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There’s nothing quite like a super-soft towel—until, over time, it loses its softness and becomes scratchy and stiff. We’ve all seen it before. It’s frustrating to watch as, over time, even the softest towels begin to lose their fluffy texture.
Don’t lose hope! Before you toss your towel for good, there are a few things you can try to bring them back to life. From the experts here at Charlie’s Soap, here are some tips and tricks to make your towels soft again.
Causes of Stiff Towels
A variety of factors can cause stiff towels. The biggest threat? Laundry products. Fabric softeners and traditional detergents aren’t actually designed to clean effectively—they mask. These traditional cleaners contain unnecessary fillers, fragrances, dyes, and brighteners that give the appearance of clean laundry. What happens is these components can cling to the fabric, causing them to stick around long after the rinse cycle. Over time, this residual product builds up due to the textured material of towels, leaving you with increasingly more stiff and uncomfortable towels.
Other Stiff Towel Factors:
- Mildew: If a towel isn’t washed regularly, mildew can build up in the material. This makes for stiff-feeling fabric.
- High Heat: Washing and drying on high heat can damage the fabric, resulting in stiff, uncomfortable towels.
- Age: Sometimes, a flattened towel is just at the end of its road. Even the most expensive towels don’t last forever—eventually, the fabric begins to break down, which can contribute to a loss of softness.
The Secret to Soft Towels
The key to reviving your towels is first removing any built-up residue that may be affecting their softness. But how do you wash your laundry when what you’re trying to remove is the cleaner itself? Charlie’s Soap is the answer, and here’s how:
- Pre-Soak for Residue Removal: Add your towels to a large bucket, sink, or tub and cover them with cool water. Add a full dose of Charlie’s liquid or powder laundry detergent. Allow them to soak for at least 30 minutes or all day if you don’t want to mess with it right away! This pre-soak will give the detergents a head-start on stripping away the built-up residue causing your towels’ stiffness.
- Wash with Charlie’s Soap and Vinegar: After soaking the towels, you’re ready to wash them. Gently wring out your towels and toss them into the washer on a warm water cycle. For best results, wash them in Charlie’s Soap laundry detergents. For an extra boost of cleaning power, add 1/2 cup of white vinegar directly into the drum or the fabric softener compartment. White vinegar is a natural way to reduce odors from mildew and increase the overall fluffiness of your towels.
- Dry Low and Slow: After washing the towels, give them plenty of time in the dryer on a low heat setting. The longer drying time will prevent damage to the fibers, and more tumbling time can help further fluff up your towels.
Keeping Your Towels Soft
So, you’ve restored your towels to their previous softness—here are some tips to keep them that way:
- Avoid washing at high temperatures; opt for warm or cool water washes instead.
- Washing towels in smaller loads will help them get a deeper clean.
- Consider altogether dropping your fabric softener.
- To help your towels maintain their softness and increase lifespan, stick to natural cleaning solutions like Charlie’s Soap detergents that leave your laundry naturally fresh without the need for harsh fragrances.
Charlie’s Soap: Beyond Soft Towels
What can we say? Your towels will love Charlie’s Soap. Once you’ve had the unbeatable clean of Charlie’s Soap, it’s hard to go back. The best part is that it doesn’t stop with your laundry. Charlie’s Soap offers a full line of innovative green cleaning solutions for a truly deep clean you can feel good about. Explore more from Charlie’s Soap.
