There’s nothing worse than going to use a towel only to find it’s hard, scratchy and uncomfortable.
New towels are usually soft, comfortable and luxurious but after being washed in the washing machine a few times they can quickly turn hard.
One of the reasons for this is the material of the towel. Cotton towels will retain water and this residual water binds the fibres together making them feel stiff after being washed.
Even when the towel feels dry to the touch, there’s actually a film of water covering it which makes it feel dry.
Using too much detergent and fabric conditioner can also cause towels to become hard and crunchy.
With this in mind, Sarah Dempsey at Myjobquote.co.uk, the UK’s leading trades matching site, has shared how to prevent towels from going crunchy in the wash.
She exclusively told Express.co.uk: “To prevent towels from going crunchy add a cup of white vinegar to your wash.
“This helps to break down the build-up of detergent residue on your towels which makes them stiff and crunchy.”
White vinegar can be bought from supermarkets and online for as little as 99p.
While towels will be less stiff if they’re put in the tumble dryer, overloading the tumble dryer could also make them less fluffy.
Instead of ending up with matted, dried out towels, put less items in the tumble dryer for fluffier towels.
Hard water, which is often caused by elevated levels of calcium and magnesium, can also cause towels to be stiff.
The buildup of minerals on the fabric can make towels feel hard, crunchy and uncomfortable to use.
However, if towels are starting to look old and particularly crunchy then it might be time to replace them.
Bath and hand towels only last between two and five years so it might be time to replace them if you’ve had them longer than that.
Washcloths, which are also known as face cloths, should be replaced every one to two years.