How To Wash Towels To Keep Them Soft and Fluffy

Inside: Want those new towels to stay fluffy? Check out these great tips on how to wash towels to keep them soft and fluffy. Keep them looking like new!

About 6 months ago I got some new white towels. I was so excited!

No one likes thin, old towels. They get so scratchy and it makes my dry skin uncomfortable. There is nothing like a fluffy and soft clean towel when you get out of the bath or shower.

Luckily it is easy to keep your towels fluffy and soft. Your towels may get softer the longer you use them if you care for them and buy the right kind.

If you want to keep your towels looking like new check out these easy tips on how to wash towels to keep them soft and fluffy. You will love the way they feel!

How To Wash Towels To Keep Them Fluffy And Soft

You will want to wash your towels often. The Cleveland Health Clinic recommends you wash your towels once a week.

I wash my towels every Monday morning when I deep clean my bathroom. It's easy to remember them because of the schedule I keep.

Items Used To Wash and Soften Towels:

• Laundry Detergent
• Bleach or Sanitizer
• Vinegar (just the plain white vinegar)
• Baking Soda

Washing Towels

Step 1: Start the washing machine using the hottest water possible. You will want the hot water to help kill off germs and dissolve all of the soap.

Note: If you have an extra rinse cycle turn that on too.

Step 2: Add laundry detergent to the washing machine, but carefully measure the soap. Too much laundry detergent in the wash can help lead to dry, crunchy towels. Make sure you are using the proper amount for the load size.

Note: Don't ever use a fabric softener in the wash or use a laundry detergent with a fabric softener. Fabric softeners will reduce the absorbency of towels making them seem not as fluffy and soft.

Step 3: You will want to add something to sanitize the towels. They are often covered in germs and bacteria so you will want to either use bleach or a laundry sanitizer.

For white towels, I recommend 1 bleach tablet or 1 cup of bleach for a large load. If you have towels that are different colors you can either use color-safe bleach or I prefer Lysol laundry sanitizer.

Step 4: Add your towels to the laundry and let the machine spin a few times. Then stop the load and let the towels sit for 15 minutes.

Letting the towels sit for 15 minutes is a tip I picked up when my husband had a stomach virus a couple of years ago. It turns out that is how long it takes for the towels to be disinfected by the bleach in the water. If you add the bleach and run the load your towels won't be completely disinfected.

Step 5: After 15 minutes start up the machine and let it run as normal.

Step 6: When the load is done remove the towels and shake them out. Move the towels to the dryer.

Tips For Drying Your Towels

Run the dryer on a regular heat cycle, or cotton if you have it. You don't want to use too high of heat and damage the cotton in your towels.

If you have wool dryer balls I highly recommend using them while drying your towels. They will not only help the towels dry faster, but they will also help your towels feel even more fluffy and soft.

Note: Just like when you are washing your towels you don't want to add a dryer sheet to the dryer with your towels. The dryer sheets will also make your towels less absorbent.

When your towels are dry you can remove them and use them like you normally would. However, make sure they are 100% dry before you remove them.

Even just a little bit of moisture left in the towels can easily become a breeding ground for mildew and mold.

Making Scratchy Towels Feel Soft Again

Now that you know how to wash towels to keep them soft and fluffy you might need to fix those old scratchy towels and make them seem new again.

Towels tend to get scratchy and lose their fluffiness from too much detergents and fabric softeners. Plus, body oils can get in the fibers and make them greasy.

To make them feel like new again you will want to wash them with some vinegar and baking soda.

Step 1: Start a load of towels in the machine with hot water. Make sure you don't overload the towels. You want them to have plenty of room to agitate in the washing machine.

Step 2: Add a cup of vinegar to the washing machine load.

Note: Don't use any soap.

Step 3: Let the machine run like it normally would.

Step 4: After the cycle is done then add a cup of baking soda and once again run the machine like normal.

The vinegar will get rid of any soap that is still in the towels, plus get rid of any funky smells. Don't worry, your towels won't come out smelling like vinegar. They will dry scent-free.

The baking soda will help break up any body oils that are in the towels and also get rid of smells.

Step 5: Once you are finished with both of the loads you can wash your towels per the instructions above.

You can do this whenever your towels start to lose their absorbency.

Note: Hard water will make your towels feel hard and crunchy so you may need to do this about once a month if you have hard water.

What To Look For When Buying Towels

If you are buying new towels there are a few things you can do to make sure the towels you get stay fluffy and soft.

To begin with, I always recommend buying cotton towels. Cotton towels are very absorbent and cotton is also durable. Some towels contain polyester or other fabrics and they won't be as soft wash after wash.

It also helps if all of your towels are a similar color. You don't want to be doing load after load. I love having all-white towels everywhere in the house. Fewer loads of laundry is always nice!

Say goodbye to scratchy, rough towels with these simple tips on how to wash towels to keep them soft and fluffy. You can keep your towels soft and absorbent for years after you buy them.

Want some other easy laundry tips? Check out my ultimate list of laundry tips to get your laundry done and out of the laundry room faster!