The towels may feel very soft when you first buy them, but you may find that after a few washes they start to harden and scratch.
There are tons of hacks that are said to help soften them in the wash — white vinegar, baking soda, fabric softener — but something else could be causing your towels to harden.
According to the experts at Inthewash.co.uk, overuse of detergent is one of the reasons why towels can start to feel quite hard.
They advised halving the amount of detergent used when washing towels, explaining: “Too much detergent can actually make towels quite stiff and full of soap scum!
“This in turn makes the towels feel really hard and the opposite of a fluffy paradise…
“To solve this problem, all you have to do is halve the amount of detergent you use when washing towels in the washing machine.”
In the end, this results in softer towels and helps you save a little money because it costs less per wash and lasts longer than usual until you need to buy more detergent.
Experts also advise that you should wash towels separately from clothes, as not doing so can transfer lint between the two – leaving towels hard and clothes hanging.
Other advice is to make sure you don’t overpack the washing machine, as experts write that five towels are typically the right amount for one wash, although this may vary depending on the size of the machine.
They also warn against washing towels at a high temperature, writing: “Heat can be good for removing bacteria from towels, but too much heat can also damage the fibers of the towels. This in turn leaves the towels looking rather scratchy and uninviting!
“To reduce this problem, all you have to do is lower the washing machine temperature to around 30/40 and wash the towels normally. This prevents the material from suffering from extreme heat.”
