Nothing is better than coming out of the shower and wrapping yourself in a comfy towel, but they often lose their softness and fluffiness as most people do not wash them properly. Liz Eichholz, a luxury towel expert and co-founder of Weezie Towels has shared towels often become “stiff and scratchy” as they should never be washed with fabric softener.
She said: “Towels are absorbent, which means they’re especially prone to collecting soap and fabric softener residue that doesn’t properly rinse out in the wash. This can accumulate over time, leading to reduced absorbency and a rough, scratchy texture.”
However, there is no need to throw away your old towels or put up with rough-feeling fabric as you can restore them in one wash with white vinegar.
Liz said: “Place your towels in the washing machine and add one cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. The vinegar will break down mineral buildup and soap residue that can contribute to fabric stiffness.”
White vinegar, commonly used in salad dressings, is an excellent natural cleaner because it contains acetic acid, which is gentle on fabric yet effective at breaking down alkaline residues such as soap.
Towels become hard due to soap buildup in the fibres, but white vinegar removes this residue and relaxes the fibres, making them softer and more absorbent.
Additionally, white vinegar is naturally antibacterial, which helps clean towels and eliminate musty odours without needing to spend money on harsh cleaning products.
How to use white vinegar to clean and restore towels
To begin, place your towels in the washing machine and run a hot wash without adding laundry detergent, fabric softener or any other products. This helps to soften and loosen any residue stuck to the towels.
Once the wash is complete, pour 240ml (one cup) of white vinegar into the detergent drawer and set the machine to run a rinse cycle.
After the rinse cycle finishes, select an extra rinse. The first rinse removes any remaining soap from the towels, while the extra rinse washes away the vinegar.
Then, to dry your towels, put them on a low heat setting in the tumble dryer and avoid using dryer sheets, as these can cause soap buildup in the fabric.
If you prefer, you can hang the towels outside to dry instead of using the dryer. Whichever method you choose, your towels will be soft once again after being cleaned with this simple natural solution.