After finishing your laundry and taking out your towels from the tumble dryer, have you ever noticed that they feel stiff and rough, losing their fluffiness? There are several reasons for this, such as soap residue, limescale buildup, friction during washing, and the drying process.
Towels, being highly absorbent, tend to retain soap and fabric softener residues that may not rinse off completely during washing. This residue can accumulate over time, leading to reduced absorbency and a harsh texture. To maintain the softness and comfort of your towels, experts recommend using white vinegar as a key ingredient.
According to Michael Bogoyavlenskiy, the CEO of Cleaning Express, white vinegar is a natural and effective way to restore the softness of towels. When washing your towels, add about 100ml of white vinegar to the fabric conditioner compartment. If needed, you can also use the rinse cycle compartment in your washing machine.
White vinegar helps break down oil, detergent, and mineral deposits that can cause towels to become stiff. For heavily affected towels, soaking them in a mixture of water and white vinegar before washing can be beneficial. After soaking, rinse and wash the towels as usual. The towels will not retain any vinegar smell once they are clean and dry.
Danny Leung, the founder of Detoorp, recommends adding half a cup of white vinegar to the washing machine without detergent to eliminate residue and mineral deposits affecting the towel’s texture. After the vinegar wash, run the towels through another cycle with baking soda to neutralize any remaining vinegar and restore the towels’ natural pH balance.
Scott Schrader from Cottage Care endorses the two-step process of using vinegar and baking soda to clean towels naturally. He explains that vinegar dissolves detergent residue and minerals in the fibers during the first wash, while baking soda deodorizes and refreshes the fibers in the second wash.
Jared Sarbit, the CEO of Picture Perfect Cleaning, emphasizes the effectiveness of white vinegar in rejuvenating towels without leaving residue. Jessica Gonzalez, COO at Sparkly Maid San Antonio, also advocates for using vinegar to soften and revitalize towels. She suggests washing towels with one cup of vinegar on a hot cycle for best results.
Although optional, using baking soda in a subsequent cycle can further soften and deodorize towels. However, the most crucial step in achieving soft and fluffy towels is the use of white vinegar in the cleaning process.