If your towels are coming out of the washing machine tough and scratchy, you are likely making a very common laundry mistake, but do not worry—it is easy to fix. 

Towels are super absorbent, so you need to be careful how much fabric softener you use in one wash. 

The experts at Secret Linen, have explained that pouring too many laundry products into the washing machine will cause soap to build up in the fabric and not be able to wash away. 

They said: “If you use too much, it will simply be harder to remove during the rinse cycle. This will then accumulate over time and add to the stiffness of your lovely towels.”

However, if your towels have lost their softness, there is no need to worry, as the laundry experts shared you can quickly restore them by adding white vinegar to your washing machine.

They said: “If your towels are very stiff and scratchy, try adding around 250ml of vinegar to a wash along with your laundry liquid. 

“Add it to the washing machine drum just before you load and set the cycle going, don't worry, it won't make your washing smell like a bag of chips.”

It may seem strange, but white vinegar is acidic, which means it can remove soapy residue from fabric to restore its fluffiness and absorbency. Most fabric softeners contain silicone, which creates a thin waxy coating over towels, which white vinegar can dissolve to make the towels soft again. 

How to use vinegar to make towels soft again

All you need to do is add your towels to the washing machine, but make sure not to overload the appliance; otherwise, the towels will not be able to rinse properly. 

Add 250ml of white vinegar to where you would normally add your fabric softener, and pour just enough laundry detergent into the washing machine drawer. 

Then, wash your towels on a warm wash at 30C or 40C. Do not put them on a very hot wash. 

The expert said: “Similar to harsh detergents, high temperatures strip the natural fibres of their natural softness. We suggest washing your bath towels at a cooler temperature, between 30 and 40 degrees.” 

Once the wash cycle is done, hang your towels up to dry or place them on a low-heat setting in a tumble dryer. 

Tumble dryers can cause a “sandpaper effect” on towels if you put them on a very hot setting as it will strip the fabric of too much moisture which will make them rough. 

If you use a tumble dryer, consider buying dryer balls which help fluff up towels and if you decide to hang them up, do not place the towels over a radiator. 

The expert said: “I do suggest you avoid popping them on top of a radiator as this only leads to over-drying and crusty towels. Use a clothes horse next to a heater or even better, dry them outside on a windy day.”