Cleaning towels can be a challenge, but one Home Bargains item is a natural solution to soften and clean them at the same time
Towels can be hard to keep soft and fluffy after years of use(Image: Siarhei Khaletski via Getty Images)
When it comes to washing towels, using white vinegar has long been a popular trick for maintaining their softness and cleanliness. The mild acidity in distilled white vinegar dissolves laundry detergent residue and works as a natural fabric softener.
However, a few years back, Reach’s Angela Patrone made the switch from this natural cleaning method to something she believes performs even better, and cleaning experts are in agreement.
Rather than pouring white vinegar into the detergent drawer to soften Angela’s towels, she now adds a scoop of soda crystals directly into the washing machine drum. This approach means the towels emerge from the washer feeling cleaner and softer, even before they’re completely dry. Angela purchased the Dri-Pak Soda Crystals from Home Bargains for £1.79.
Angela relies on soda crystals throughout her home due to their versatility. It’s a naturally occurring salt with highly alkaline properties, enabling it to efficiently dissolve fabric softener and other oils.
Washing towels can prove quite tricky, particularly since oily soap build-up can be difficult to shift without using aggressive cleaners that could potentially stain or damage the material.
Yet, by incorporating soda crystals, you can remove any residue stuck to your towels, ensuring they emerge from the washing machine cleaner, softer, and more absorbent.
Angela has had some of her towels for nearly a decade now, but they don’t feel coarse and stiff as you might anticipate, reports the Express.
How Angela uses soda crystals to maintain soft towels
To start, it’s important to wash towels separately from clothing and bedding. Garments tend to shed a considerable amount of lint during a wash cycle, which can result in fluff clinging to your towels.
Next, add a scoop of soda crystals into the drum along with a single laundry detergent pod before loading your towels.
Steer clear of fabric softener when washing towels, as it can leave behind a greasy soap residue. It’s worth avoiding fabric softener altogether when doing the laundry, as it can leave an unpleasant feel on your clothes.
Set your washing machine to a hot 60-degree cycle to give the towels a thorough clean and banish any bacteria lurking within.
Once the cycle is complete, run an additional rinse cycle to help shift any soap residue that may have loosened from the towels.
When the washing machine has finished, hang the towels outside to dry in the sunshine at this time of year. If drying outdoors isn’t an option, placing the towels on an airing rack alongside a dehumidifier is your best bet.
