when the clothes are dry.