Towels won't be hard or scratchy if you swap fabric softener for 1 ingredient

Sometimes it can seem like the washing is always piling up at home, and towels mount up quickly, meaning they have to be washed quite regularly. However, often they can become hard and scratchy, which is something nobody wants after a bath or shower.

Little you may know, there's a simple way you can prevent the laundry problem, and it's much easier than you think. The hack is pretty simple to implement, and involves nothing other than swapping your fabric softener for an everyday ingredient that you probably already have lying around at home, so it's easy to put the cleaning method into action. 

It was recently shared on social media by TV's Queen of Clean Lynsey Crombie, and it's left people pretty impressed. It turns out there's a natural way you can soften towels. 

Explaining how to stop your towels feeling hard, she wrote: "Don't overuse product. The chemical buildup can get stuck in the fibres. Use laundry liquid, not powder. Powder doesn't always get enough water in newer machines to fully dissolve.

"Switch fabric conditioner to white vinegar. Shake them as they come out of the machine to fluff them up. Use a low heat in your dryer. The heat can damage fibres."

Why should you add white vinegar?

Little you may know, adding white vinegar to wash towels can lead to making them softer and fluffier. It helps to break down cleaning products to improve the texture.

Typically, it's recommended people add 1/2 a cup to a whole cup to the rinse cycle or fabric softener dispenser. Never mix vinegar and baking soda in the same wash.

This is because they cancel each other out and it causes foaming. Vinegar's acetic acid dissolves buildup from detergent, minerals and fabric softener that usually cause towels to become stiff and less absorbent.

It can also work to eliminate odours, as it kills odour-causing bacteria. This helps to leave towels genuinely fresh.

The product is a natural softener, which enables towels to become soft and fluffy again. The key is to remember you shouldn't use too much, and never mix it with bleach, as a dangerous chemical reaction can take place. 

The secret to soft towels

As Lynsey states, it's advised people use white vinegar instead of fabric softener to get the job done. Once washed, you must dry the towels on a low heat setting.

Then, give them a good shake to fluff up the fibres. As well as this, there are a few other things you should know too. 

Fabric softeners can leave a waxy coating on towels that reduces absorbency and causes them to become stiff. This is why they are best avoided, according to experts. 

Towels should also be washed separately from other clothing to stop residue transfer and ensure proper cleaning. This is key to keeping your towels in good condition. 

It's also crucial not to overload the machine. Smaller loads enable better water circulation, which generally leads to cleaner, softer towels.