Have you noticed that new towels appear to be repelling water instead of absorbing it? Usually, new towels have to be washed several times to absorb more water, but the process can be speeded up with the following tips.
Step
Step 1. Wash the towel in hot water before use
Some people wash it up to two times (without drying). Washing in hot water can remove excess dye and any coating (such as fabric softener) that was left behind from the manufacturing process. Do not mix colored towels with other laundry as they may smudge; In addition, towels tend to leave fine hairs on other fabrics.
Step 2. Add a cup of white vinegar while rinsing
Dilute the vinegar first or wait until there is enough water to dissolve it immediately; otherwise, the color of the towel will change. A second wash cycle can use cup of baking soda, but don't mix it with vinegar in the same rinse water. If there is a liquid fabric softener dispenser in the washing machine, add vinegar to it.
Keep in mind that these tips are traditional recipes that have been proven to work. When vinegar (an acid) or baking soda (a base) is isolated (chemically separated), the atoms have the freedom to combine with minerals, salts, and other chemicals that have accumulated in a form that is easier to rinse off
Step 3. Avoid using any type of fabric softener
Fabric softener covers the surface of the fabric with a thin layer of chemical (oil) which causes the fabric to repel water (oil and water do not mix). If available, use an amidoamine-based softener if you don't like towels washed without fabric softener, but vinegar can actually help soften the towels, too.
Do not despair if you already use fabric softener. The fabric softener on the towels can be removed in the following way: Mix cup of baking soda with the detergent and put it in the washing machine. Then add cup of vinegar during rinsing
Step 4.
Finished.
Now you have a towel that is more absorbent and more comfortable to use!
Tips
- Baking soda can make towels whiter and cleaner; Vinegar can remove odors and stains. Both are good materials for washing cloth diapers.
- For storage purposes, it is recommended that you have two sets of towels per person in the house as well as additional towels reserved for guests. If you change towels by buying them at different times, try using at least one towel that is soft and absorbent while preparing new towels!
- Place two dryer balls (used tennis balls can also be used--just make sure they're clean!) in the dryer along with a towel during the drying process. This can help soften the towel and make it more absorbent.
- Bamboo fiber towels tend to be more absorbent than cotton towels, even from the start. If you find a towel made of bamboo fiber, try buying one.
- Towels should be washed regularly. Towels hung on a towel rail can be washed once a week, while people who are frequently exposed to dust (e.g. builders, gardeners, construction workers, janitors, etc.) should wash towels every few days.
- White vinegar is a good fabric softener. Vinegar works by reducing the static force on most fabrics and helps make towels feel softer.
- Preparing a new towel to make it more absorbent is a fairly slow process. This process can take several months of washing or more until the fabric softening agent that covers the towels is completely removed and allows them to absorb maximum water.
- Towels can be hung outdoors on a clothesline to keep them smelling fresh and making them more absorbent; In addition, clotheslines are cheaper and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, towels that are hung outdoors tend to be easier to fold. On the downside, naturally-dried towels can feel rougher than tumble dryers. You can soften the towel by placing it in the dryer for 3-5 minutes after it has dried naturally. Or try enjoying the fresh scent of naturally dried towels; the towel will be more absorbent after the first use, once the moisture has reached all the parts.
Warning
- Towels that produce a lot of fine hair after the washing process must be washed again.
- Never store damp towels--they make them an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Towels should be stored outside the bathroom; Water vapor can make towels smell bad.
- Do not use vinegar and baking soda in the same rinse water. The chemical reaction caused can produce a lot of foam which is not good for the washing machine.
