Fluffy, fresh towels feel great when you dry off with them, but often they seem to just be moving water around around your body instead of soaking it in.The towels at the store have been treated with fabric softeners, which have water-repelling oils as ingredients.With a few washes in hot water before use and better laundry habits, your towels will be ready to dry in no time at all.
Step 1: Load the machine with new towels.
Don't overload the machine with new towels.Try to keep the amount of towels in one wash to less than half of the load, because you don't want to overload the washer.Don't wash anything else with the new towels.The dark towels should not bleed onto the light towels if you have a variety of them.
Step 2: Start a rinse cycle with hot water.
The hot water will break down and wash off the fabric softeners that towel manufacturers use.The entire towel should soak in the water if they are completely submerged.
Step 3: White vinegar should be added to the hot water.
The hot water comes from the fabric softeners.It's important to make your towels soft so that they don't leave an oily stain on them.You could hurt or burn yourself if you get the hot water on your skin.
Step 4: The machine needs to go through a wash cycle.
A full cycle will include rinse and spin cycles.There should be no water left in the washer after the full cycle ends.It's okay that your towels will smell of something.The scent will go away during the next wash.
Step 5: Start a second wash cycle without drying your towels.
Don't put your towels in the washing machine to dry them.If you leave them in the washer, it will fill up with hot water again.You can use the settings from the first time.
Step 6: Baking soda should be added to the second wash cycle.
When the machine is completely filled with water, add the baking soda.When the baking soda mixes with the small amount of vinegar that is still on the towels, it will produce a chemical reaction that will cause your towels to not be absorbent.Do not mix the two in the same wash cycle.This will cause a large chemical reaction that will lead to a big foamy mess and could cause damage to your laundry machine.
Step 7: Remove the towels from the washing machine.
It is possible to dry your towels as you normally would.You can use your dryer, a drying rack, or air drying in the sun.
Step 8: Do not wash your towels with fabric softeners.
The fabric softeners used to get fluffy towels can leave behind oils that repel liquids, which means they won't be very absorbent.This can't happen if you're not using fabric softeners.There are ways to make the towels softer without using fabric softeners.If you want to use fabric softeners on your other laundry, wash your towels in a separate load.
Step 9: When doing laundry with towels, use half the amount of detergent.
Laundry detergents can leave oils on towels that repel liquids.If you use half as much detergent as you normally do, it will help to make your towels more absorbent and keep your laundry clean.It's a good idea to use less detergent to save money.
Step 10: You should wash your towels with half-sized loads of laundry.
If you use too much detergent, it will not distribute evenly across the laundry.Divide the laundry you planned to do in one load into two equal piles so that you have two loads.Instead of throwing towels in with other laundry, consider doing loads of only towels.If you use large loads, your towels will not be washed thoroughly, which will cause them to be less absorbent.