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.
Fabric softener is a tried-and-true way to soften pretty much anything, sheets included. Use the softener as recommended on the label. Or, to get an ultra-soft feel, you can run your sheets through the washer using only fabric softener (skip the detergent). Fabric softener is a great way to soften stiff sheets quickly!
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.
This is due to a starch called “sizing” that keeps the sheets smooth and crisp in their packaging. Nobody wants to buy wrinkled, bunched up sheets, so sizing keeps them as attractive as possible until purchase. However, this is why new sheets can feel scratchy or stiff, even if they're made of soft material.
Wash Sheets Multiple Times
This tip is time-consuming, but as a rule, the more you wash sheets, the softer the bedding becomes with every cycle. Adding fabric softener to the wash helps add an even more soft quality to your bedding.
Your new sheets may feel stiff and rough because of the manufacturing process. New sheets are often treated with chemicals to make the sheets look and feel crisp and new, which is one reason we highly recommend washing your sheets before use. Luckily, new sheets soften up with regular washing.
Laundry detergent residue can build up on the sheets leaving them with that stiff feeling. If you don't use a fabric conditioner at all, the fabric fibres can become brittle, leaving them feeling scratchy. Overtime bobbles and pilling starts forming on the sheets creating a surface that can feel rough.
Pilling is a result of friction; when the fabric is rubbed the fibers can break. For example, pilling can often be seen on fitted sheets near the foot of the bed where frequent abrasive movement (from rough feet) can occur. Even the stubble from shaved body hair, backs and legs can be abrasive enough to cause pilling.
Have you ever been itchy but couldn't tell why? Well, your bedsheets could be the culprit. No matter how flawless your mattress appears on the outside, your bed sheets may tuck away a breeding ground for pests ranging from bed bugs to dust mites right where you sleep.
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.
Baking Soda/Vinegar Trick
There are two simple ingredients that can turn even basic, inexpensive sheets into silky soft bedding: baking soda and vinegar. All you have to do is toss those stiff sheets into the washer with 1 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar, and wash for one cycle.
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.
Be sure to wash your sheets before your first use because they may feel a bit rough right out of the package. Some experts even recommended that you pre-wash your new sheets with one cup of baking soda to start the wash, then add one cup of white vinegar during the rinse cycle.
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.
Baking soda softens the fabric. Instead of using a pure detergent, you may add baking soda when washing your fabric. Place one cup of baking soda to your washing machine in a delicate setting. Vinegar works well with fabrics.
Sometimes while fast asleep we tend to unconsciously drool, which settles on the sheets and mixes with other critters that feed off on dead skin cells. This makes the sheets totally uncomfortable for the skin which causes a person to scratch profusely, sometimes open wounds and bruises in the process.
Though too small to see with the naked eye (only about . 33 millimeters long), dust mites are easily visible through even a cheap microscope. You can pick up an inexpensive microscope from any store that sells toys, a hobby store, or a thrift store and use it to discover whether your home has dust mites.
How do I know if I have them in my bed? Mites aren't visible without a microscope, so instead, you have to analyze your symptoms. People who are allergic to them may experience sneezing, coughing, wheezing, watery eyes, difficulty breathing, nasal congestion, and itching.
Take your brand new sheets and pop them in the machine before use. But instead of using detergent for that first wash, place a cup of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in the machine. Wash using a gentle cycle with cold to warm water and line dry if possible.
Large pressing machines called flatwork ironers are the main secret to wrinkle-free sheets in hotels. These industrial sized irons can run entire sheets under the roller against a hot plate to completely smooth any wrinkles.
True to the show's form, this cheap-sheet-softening-trick is unbelievably easy to execute, and you can treat every sheet set in your home with about $3 of materials: Simply throw your stiff sheets into the washer, along with one full cup of baking soda and ½ cup of vinegar, and run for one full cycle.
Irritation from chemicals: Bed sheets may be treated with chemicals during the manufacturing process, such as formaldehyde or dyes, which can irritate the skin and cause itching.
Change Your Detergent
Look for a laundry soap that doesn't use any extra dyes or fragrances. These ingredients don't do much to actually clean your sheets, but they can trigger reactions if your skin doesn't like them.
Using fabric softeners each time you wash your sheets is a no-no. Fabric softeners coat a fabric's fibers and reduce the fabric's air permeability, leaving behind a film that can start to feel heavy and slimy.