The Cleaning Essentials That Makes Stiff Towels Soft & Plush Again

If your towels are starting to feel more like stiff sandpaper instead of soft clouds, you might be considering tossing them. But what if there was a way to save them? You should consider bringing them back to their fluffy selves with a little bit of baking soda and vinegar.

The biggest culprits of stiff towels are hard water and detergent build-up. While there are a lot of ways to get towels smelling clean and fresh, there's really only one effective way to remove build-up, and that's with vinegar and baking soda. Instead of trying to decide which is best — vinegar or baking soda — with this method you can combine the powers of both natural cleaners. Vinegar breaks down residue on towel fibers, and a second wash with baking soda will remove odors (your towels won't smell like a musty pickle).

Using your washing machine in a way that is similar to laundry stripping is not hard; it just takes a little time. You will need to do two wash cycles, and depending on what color your towels are, you will need to wash in either warm or hot water. Once you have run your towels through the cycles, you should end up with revived, softer towels. You will want to do this deep cleaning method whenever your towels start to feel stiff again.

To get your towels to stop feeling like 80-grit sandpaper, you should grab some baking soda — you'll need about ½ cup — and a cup of vinegar. You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Then you will want to separate your towels into two piles: one for colors and one for whites. The reason you want to separate the towels is because you are going to wash in warmer water, and colors can run.

Start by setting your washer to warm for colors or hot for whites. Next, add one cup of vinegar to the washer (do not add detergent). Then add your towels and wash as normal. After the washing cycle is complete, start the process again, only this time add ½ cup baking soda to the load. Run as normal. After you have finished both washes, put your towels in the dryer on a lower heat setting than normal. You can also use this process if you line dry your towels, if will soften them up as well.

You can prevent build-up on your towels by following a few tips. You should avoid using fabric softener, too much detergent, and dryer sheets. Also, it is important not to overload your washing machine and follow washing/drying instructions on your towels. Once you've finished, your towels should feel a lot less stiff and scratchy, and you'll be able to use them for a little longer.