There is nothing worse than coming out of the shower to a scratchy and uncomfortable towel, but there is a simple 25p method to make hard towels soft again.
Towels begin to lose their fluffiness over time as many people make the mistake of being too harsh when washing their laundry.
Overusing laundry detergent and fabric softener can build up in the fibres of towels over time, making them less absorbent and leading to them becoming stiff.
Sam, a fabric expert from Secret Linen, a luxury bedding and towel store, explained: “Many of us are guilty of using too much laundry detergent in our washes.
“With towels, it’s really important you follow the guidelines on the laundry liquid bottle. If you use too much, it will simply be harder to remove during the rinse cycle.”
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Make sure to not wash too many towels at once and place the washing machine on a cooler temperature between 86 Fahrenheit and 104 Fahrenheit.
Sam said: “Towels can harbour lots of germs, so it’s tempting to wash them at high temperatures. But this doesn’t help keep them soft and supple.
“Similar to harsh detergents, high temperatures strip the natural fibres of their natural softness.”
You can place towels in the tumble dryer, but putting them on too high a heat can also cause towels to become like “sandpaper” according to Sam.
She said: “I recommend two things. Either use a tumble dryer to dry your towels straight from the washer, but on a setting that doesn’t completely dry out your towels, as stripping towels of all moisture makes them rough.
“Another method (and the more eco-friendly laundry option) is to hang your towels out to dry and then bung them in for a 20 min tumble (preferably on a cool setting).”
This will lead to much softer towels after a couple of washes and make stiff and uncomfortable towels a thing of the past.
Sam said: “Treat your towels right from the start, and you will be blessed with soft cuddles from your towels for years to come.”
