Five cleaners asked how to soften hard towels – they all said use the same 1 item

Ever completed your laundry and retrieved your towels from thetumble dryer, only to discover they've lost their fluffiness and feel rigid and coarse?

There are numerous potential reasons, including soap residue, limescale accumulation, friction during the washing cycle and your drying method.

Towels are highly absorbent, which means they're particularly susceptible to gathering soap and fabric conditioner remnants that don't rinse away properly during the wash. This can build up over time, resulting in diminished absorbency and a harsh, scratchy feel.

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To prevent this, it's crucial to understand how to refresh them to maintain their soft and comfortable texture for years ahead, reports the Express. To achieve this, five cleaning specialists have all insisted that one kitchen staple is essential: white vinegar.

CEO of Cleaning Express, Michael Bogoyavlenskiy, explained that a "natural and effective way to get a towel soft again" is to use white vinegar.

When laundering your towels, pour approximately 100ml of white vinegar into the fabric conditioner compartment (you can also utilise the rinse cycle compartment if your machine features one).

He clarified that the vinegar assists in breaking down oil, detergent, and mineral deposits, which can "contribute to crusty towels".

If your towels are "really bad", attempt a vinegar soak prior to washing. Fill your bath with sufficient water to completely cover your towels, then add 150 to 200ml of white vinegar.

Allow them to soak for several hours, drain the water, rinse briefly in the bath, and then wash on a standard cycle. Michael said: "It's worth noting with both of these options that your towels won't smell like vinegar by the time they're clean and dry."

Danny Leung, a natural home routine advocate and founder of Detoorp, stated that white vinegar is "your most natural and simple solution".

He suggested pouring half a cup of vinegar into the machine without any detergent so that the acidic liquid can effectively "cut through all that built-up residue and mineral deposits that are making your towels feel like sandpaper".

After the vinegar wash, Danny advised running them through again on a hot cycle with half a cup of baking soda. This neutralises any leftover vinegar and helps restore the towels' natural pH balance.

Scott Schrader, cleaning expert at Cottage Care, revealed that this two-step vinegar and baking soda wash is his "favourite natural method".

He clarified that it's the vinegar that "dissolves detergent residue and breaks down minerals" in the fibres during the first wash, and the second wash involving baking soda "deodorises, while also refreshing the fibres".

Jared Sarbit, CEO at Picture Perfect Cleaning, asserted that white vinegar is "extremely effective" as it "resets the towels without leaving behind buildup".

Jessica Gonzalez, cleaning expert and chief operating officer at Sparkly Maid San Antonio, expressed that vinegar is her "go-to natural way to bring back hard towels and de-stiffen them".

She highlighted that towels should be washed with one cup of vinegar on a hot cycle - "the highest cycle you have on your machine".

Although not necessary, baking soda can be used on a subsequent cycle to deodorise and further soften towels. It's the vinegar that is the most crucial step to achieve soft and fluffy towels.

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