Of course it sucks when you have to dry yourself using a stiff and rough towel. It's not uncommon for oil, dirt, and chemicals to harden on a towel so that it feels rough and hard to hold. There are a number of things that can cause a towel to have a rough texture, such as detergent, washing habits, or even the water supply. However, the steps described in this article will help you smoothen your towels again. Read this article to find out how to soften a rough towel!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Washing and Soaking Towels
Step 1. Wash the towels with warm or hot water
Warm water absorbs detergent better. This means that the remaining soap that is left on or "printed" on the towels is even less. In addition, hot water can also dissolve the oil left behind from cleaning products and your skin.
Keep in mind that light colored towels can fade if you wash them in hot water many times. If you don't mind the color fading on your towels, wash them in hot water. If you want to maintain the color of the towels, wash them in cold water and try a different towel smoothing technique
Step 2. Soak a towel in fabric softener
Pour 240 ml of fabric softener with as much hot water as needed to soak the towels. Soak the towel in the softener mixture for at least 1 hour, or until the softener has fully penetrated the fabric fibers.
Step 3. Replace detergent and softener with vinegar
Most fabric softener products contain silicone, which can coat the surface of the towel and limit its absorbency. Run additional rinse cycles while you wash your towels in the washing machine and use half a cup (120 ml) of vinegar instead of detergent in the first rinse cycle. Vinegar helps remove oil and detergent residue that makes towels rough, so towels feel smoother and absorb water better. Use a mild detergent (or just water) in the second rinse cycle to remove the vinegar smell, without ruining the texture of the washed towels.
Step 4. Use baking soda
Mix 120 grams of baking soda with regular detergent. Baking soda can lift oil, dirt, and chemicals that make towels feel stiff or rough. In addition, baking soda can also eradicate the musty odor that develops when towels are left damp for a long time.
Method 2 of 3: Trying the Drying Technique
Step 1. Dry the towels outside
Ideally, you should dry your towels when the weather is cool and a little windy. Once the towel is dry, knead it with your hands, as you would knead dough or meat. Squeezing helps reduce the stiffness of the towel texture.
Step 2. Dry on low heat
High heat levels do make towels softer and softer, but they can damage the integrity of the fabric. You can dry the towels by drying them or putting them in the dryer alternately. Dry the towels first until they are half dry, then continue drying in a tumble dryer to make the towels feel warmer and smoother.
Once dry, put the towel back in the dryer and run the drying cycle again. However, this time choose the no-tangle drying option if available. This option makes the towel feel softer, resulting in a smoother texture
Step 3. Shake the towel
After washing and removing from the dryer, shake the towel. This process helps keep the fabric smooth and soft.
Step 4. Insert a drying ball or tennis ball into the drying cycle
When you tumble dry your towels, place a few tennis balls or clean dryer balls in the jar before closing the door. As the drying cycle is run, the ball will bounce in various directions and hit the towel. This process can repair the fibers of the fabric and soften the stiff parts of the towel.
Method 3 of 3: Preventing Towels from Stiffness
Step 1. Reduce the amount of detergent used
Detergent has a high concentration so that a little detergent is enough to wash a lot of clothes. If you use too much detergent, the residue can build up on the fabric, making the towels feel stiff and rough. Try reducing the amount of detergent you normally use.
Too much detergent residue can promote the development of mold and bacteria, especially if the towels are left damp for a long time
Step 2. Don't fill the washing machine tub with too many clothes
If the tub is too full, the towels cannot be rinsed thoroughly. Remains of minerals, dirt, and detergent that stick to the towel and don't rinse will make the towel feel stiff.
The same applies to the drying process. Be patient and run several drying cycles to keep the jar from getting too full
Step 3. Watch out for hard water
If the water in your home is "hard" and contains a lot of minerals, water from the faucet or washing machine can leave chalky residue on the towels. Purchase a mineral filter to reduce lime or mineral levels in the water, or wash towels using only well water or another cleaner source of water.
