Some people suggest doubling up on hacks and using white vinegar and baking soda in the same load. I would warn against it, as it may cause the machine to overflow. If you are looking for extra, extra fluffiness and buoyancy, try washing with baking soda and detergent first, followed by washing with white vinegar.
Add 1 cup (200 g) of baking soda to a bowl and pour in 7 cups (1.7 liters) of white vinegar. Stir the mixture well until completely combined. Add 1/3 cup (80 ml) of the mixture to the fabric softener dispenser of the washing machine or add it during the wash cycle to soften clothes.
Soften towels with vinegar
The expert-recommended way to soften towels that have become scratchy is to use vinegar. 'Throw a cup of white vinegar in your next wash,' advises textiles expert and CEO of New Sega Home, Brian Delp. The towels have likely become stiff and scratchy because of the use of fabric softener.
All you'll need is one cup of white vinegar and one cup of baking soda. You'll be using these two ingredients separately, as using them together will only cancel out the effectiveness of each one, during two washes on the same load of towels.
Add Distilled White Vinegar and Wash as Usual
Do not add any detergent or fabric softener. Instead, add two cups of distilled white vinegar to the washer drum. The vinegar will help strip away the residue left in the towels that is causing them to feel stiff.
High-end hotels prefer to use Egyptian cotton, which is softer, fluffier, and cozier than regular cotton. Such that, even Mizu Towels use this fabric to make their luxury towels. Although it is lighter than Egyptian cotton, some hotels also use Turkish cotton in their towels.
Using vinegar in your washing machine can cause serious damage. Vinegar is acidic and can corrode the internal parts. It can also dissolve the protective coating on many materials, including the rubber seals and gaskets found inside the washer.
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.
VINEGAR (soften) – Simply add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser or one of those fabric softener balls. I love this for sheets and towels – it will make your towels unexpectedly soft and fluffy.
But this doesn't help keep them soft and supple. Similar to harsh detergents, high temperatures strip the natural fibres of their natural softness. We suggest washing your bath towels on a cooler temperature, between 30 and 40 degrees. For more handy hints read our guide on How to Use Your Washing Machine.
The main cause of rough towels is washing too frequently. Antibacterial, silver-infused towels clean themselves, resulting in 3x less laundry, maximum absorbency, optimal softness, and 99.9% fewer germs and bacteria.
Wash towels with vinegar every month or so to keep them as soft as the day you bought them. Doing so will also help if you have noticed that your usual bath towels are feeling less absorbent, as it will dig into the fibers and help to remove soapy residue.
With the correct care, you can keep them feeling soft and fluffy for longer. Towels and bathrobes should be washed frequently using a warm gentle wash cycle at 40 degrees. Be careful not to overload, and separate light colours from dark ones.
Add Baking Soda
Mix half a cup of baking soda along with a normal detergent dose for fluffier and cleaner towels. Baking soda also naturally eliminates musty and mildew smells that come from towels remaining damp for too long.
Like fabric softener, dryer sheets contain oils that can coat towel fibers and destroy their absorbency. So, don't use them when drying your towels. Instead, create three-inch balls from aluminum foil and toss them in the dryer with your towels.
Adding wool dryer balls can also help. Wool dryer balls create air gaps between your towels as they dry which reduces the drying time. The natural lanolin in wool also helps soften your towels. We suggest using 4 Wool dryer balls each time.
It might sound counterintuitive, but fabric softener isn't always the way to achieve cloudlike towels. Fabric softeners coat a towel's exterior and often contain oils and petroleum-based ingredients that hinder its absorbency. This filmy coating may mean more frequent washing, which breaks down the towel.
Commercial fabric softeners are expensive and may leave heavily scented residues on laundry that many people find unpleasant, both to the nose and on the skin. A half-cup of white vinegar when added to the final rinse, on the other hand, will soften fabrics and leave no residue at all.
You'll be amazed at the difference! Your clothes will smell fresher and feel softer than ever before. Plus, using vinegar in the wash will help to extend the life of your fabrics. So go ahead and give it a try, you won't be disappointed!