Towels are a laundry item that divides many, with some preferring a coarser touch and others all about that soft and fluffy embrace.

But if you’re on team soft, your quest for plush towels might be ruined by a laundry faux pas many are guilty of - the regular use of fabric softener.

While it’s ironic that households count on fabric softeners to reduce pilling and give a velvety feel to most clothes, their effect on towels can be quite the opposite.

Indeed, even the fluffiest, most upscale towels can be reduced to a state of unwelcome stiffness. Fear not as white vinegar is known to be the saviour for those seeking softer towels.

However, as pointed out by Emma Peake on the Mrs Hinch Army Cleaning Tips Facebook page, without the right drying technique, vinegar alone might not cut it.

Emma’s insight came as she addressed a fellow cleaning enthusiast over “cardboard towel” towels, revealing a simple solution.

She said: “Even if I use white vinegar or not to wash my towels I find that the only way to instantly soften them is to tumble dry them. So quick and easy. Takes just 10 minutes.”

Followers of Mrs Hinch also agreed with this method. Caroline Deegan wrote: “Tumble dryer is the only way.”

Tina Preece revealed her laundry secret: “I've started drying my laundry on the airer then putting it in the dryer for 10 minutes. I’ve ditched the fabric softener and vinegar and my towels have never been so soft.”

Alison Kirkland shared her preference: “I like my towels scratch, but my mum puts towels in the dryer for 10 minutes and that softens them.”

Vickie Kelly boasted about her fluffy towels: “I put them in the dryer for 10 minutes. When I take them out they’re so fluffy.”

Laundry experts at Lenor advise that the “best way to make your towels fluffier” is by giving them a tumble dry immediately after washing.

Lenor recommends adding a dryer sheet when you place towels in the tumble dryer to maintain their freshness, enhance “extra softness”, and minimise creasing.

They also suggest using gentler heat and slower spin settings to protect the towel fibres from damage.