Written by BATHROOM

How To Keep Towels Soft – Tips

towels as soft as those in hotels

Bath towels at home as cozy as those in a hotel? It’s possible! What could be nicer than stepping out of the shower and wrapping yourself in a big, fluffy towel? But you have to know how to make towel soft again over the course of several washes. Here are some tips on how to keep your towels soft.

How to Make Towel Soft Again

Tip 1: Use Your Washing Machine And Tumble Dryer Properly If You Have One

There are several rules to follow for towels that stay soft, especially during the wash cycles:

Wash At Low Temperatures

Avoid high temperatures when washing and drying. Cleaning at 60°C will kill germs and bacteria, but it will damage the fibers of the towel. Choose low-temperature cycles: ecological, economical, and good for your laundry! A wash at 40°C is perfectly suitable.

Washing Your Bathroom Linen Separately

This way, it won’t get damaged by zips or other buttons. These can get caught in the fibers of your towel and pull them out.

Don’t Overuse Laundry Detergent

Using too much detergent does not make your laundry cleaner. However, excess detergent can be deposited on your laundry, making it rougher. If the laundry is not rinsed properly, it can also age badly. In this case, if your machine has a “Rinse +” option, don’t hesitate to use it to make sure you get rid of the products used.

Do Not Overfill The Drum

If the drum is too full, the friction between the towels in the machine will damage the textile fibers.

How To Use The Tumble Dryer

If you are lucky enough to have a tumble dryer, don’t hesitate; your towels will come out fluffy, soft, and smooth! You can improve the drying quality by putting a tennis ball or washing machine ball in the drum, in the middle of the towels. This will reduce the amount of rubbing on the clothes.

What About Fabric Softener?

Avoid fabric softener as it will tend to take away the absorbency of your towels – which would be a shame; instead, use the alternatives listed below! However, if you really want to use fabric softener, consider making it yourself! It’s made from natural products and will be kinder to your laundry.

Tip 2: Baking Soda

Why do your towels end up all rough? One of the reasons is limescale! But did you know that baking soda deodorizes, revives colors, and prevents limescale build-up? Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of baking soda to your tub before starting the machine. Comparable!

Add them to your usual dose of washing powder. But there’s nothing to stop you from making your own washing powder at home so that you have cleaning products that are more respectful of your clothes and the planet. To do this, use Marseille soap.

How To Keep Towels Soft

Tip 3: White Vinegar

Forget about expensive chemical softeners – which are not all that effective – and opt for white vinegar. White vinegar is a formidable enemy of limescale. It also eliminates bad odors caused by humidity. And it doesn’t leave your clothes smelling like vinegar after washing!

For soft towels, replace the fabric softener with 2 tablespoons of vinegar, mineral water, and a few drops of essential oil of your choice. More ecological and more environmentally friendly, we put it directly into the washing machine. A timeless and effective grandmotherly trick.

You can pre-wash your towels by soaking them in a basin of cold water, with a dash of lemon juice and a dose of white vinegar. Then proceed to a conventional machine cleaning.

Tip 4: Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a plant with a thousand and one resources! This natural ingredient, so coveted for its moisturizing and soothing properties, is a formidable softener for your towels. Grandma’s tip? Soak your towels for 2 hours in a basin of water with aloe vera (about a spoonful of gel for a liter of water). You can find aloe vera gel very easily in pharmacies or organic shops.

Tip 5: Glycerine

Mix five tablespoons of glycerine (available in pharmacies) with about thirty drops of essential oil (orange, rose, grapefruit, depending on your taste) in a container. Finally, add mineral water or distilled water if you have it before stirring well. Your deliciously scented homemade fabric softener is ready, all you have to do is pour it into the compartment of your machine.

For best results, you can use this other glycerine-based recipe:

  • 1 liter of water
  • 20g rice starch
  • 0.5 liters of white vinegar
  • 10g of glycerine

To do this, boil the starch for a few seconds in hot water. Stir while it cooks and then pours into a bottle with a capacity of at least 1.5L. Then add the white vinegar and glycerine. Stir. You can also add a few drops of the essential oil of your choice to this preparation, but it is not necessary.

When using in the washing machine, pour 1 to 3 tablespoons of this mixture into the tub of your washing machine.

Tip 6: Lemon

Because this acidic fruit dissolves the nasty limescale that makes bath towels rough and hard. You can replace the chemical softener with lemon by pouring the juice of the fruit into the softener tray – the juice of a lemon is perfect!

The Golden Rule For Towels That Age Well?

First of all, a golden rule: choose thick cotton towels for more comfort! It all starts at the beginning: choose quality bath towels, and they will repay you well. Take inspiration from the towels available in hotels: they are often soft and pleasant to use, even though they are washed and dried a lot. Quality linen lasts much longer than linen with poor materials.

Also, and this is something that is often forgotten, it is recommended that you wash your new towels because a new towel absorbs less well if it has not been washed before its first use!

How To Keep Towels Soft

But Why Do Towels Age So Badly?

Washing, daily use, and our habits take their toll on towels. The fibers are regularly attacked, particularly by the products used to clean them. If you live in a region with very hard water, this also attacks the fibers, making them harder and rougher… So don’t hesitate to install a water softener. Your laundry and your machine will thank you!

High temperatures, especially when machine washing or ironing, are also harmful to the fibers. Whenever possible, it is advisable to air dry your towels and air them out daily. For those who like to iron everything, do so when the iron is almost cold. Ideally, you should use a steamer, as this type of product provides a lot of steam, which is particularly appreciated by towels.

Read Also:

How to Hang Towels in Bathroom
How to Wash a Weighted Blanket – Care Guidelines
Best ways to Wash, Dry, & Care for Silk Pillowcases
How to Wash a Duvet – Complete Guide
How to Wash Rayon Clothes

Close