If the towel does not absorb water. How to make towels soft after washing

After purchase terry towels everyone wants to enjoy their softness for a long time. Unfortunately, a situation often arises when such products lose their tenderness after just a few washes. This is a consequence improper care after them. Why are towels hard after washing in a machine? How to properly wash and dry them? Is it possible to restore the lost softness and tenderness of a product? Answers to these and other questions can be found below in the article.

Why are towels hard after washing in a machine?

Any housewife knows that high quality washing making terry products is not an easy process. After all, you really want to preserve their original softness.

If you examine such a towel using a magnifying glass, it will become clear that the terry product consists of loop-shaped fibers. They give the fabric softness and elasticity and allow it to absorb moisture well. If towels are not properly cared for, these loops stop holding their shape. As a result, the once soft and delicate terry product becomes hard and does not absorb moisture well.

The structure of the fabric is damaged due to the use of an incorrectly selected detergent, improper washing and drying. Also, terry products lose their softness due to interaction with hard water.

Now you know why towels are hard after washing in a machine. It's time to talk about proper care for such products.

Pre-soaking terry towels

How to wash a terry towel if it is very dirty? In this case, the pre-soaking step will help. This procedure will help better removal various spots. And vinegar added to the water will keep the structure of the towel soft and delicate.

The proportions for preparing the solution are as follows: 15-20 milliliters of vinegar per 1 liter of warm water. In addition, soaking towels in this way helps remove even stubborn stains, for example from grease.

Basic rules for washing terry towels

Basic tips for washing terry products are as follows:

• It is recommended to use special canvas or mesh bags to prevent towels from rubbing against the drum of the washing machine.
• It is necessary to separate white products from colored ones to avoid shedding. Although modern dyes are durable, sometimes it happens that light-colored towels are accidentally stained.

• It is not recommended to wash terry towels with products that are decorated with metal or plastic elements. These hard parts can damage the pile.
• Do not wash a wet towel. It must be dried first. Otherwise, it may occur musty smell. If such unpleasant aroma has already occurred, it is recommended to ventilate the towel on fresh air for a few hours and then wash it as usual.

Choosing the right laundry detergent

The main mistake when caring for terry clothes is using the wrong detergents. It is strictly forbidden to use inexpensive "Tide", "Ariel" and other advertised products are also not suitable. After all, particles of powdered products get clogged into the fibers of the fabric and make the terry hard.

To wash such towels, you should choose liquid detergents in the form of gels. They are well washed out of the thread loops that make up terry products, without leading to their rigidity.

If you are unable to use liquid product, then at the end of washing the towels should be rinsed thoroughly.

Do not use bleach when caring for terry products. After all, such a product also penetrates deep into the tissue and gives it excessive rigidity. How to wash towels that are heavily soiled? It is better to use ammonia or laundry soap by applying one of these products directly to the stain before washing. After some time, you need to rinse the item well in warm water. And only after that start machine washing.

Selecting the appropriate program for washing terry towels

When choosing a washing machine program, use the following recommendations:

• Optimal temperature water is 30-40 °C. The permissible maximum is 60 °C. Before washing, be sure to pay attention to the label on which the recommended washing parameters are indicated.

• It is recommended to wring out terry products at low speeds - from 500 to 700 per minute. You can even refuse this option. This will only extend the life of the towels. If you use intensive spinning, the terry fibers become stretched, stop holding their shape and, accordingly, no longer cope with their functions.
• It is strictly not recommended to use economical washing modes, because when choosing such programs, the machine uses a limited amount of water throughout the entire operating cycle. Terry products can absorb a large number of moisture. If there is not enough water, the towels will become stiff and may even shrink in size. For the same reason, you should not load the drum of the machine more than 2/3 full. It is recommended to set at least three rinses. During this process, water must be present in sufficient quantity. It is under these conditions that the remaining detergent will be removed, and terry towels will ultimately remain soft and fluffy.

Using rinse aids

Another way to make towels soft after washing is to use rinse conditioner. This product restores the structure of the fabric and makes terry products softer to the touch.

The important point is right choice rinse aid. You should choose a product that contains silicone. And you don't need to use a lot of conditioner. Indeed, in this case, it will cover every lint of the towel, which will lead to a decrease in the hygroscopicity of the terry product.

You can also rinse your towels after washing in vinegar solution. This will also give them softness.

How to dry terry products correctly?

Above were washing tips, following which you can keep terry items soft and fluffy. However, another important process is the drying of such products.

It is recommended that you shake each towel thoroughly before hanging it up to dry. This will help the terry loops take the correct shape.

Terry products do not like straight ones sun rays. After drying in such conditions, they become hard, and in this case it will be extremely difficult to restore the towels.

Terry products will remain the softest after drying in the fresh air. They need to be hung in a shady place. If it's windy, this will be an added advantage. After all, the wind will quickly rid the towels of remaining moisture and will not deteriorate the properties of the fabric. With this method of drying, you need to make sure that things do not dry out.

If it is not possible to hang towels in the fresh air, then in the apartment best place this will be the bathroom. After all, the humidity in this room is higher than in other rooms.

If available special machine for drying, you should definitely use it. When using this device, the towels remain soft and gentle.

Terry items do not like being ironed. After all, at the same time the shape of the loops changes, they become crushed. As a result, the towel becomes hard. It is recommended to replace the iron with a steamer.

How to restore a towel that has become stiff?

There are several ways to restore terry products:

• It is recommended to wash the hard towel again, following the above tips. It is recommended to soften the water using special tablets for washing machines or capsules for hand wash. Afterwards, you need to immerse the product in a solution of table salt for at least 40 minutes. This will have a beneficial effect on the terry fibers and straighten them. After the specified time has passed, you need to wring out the towel with your hands, shake well and dry.

• A terry product that has lost its softness and fluffiness should be soaked in large quantities. cold water all night long. In the morning, the towel should be rinsed and dried. Pure water will help remove detergent residues that have caused the product to become rough.
• It is recommended to steam a hard towel. A stream of hot, moist air will return the terry loops to their original state.

Conclusion

Why are towels hard after washing in a machine? This could be due to a number of factors. The softness of terry items is influenced by the process of washing, drying, ironing, and the choice of detergent and conditioner. There are several ways that can help restore the properties of rough tissue. If you follow the recommendations given in the article when caring for towels, the terry products will remain soft, tender and fluffy throughout the entire period of use.

When, instead of the expected tenderness after a shower, you have to wipe yourself with a hard brush, it even becomes somehow offensive.

When I bought it, it was as soft as an angel's wing. And after the first wash, or at most the second, it turned into a rough canvas, which, it seems, does not wipe, but scratches. And even fabric softener doesn't help! But even the toughest towel can be saved and returned to angelic tenderness.

There are several reasons why your soft towel turns into stubble:

1. High water hardness. The more salts contained in the water, the more of them are deposited on the fibers of the fabric in the form of crystals. Terry items become stiff after washing this way.

2. Use of phosphate washing powders. Here we get vicious circle: in the powder, phosphates fight water hardness, precipitating salts, and when they get into terry fabric, they make it hard.

3. Wrong washing: without soaking, non-compliance with the recommended regimen.

5 steps to softness

These rules are very simple and no additional movements will be required.

1. Replace washing powder liquid detergent. It does not clog fabric fibers and retains color.

2. When washing towels, always run an extra rinse cycle. This will help to better rinse off any remaining powder or washing liquid.

3. The delicate terry pile is sensitive to mechanical stress, so when spinning, use minimal amount rpm

4. The optimal temperature for washing bath accessories is no higher than 40°C.

5. It is better not to use rinse aid for washing terry cloth. If you have such an individual need, then choose a brand with silicone.

Photo: Sally Anscombe/DigitalVision/Getty Images

In addition, it would be a good idea to soak the towels before washing. Make a solution: add a spoon per liter of water ammonia and leave the towels in it for an hour. Then you can wash it.

How to make a towel soft after washing:

• do not wring out the terry, this will wear out the fibers;
• do not dry near radiators or in the sun;
• the ideal place for drying is the bathroom or drying machine;
• do not iron terry products;
• dry the products, straightening them well, preferably on a horizontal surface.

When you are preparing for a vacation, you need to choose and definitely take a beach towel with you. It is indispensable for relaxing on the sea, lake, river as a bedding while relaxing in the sun and for wiping the body from water. A beach towel has certain properties:

• durable pattern on fabric, does not fade after washing.
• absorbs moisture well
• soft enough for children and adults
• easy to wash and dry quickly

This terry cotton beach towel is soft and pleasant to the touch. Waffle is more rigid and quickly absorbs water. Bamboo fabric is highly hygroscopic and dries slowly. A beach towel has short pile and this differs from a bath towel. It is important to choose suitable size, so that you can easily use it as a rug and it’s convenient to take it with you. It's better to buy beach towels in bulk different sizes for the whole family. The beaches offer special portable beach towels with a pillow, which makes it possible to relax and dry off the water.

How to properly wash beach towels?

After going to the beach, the towel on which you took sunbathing, always full of sand. It definitely needs to be washed. How to wash beach towels and remove sand from them? Take advantage the following rules. The first thing to do is dry the towels in the fresh air for several hours. Next, shake out all the sand that has accumulated in the fabric. Soak beach towels for about 2 hours in a special solution. For every liter of water, add 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Subsequently you will get rid of sea ​​salt deposited on the towel. After some time, you need to lather the product with soap and wash it in the washing machine at low temperature and a short program.

It is not advisable to use washing powder to wash terry towels. Use liquid detergents and they will become soft. When washing with powder, rinse the items additionally to remove as much detergent from the fabric as possible. Fabric softeners make towels hard, so use products that contain silicone. To protect lint, do not boil terry items, wash at low speed and use sufficient quantity water. To make a hard towel fluffy, rinse it in salted water. Dry towels in a well-ventilated place, preferably outside. Buy a terry ball and you won't need chemicals to make the fabric fluffy. Don't skimp on the quality of towels; buy beach towels in bulk at a discounted price. They will last longer and withstand many washes. Terry products cannot be ironed; you can steam them with an iron. Don't leave towels wet for a long time to prevent mold and foreign odors from appearing. Dry and wash the towel immediately.

Updated: 02/16/2018 10:10:59

When buying a towel, you should pay attention to its composition, density and length of pile, as well as size and appearance products.

Which towel to choose. Materials

Towels are made from different materials, most often cotton, bamboo and linen. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages that need to be taken into account when purchasing.

Towels can be terry (with big amount moisture-absorbing loops on the surface), waffle and velor (with cut loops):

Terry products are ideal for the face, hands and body - they are very soft and pleasant to the touch, absorb a large amount of moisture.

Waffle towels – great option for kitchen. They wipe dishes well, dry quickly and do not lose their basic properties even after intensive washing and boiling conditions. In addition, they do not leave marks on cleaned surfaces.

Velor towels are soft and pleasant to the touch. They, like terry ones, are used to care for hands and face. But such products have worse moisture-absorbing abilities. Velor towels dry faster than terry towels.

Cotton products are highly hygienic, soft and hypoallergenic. They are recommended to be used for caring for children, especially newborns. It is important that the towel is made of pure cotton.

The quality of the product and its appearance largely depend on what type of cotton is used. For example, terry cloth made from Egyptian cotton is of the highest quality and elite.

Egyptian cotton fibers are twice as long as standard cotton. Thanks to this, the weave density of the towel is higher, and it has more moisture-absorbing “loops”. The ultra-soft and super-fluffy bath towels used in luxury hotels and spas are typically made from Egyptian cotton. They are particularly strong and durable. However, such products also have disadvantages - they are heavier than standard towels and take longer to dry.

Along with Egyptian cotton is long-staple Pima cotton, which grows in America. It is as strong and durable as Egyptian, but less soft and fluffy. Towels made from this material are produced by the famous American company Supima.

One of the most popular types of cotton is Turkish. It is, of course, not as fluffy as Egyptian or Pima cotton, but it absorbs moisture well and dries quickly. Turkish cotton towels are lightweight and durable, and they become softer and fluffier with every wash.

But the marking that a towel is made of 100% high-quality cotton is not always true. Some manufacturers claim that their product is made from Egyptian cotton, but in fact the towels are made from a mixture of cotton and synthetic fibers. This limits the moisture absorption capacity of the products and makes them less pleasant to the touch. Therefore, you should choose towels from trusted manufacturers and not pay attention to products made from “high-quality elite cotton” at a low price.

Advantages

Suitable for newborns, pregnant women and allergy sufferers;

Ideal for drying hands, face and body.

They have good absorbent properties;

They have high strength and wear resistance;

Flaws

Takes a long time to dry;

They may shrink after washing.

Flax is most often used in the production of kitchen and bath towels. It can also be combined with cotton fibers to create face and body towels.

Advantages

They do not shed;

Have a good massage effect;

Withstands a large number of washes;

Durability (longer service life than cotton);

Not electrified;

They have antiseptic properties (destroy pathogenic bacteria);

Can be used for children;

Flaws

They crumple heavily;

They are expensive.

Bamboo towels have gained wide popularity among residents of the Russian Federation and CIS countries. They are soft and pleasant to the touch, absorb moisture perfectly and retain their unique properties even after many washes.

Many towels as well bed sheets, blankets and pillows marketed as “bamboo” have little to do with this unique plant. In fact, false bamboo material comes to us from Asia and China.

Enterprising Asians have perfectly mastered the basics of producing viscose fiber from bamboo wood, during which cellulose is extracted from the plant and processed using various chemical substances. The result is cellulose hydrate artificial material– viscose. This “bamboo” does not have those unique properties, which are reported by almost all thematic online publications. Viscose from bamboo wood has only the properties of viscose. Viscose fiber towels may be labeled "bamboo viscose".

Real environmentally friendly and healthy bamboo fiber (“viscose linen”) is produced mechanically, like hemp and flax fibers. However, its production costs a pretty penny, so products made from real bamboo fiber have high cost and are rarely found on sale.

Advantages

Do not cause allergies;

They don't call allergic reactions;

Dries quickly;

Stop growth pathogenic microorganisms;

They have antibacterial and deodorizing properties;

They absorb moisture well (better than cotton);

They retain their original “marketable” appearance for a long time;

Flaws

High price;

Most “100% bamboo” products are not bamboo at all.

What size should a towel be?

Towels can be bath, massage, for hands, face and feet, etc. Each of them has its own dimensions:

Dimensions of shower or bath towels vary from 0.7 x 1.4 m to 1 x 1.5 m;

The dimensions of goods intended for a bath or sauna can be 1 x 1.8 and 0.8 x 2 m;

Hand towels can be 0.4 x 0.6, 0.5 x 0.7 and 0.5 x 0.9 m;

The length of face cloths is often 0.5 and 0.9 m, and the width is 0.3 and 0.5 m, respectively;

Hand products can be 0.4 x 0.6 m, 0.5 x 0.7 m;

Beach sheets are usually 1.4–1.5 cm long and 0.7–1 m wide

Kitchen towel models are often 0.3 x 0.3 and 0.3 x 0.5 m.

What should the pile be like?

Terry towels have a special pile - “close-knit” loops on the surface. The softness and fluffiness of the product depends on their length. The villi can be 3–8 mm long, with a value of 5 mm being considered ideal. The moisture-absorbing properties of the product depend on the length of the loops. The longer they are, the better towel absorbs moisture. But loops that are too large (more than 5 cm) can stretch, lose their shape and roll up after washing. Pile less than 3 mm long lasts longer, but absorbs moisture less well.

Towel density

The density of towels is measured in grams per square meter. This value varies from 300 to 900 g/m2 (on labels foreign manufacturers GSM – grams per squere meter may be indicated). Canvases 300–400 g/m2 are thin and light - they are ideal for training in gym or kitchens. Products 400–600 g/m2 are most often used after taking a shower or bath. Many beach towels have this thread density.

Fabrics with a density of 600–800 g/m2 have the highest strength and best absorbent properties. However, they have the greatest weight and take a long time to dry. Towels in this density are often made from high-quality Pima cotton and Egyptian cotton.

How to check the quality of a towel

Inspect the product from both sides. It should be evenly painted, without streaks or foreign chemical odors;

Pay attention to the pile of the terry product. Run your hand over it - if threads or lint remain on the skin, it is better not to buy the product;

Wipe the damp glass surface with a towel. Are there any stains on it? If yes, then this may indicate the use of synthetic fibers in production;

Make sure all edges of the product are finished closed seams, and terry “loops” do not stretch with minimal impact. Remember that the durability of the product depends on their fastening strength.

How to wash a towel correctly

Manufacturers often treat new items with special fabric softeners to make them fluffier and softer. However, such towels absorb water less well. For this reason, new towels should be washed before first use.

Remember that using bleaching agents makes towels less durable and reduces their lifespan. Therefore, use them only in extreme cases.

Please read the care label before use. It should indicate at what temperature the product should be washed and in what mode, whether it can be ironed and dry-cleaned. As a rule, towels can be washed at a temperature of 40–60 degrees at medium machine speed.

Remember, your towel will last longer if you care for it properly.

Surely this has happened to you too: when you get out of the shower and notice that the towel smells bad or doesn't absorb moisture well. Even new ones towels sometimes they quickly lose their freshness.

How to shape towels nice smell? How can we make them soft and improve their ability to absorb moisture from our bodies?

In this article we will give you simple tips, which you can follow day after day. Now taking a bath will be much more enjoyable.

What to do if the towel smells bad

Very often new towels and the robes we buy are quite hard to the touch. This is usually due to the dyes that are used to process them. This is why many people wash their towels first. hot water to make them softer.

In fact, regardless of the material, the towel smells unpleasant due to the fact that there is Bacteria accumulate when it absorbs moisture. What can be done? Don't worry, we have some great solutions.

You will need:

• 1 cup white (250 ml).
• half a cup of baking soda (125 g).
• hot water

What to do:

• Turn on washing machine . You can put all the towels in it: brand new ones that you want to make softer, old ones that have stopped absorbing moisture or have become bad smell. Wash towels in hot water after adding vinegar diluted in a glass of water to the detergent hole.
• The next step is also very simple. Start a new cycle, but before that add to the machine baking soda . It is very important not to mix these two ingredients. Dry the towels on outdoors. You'll see, the result will please you.

Why does this method help restore softness and freshness to towels?

This effect can be explained as follows. We too often place our faith in fabric softeners and detergents, expecting them to excellent result, but more often this leads to the opposite effect. Excess chemicals damage tissue, as a result of which things absorb moisture less well and wear out faster.

• White vinegar: acetic acid effectively destroys bacteria and moisture that accumulates in the fibers of the towel, as a result of which the fabric becomes softer.
• Soda: as you already know, baking soda is great not only for baking, but also for disinfection, removing contaminants, greasy stains and helps neutralize odors. Her wonderful properties much more effective properties many other cleaning products.

Tips for keeping towels always dry and smelling good