A soft, fluffy towel can elevate your bathroom routine, giving you a spa-like experience for ultimate comfort and relaxation.
But, as usual, it’s not always that easy. Over time, towels can lose their softness due to myriad factors, leaving you with a towel that feels more like a cat’s tongue then a luxury bath sheet. The good news is that with proper care, you can restore and maintain the plushness of your towels, keeping them softer for longer.
We spoke to Katarzyna Kurylek, head of laundry at the London Hilton, for her top tips.
1. Shake it out
Before you put a load in the washing machine, there’s one easy thing you can do to set your towels up for success: give them a good shake. According to Katarzyna, shaking the towel can help it absorb product in the machine. ‘It opens up the fibres slightly to allow the detergent to sink inside,’ she says.
Don’t forget to shake your towels before you dry them as well – Line-dried towels can feel very stiff if you don’t. Shaking them thoroughly from both ends before hanging them will open up the fibres and shake out any wrinkles. It’s a good idea to do this with every item before tumble drying, too, as it helps to remove any wrinkles and speeds up the drying process by separating the load.
2. Beware of hard water
According to Thames Water, much of southern England is a hard water area. But how does that affect our laundry?
Hard water contains a high level of minerals such as magnesium and calcium. These minerals can attach themselves to towels and cause them to feel stiff, not to mention leaving traces of limescale in appliances. Your local water company will have a tool on its website that lets you enter your postcode to check the water conditions in your area.
If you find you live in a hard water area, using a water softener such as Calgon, or a supermarket own-brand equivalent, should help keep towels softer and will stop limescale from building up in your washing machine.
It’s also a good idea to keep limescale at bay by running the washing machine without any laundry in it every now and again with just a cup of distilled white vinegar added to the detergent drawer, or using a descaler, such as Dr Beckmann Service-It Power Descale.
3. Don’t overdo detergent or conditioner
According to Katarzyna, while fabric conditioner can improve softness and make your towels smell fresh, overusing it can lubricate the towel fibres and cause them to lose their absorbency.
‘Always make sure you’re using just the right amount of conditioner to prevent depleting quality,’ she recommends.
Too much detergent can also dry out towels and leave them feeling stiff and ‘crunchy’ from the excess residue, so always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
4. Don’t overload the washing machine
Although it’s tempting, especially in busy households, filling the washing machine to the brim can prevent towels from rinsing properly, leading to detergent residue buildup. Ensure there’s enough space for towels to move freely, allowing for thorough cleaning and rinsing. For guidance, aim to fill it roughly ¾ full.
5. Tumble-dry with care…
Believe it or not, popping your towels on the washing line for a short while can help to fluff them up and means you’ll need to tumble-dry them less.
‘Where possible, try drying out towels in the fresh air before popping them into the tumble dryer for a brief spell to fluff them up,’ advises Katarzyna. ‘If drying them completely in a tumble dryer, avoid putting them on for too long or using too hot a drying cycle, or they’ll take on a dull, grey appearance.’
Over-drying your towels in the tumble dryer can make them feel stiff. Use a low heat setting on the tumble dryer and remove towels while they’re slightly damp to prevent this. Just make sure you’re still hanging them up properly for those final stages of drying – flat and even.
6. …or air-dry correctly
Air-drying is one of the best ways to keep towels soft, but how you do it matters. Whenever the weather permits (which, granted, in this country is rare), dry towels outside on a washing line. The fresh air and sunlight promote airflow and even help kill bacteria. Indoors, opt for a proper towel rail or heated airer to spread towels out flat for quicker, more even drying. A dehumidifier can also speed things up, while preventing mildew and musty smells. Avoid towel rings and folding damp towels between uses – this will trap moisture, which leads to stiffness and bacteria buildup.
7. Chuck in a tennis ball
Katarzyna’s final tip might surprise you, but when we tested it out at the GHI, people were able to identify which was the fluffier towel afterwards. ‘Add a tennis ball or two into your tumble dryer,’ she recommends. ‘As they bounce around, it’s another great way to fluff up your towels.’
Alternatively, try using wools balls, such as Gleener dryer balls. Wool dryer balls absorb the moisture while also fluffing, so this will speed up the drying process, too.
Why do towels lose their softness so quickly?
Towels feel immensely soft and fluffy in the shop, but seemingly as soon as you take them home and wash them, that feeling disappears. That’s because brand-new towels have a residual coating applied to the surface (usually silicone) – a bit like fabric softener – to make them feel softer than they actually are. This makes the towels more attractive to potential customers.
That’s why the care label often recommends washing before first use. If you use the towel while the residual coating is still there, it won’t absorb moisture as effectively as it should; in other words, it won’t dry so well. Because of this, you shouldn’t judge a towel on its softness – this won’t last anyway. Instead, consider the fabric type, thread count (the higher the better) and the overall design.
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