When using regular cotton bedding items for the first time after purchase, you could find that they are a little stiff. After a couple of washes, this stiffness will vanish gradually; however, it will take some time before it becomes completely soft.
Wash Multiple Times
Yes, it sounds like a lot of work and it may not be so environmentally-friendly, but that double wash can do wonders when it comes to the softness of your sheets. Generally speaking, good quality sheets will continue to become softer after every wash, dry, and iron cycle.
Here's a natural hack for learning how to make new bed sheets softer. Throw them into your washing machine, add one cup of baking soda, and run a full cycle using warm or hot water. During the rinse, add ½ cup of vinegar and switch to cold water. When your wash is complete, dry your sheets fully in your dryer.
Fabric softener residue, build-up from hard water and calcium, etc. – all of these contribute to a hardened and crusty sheet surface, and don't always come out with regular detergent.
Vinegar is a household staple that we mostly associate it with cleaning, but it can help you soften your t-shirts too. This method is best for fabrics that are either 100% cotton/organic cotton, or a blend that is primarily made up of cotton.
Brand new sheets (of any material) usually come with a chemical coating that make them look and feel crisp (i.e. stiff) so they look better in the packaging. Older sheets can feel rough if they were washed and/or dried improperly. Sheets that have been in storage for a long time can dry out and feel rough.
Brand new sheets can feel more scratchy than soft due to the treatments used in the manufacturing process. If your sheets are organic or Oeko-Tex certified, like ours, you can rest assured this won't cause you any harm as you won't be exposed to harmful chemicals.
As a result of the manufacturing process, new sheets tend to be a little stiffer than those that have been in your linen closet for years. Fortunately, the quality of Egyptian cotton bedding means that it gets softer with every wash without every pilling, tearing, or becoming scratchy to the touch.
You should be looking for a range from 200 to 400. If the number is between 150 and 180, then the sheets are going to be rough and not at all soft. A number over 400 means that the fibers are likely woven together to get an inflated figure.
Cotton has a clean, cool, and soft feel and gets softer with every wash. These sheets are a good option for those with sensitive skin. These sheets are easy to clean and less likely to shrink.
Generally, the higher the thread count, the softer the sheet, and the more likely it will wear well — or even soften — over time.
High thread counts can certainly make for better, more comfortable sheets, but the quality of the thread matters more than the number. In fact, a better-quality fiber with a lower thread count will feel softer and stand up to washing better than a lower-quality fiber with a higher thread count.
The most likely cause of fabric feeling rigid or stiff is adding the wrong amount of detergent. Follow the instructions below for best washing results: If too little detergent is used, there may be insufficient active ingredients to combat the hardness of the water, which in turn can affect the softness of the fibres.
If the fabric of your garments is far from being soft and stretchy and instead you find it stiff or rough, this is most likely due to the use of an inadequate amount of detergent in the wash and traces of detergent and minerals are left in the water.
Many regular cotton manufacturers use chemicals to soften their yarns, but higher-quality cotton gets a special treatment called combing, which mechanically filters out shorter fibers and makes the product even softer and more durable for when it's woven into fabric.
Egyptian cotton is lighter in weight, allowing for a cooler night's sleep, especially if the thread count is higher. Cotton sheets do not breath as well as Egyptian cotton, which may make you warmer at night. Egyptian cotton is also more durable than cotton sheets.
Good quality sheets will become softer after every washing, drying and ironing cycle. For ultimate softness (and durability) buy good quality cotton sheets with a high thread count.
Great Egyptian cotton bedding is finer,more durable, softer and smoother than regular cotton, making it more luxurious.
If you use a sheet set every day of the year, you'll need to replace it after about two years. However, luxury cotton sheets, like percale and sateen, can offer another year or so of use. And with linen, you'll get three to five years — sometimes more.
Sheets should be completely replaced after 2-3 years.
Visible signs of wear and tear (thinning, yellowing, fading) are the most obvious indicators your sheets are past their prime, but you might start to feel the decline as well, which can disrupt your oh-so-important sleep.
According to Kleinman, most people will be fine and won't notice any adverse reactions. But if you have sensitive skin, any chemical remnants may cause itching or skin irritation. The last thing you want, especially if you've just invested in a set of cooling sheets, is to wake up with itchy skin.
There's an easy way to soften stiff fabric! Use dryer sheets while drying your bedsheets, clothes and towels for a soft and fragrant end result. It's even more effective than line drying in the sun.
Sateen: Sateen sheets are known for their silky soft texture you can simply slide onto. The fabric is usually made with a tighter weave than percale, making it more durable, warmer, and softer. These types of sheets often come with a sheen instead of matte finish.