Towels can feel hard and smell musty even if they have just come out of the washing machine, but this often happens because they are not being washed properly. It is common to add fabric softener to your laundry, but towels are made out of highly absorbent material that can struggle to rinse out the soapy residue.
The soap from fabric softener can become a waxy layer that will keep building up on towels to make them feel crunchy instead of soft. Andrea Dekker, a cleaning expert, has shared the horrible damp smell on towels is mould, mildew and other unhygienic residues that is not clinging to the soap layer stuck on towels.
However, you do not have to throw your towels away there is natural yet very effective way to remove this soapy build up without needing to use harsh chemicals.
Andrea said: “This process essentially ‘strips’ the towels of built-up residue that creates a breeding ground of mould and mildew to thrive.”
Towel stripping is the simple cleaning method of adding a little white vinegar and then baking soda to a washing machine, as these ingredients can break down soap.
White vinegar is acidic, which can neutralise alkaline products like fabric softener that are making towels feel stiff and rough. It will also remove mould as it has antibacterial properties so help make the towels much cleaner as well.
Baking soda is highly absorbent and will remove any musty wells and also help get rid of any soapy residue to make towels soft again.
How to make towels clean and soft again
To begin, simply place your smelly and rough towels into the washing machine. Do not overload the machine, otherwise it will not be able to rinse the towels properly.
Then, add 250ml of white vinegar to the detergent drawer. Do not add laundry detergent, fabric softener, bleach or anything else to the washing machine.
Place the washing machine on a normal wash cycle. Once done, add 120g of baking soda to the detergent drawer, and then place the washing machine on your hottest wash cycle.
Both vinegar and baking soda are effective at cleaning towels but when together they create a fizzy reaction that neutralises their cleaning properties, so always use just one ingredient per wash cycle.
After your towels have been washed, hang them up to dry and they should feel soft, fresh and completely clean using this all-natural laundry method.