Everyone wants to use luxuriously soft and fluffy towels; including yourself.

When you bought your new towels, they were richly soft and fluffy, right? And they felt so good against your skin, didn’t they?

How about now? Are your towels gradually hardening wash after wash? And you hate that sandpaper feel as they rub against your skin.

Guess what, you can restore your towels to their original soft and fluffy state. And we’re about to discuss how.

Here we go:

1. Buy the Right Quality Towels

Your journey towards soft and fluffy towels begins at the purchasing stage. When you buy poor quality towels, you will have a harder time keeping them soft and plush. Therefore, put some time and energy in your towel selection process.

Use these tips to help you buy the right quality towels:

Know the Type of Towel You Need

Choosing the right towel boils down to personal preference;

• Super soft and ultra-absorbent towel: opt for 100% cotton with dense plush loops of yarn on the surface;
• Quick drying and more durable: opt for a poly-cotton blend or a towel with lighter fabric and a low pile (short loops).

P.S. A towel with fluffy loops feels softer and absorbs water better, but it can take longer to dry. It may also show more wear from laundering

Check the Fibre Content

• 100% cotton towels are the gold standard. It is more absorbent and durable which saves you money in the long run;
• Egyptian cotton and Pima cotton towels tend to be softer because the fabric constitutes of longer fibres;
• Combed cotton towels are made of long durable threads with fibres aligned in one direction.

Inspect the Towel

Confirm (visually) that all the edges of the towel are neatly folded and secured with close secure stitching. When the towel’s edges are not properly done, your towel will fray sooner - which affects its durability.

Lift the towel; if it feels denser, then it is more absorbent and plush. Here are the general towel weights (in grams per square metre) and associated density:

• 300-400 GSM: lightweight towel;
• 400-600 GSM: medium-weight towel;
• 600-900 GSM: heaviest towel.

2. Wash Your Towels Using Soft Water

When you wash your towels using hard water, they will feel rough and scratchy after drying. That’s because hard water contains minerals such as calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium which slowly accumulate between the towel fibres.

Here’s how to tell if your water is hard:

• High heater bills;
• Clogged plumbing pipes;
• Appliances wearing out quickly;
• Dishes remain spotty after washing;
• Your water has a strange taste and smell;
• Soap scum on your shower curtains, tub, and tiles;
• Rinsing laundry detergent out of your clothes becomes difficult;
• Your skin gets dry and irritated after washing clothes by hand.

If you realise that you are using hard water, you can treat it so it becomes softer water. You can, for example, install a water softener.

3. Wash Your Towels in Warm Water

Still on the water issue, it’s best to use warm water to wash your towels instead of cold water. And for good reason, because warm water helps:

• Better detergent absorption;
• Sanitise and kill germs;
• Dissolve detergents more efficiently;
• Remove build up of grime so your towels look brighter and less stained.

4. Wash Your Towels Using Less Detergent Than Suggested

Soap residue contributes to non-fluffy towels. Therefore, use less detergent than suggested. This helps your machine wash cycle have an easier time washing off those pesky soap residues. Otherwise, they won’t rinse clean - and you don’t want soap residue on your towels, right?

To help you avoid wasting soap and throwing your money down the drain, use these tips:

• Choose the right detergent that works with your machine - whether a regular or high-efficiency machine. This helps you avoid too many suds on your clothes.
• Don’t pour your detergent without measuring. Eyeballing the correct amount of detergent will result in errors. And remember our tip about using slightly less detergent than suggested.

5. Use Vinegar or Baking Soda

Image from: thespruce

Use vinegar or baking soda on your towels instead of fabric softener. Because fabric softener contains silicon which makes your towels water repellent. So, they won’t wash well.

Add 1/2 cup of baking soda or vinegar to the laundry at the time when you add your regular liquid detergent.

Baking soda or vinegar helps:

• Keep towels fluffy
• Whiten white towels;
• Towels dry odour-free;
• Brighten towels;
• Loosen up towel fibres;
• Clean up chemicals and grime.

Don’t let the strong vinegar smell worry you. As the towels dry, the vinegar smell evaporates leaving your towels soft, fluffy, and odourless.

6. Use the Right Wash Load

Don’t overload your washing machine. Putting too many towels in your washer at once strains your machine. It will also prevent your towels from rinsing off all the dirt and detergent.

So think about how many towels you are washing and how dirty they are. And then use the right load as shown below.

The same rules apply to your dryer - if you overload it, there won’t be enough air in the dryer to properly fluff the fabric. So your towels will come out stiff and matted instead of soft and fluffy.

Another thing you should remember is to shake out each towel before you throw it into the dryer. It helps prevent wrinkles and helps the towels dry faster.

Also, use the right setting/cycle for your laundry:

Permanent press: Medium heat for synthetic fabrics;

Air dry: No heat - great for fluffing pillows or refreshing clothes;

Cotton: High heat for towels, jeans, sweats, and other heavy fabrics;

Gentle: Low heat for delicate items like lingerie and workout clothes;

7. Throw a Dryer Ball or a Tennis Ball in the Dryer

New tennis balls or dryer balls bouncing around in the dryer as your towels dry help:

• Remove lumps;
• Prevent clumping;
• Soften and fluff your towels;
• Speed up the drying process;
• Reduce wrinkles and static.

Watch the video below to learn more:

8. Go Easy on the Tumble Drying

Although tumble drying makes your towels fluffier, the heat from the dryer can damage them. To avoid that, try to:

• Use a lower setting;
• Alternate between air drying and tumble drying;
• Dry towels on the line and finish them up in the dryer;
• Dry your towels under the warm sun;

P.S. If you prefer line drying, shake the towels out hard (about three times) before hanging them outside. This helps to fluff up the fibres. Alternatively, toss the towels in the dryer on a cool setting for additional softness.

Fluffier, Softer Towels

Pearl Indulgence White Bath Sheet

Pearl Indulgence White Bath Towel

Pearl Indulgence White Hand Towel

It’s no secret that it’s a hard life being a towel. Everyday towels get exposed to hard water, friction, harsh detergents, bleaches, stains, oils, and more.

No wonder you need to give them a little TLC to keep them feeling softer and fluffier every day.

Luckily, we’ve given you the hacks. Follow them and you can expect soft, fluffy towels that are perfectly scented and absorbent - just like in luxurious hotels.

Photo Courtesy:

Feature Image: freepik Image by mrsiraphol