This TikTok Cleaning Hack Will Keep Your Towels Fluffy And Fresh
Nothing is more refreshing than stepping out of the bath or shower and wrapping up in a soft, fluffy towel. When you first purchase your linens, they offer ultra absorbency and feel oh-so-good to the touch. Over time, however, some towels can lose their "oomf," becoming less fluffy. They might not be soaking up as much moisture as before, too, which is never ideal. Whether you've tried different methods to bring them back, or you're searching for suggestions, one TikToker appears to have solved the problem of lackluster linens.
There are a variety of products on the market that promise fresh, fluffy fabrics, but some of these can actually be detrimental to fibers. Fabric softeners, for example, tend to leave residue, and The Washington Post notes that oil and petroleum from the substance can create a film on your towels that makes them less absorbent and soft. So instead of reaching for the store-bought liquids, why not check your pantry for this grocery staple that can also revive and fluff up your towels.
Add white vinegar
TikToker Victoria, who goes by the handle @vicsauce on TikTok, shared a video filled with home care tips that can help people get the most out of their tidying. One of her hacks involves bringing your towels back from the dead by switching out fabric softener for white vinegar. In her video, she shows the camera a pile of fluffy towels, with a bottle of the pantry staple on top, before explaining that washing in cold water serves to enhance this savvy trick.
"Number one, no fabric softener on your towels!" Victoria stresses in her TikTok. Further, in addition to the aforementioned film that fabric softeners can leave behind, using too much detergent can also prove detrimental to the quality of your towels, as detergent can collect in the fibers and terry cloth, making linens feel rough and flat. Modern Bathroom suggests that bath towels should last a person two years, so if yours are giving subpar results before their recommended expiration date, why not try something new — like vinegar.
Why vinegar works
Not only is white vinegar beneficial for fluffing up your towels, but it also helps neutralize odors. According to TipHero, when detergents and fabric softeners pile up on fibers, creating residue, this can cause the fabric to hold on to unpleasant odors. Whenever your towels smell like mildew, it could be a result of substance build-up, which vinegar works to remove. Adding vinegar to the fabric softener slot in your machine will help combat film that's leaving your towels stiff, smelly, or lacking.
To help keep your loads fresh, it's advisable to use this vinegar trick every time you do a wash, but sometimes materials can hold onto the vinegar scent. If this happens to you, you can run a second load with just a light sprinkling of soap to get rid of the lingering scent. Use soap sparingly, though, to avoid negating all the work the vinegar did, and try to do these loads with cold water to preserve the beneficial ingredients in the solution.