Rules and methods for washing a towel at home
To wash terry towels helps keep them soft, fluffy, pleasant to the touch, you need to follow a few simple rules. Often, due to the use of low-quality products, violation of the method of washing and drying or for other reasons, the fabric begins to absorb poorly and becomes rough. This can be avoided, and it is also quite possible to restore the appearance and properties of towels.
Why terry cloth becomes stiff
The terry towel has practically become a symbol of home comfort. But the fluffy fabric can become stiff and almost scratched immediately after you wash the item for the first time. Why does this happen?
Poor quality product
The use of insufficient quality powder will lead to the fact that the fabric will lose its absorbent properties, and to the touch it will seem unpleasant and tough, so it is better to refuse cheap products. In addition, when powder detergents are used, their grains are poorly rinsed from the villi which form the structure of the fabric.
hard water
With an increase in water hardness, mineral salts are deposited on the villi, causing the tissue to lose its softness. If water is the problem, soften it to wash it.
bad fashion
When using a washing machine, it is important to select the correct mode. A terry towel will lose its softness if it is washed in too hot water, not rinsed enough or spun at too high a speed.
Dry air
A terry towel can be stiff if the air is too dry. For this reason, battery drying is not recommended.
Ironing without steam
Terry cloth items cannot be ironed without steam. Information about this is present on the manufacturer's instructions in the form of a label.
How to properly wash terry cloth in a washing machine
When preparing for a machine wash, it is necessary to sort items by color and wash them separately from other items. In the drum, they should not be adjacent to wardrobe items with plastic or metal elements, for example, buckles or clasps. This can leave puffiness on delicate fabrics.
Use liquid products for delicate fabrics
To keep a delicate product soft and fluffy, preference should be given not to powder detergents, but to liquid detergents. The gel is more easily removed from the terry cloth with water than the powder particles, which helps to avoid the stiffness of the fabric.
The composition of the product must be suitable for washing delicate fabrics in order to minimize the risk of damaging the structure.
The right choice of mode and temperature
When selecting a wash programme, you should not set Eco mode as it uses less water. Mahra absorbs liquid well, so, on the contrary, there should be plenty of water for washing. If the machine has a pre-rinse function, it is convenient to use this option. After a machine wash, it is best to rinse it again by hand, or you can select a mode with an extra rinse. Products are washed in water not exceeding 40 degrees.
Use special bullets
Bubble plastic balls for washing are sold in stores. The balls are placed in the machine together with the linen, and when rotating the drum, the devices mechanically break the hardened fibers, giving the fabrics softness.
Avoid conditioners and bleaches
Standard conditioners are not suitable for rinsing, you should choose those that contain silicone. Bleach should not be added during washing. If it is necessary to bleach, the fabric is soaked in the product separately, rinsed, and then washed with powder in a machine. But it is better to replace the usual commercial bleach with vinegar or other alternative means.
Steam iron only by weight
Ironing with an ordinary iron can damage the fibers and make the fabric rough and unpleasant to the touch. If you still need to iron the fabric, you should use the steam function, where vertical steam is best.
Filling of kegs
The washing machine drum should not be two-thirds full.This will help wash away the dirt better and keep it soft.
Spinning
Wring a terry towel should not exceed 500 rpm. If it is possible to dry the product well after washing, then it is better to use the modes without wringing at all, the water will run off on its own, and the towel will remain soft.
Home Water Softening Methods
Hard water is characterized by a high content of mineral salts, it is found in many regions. You can determine how soft the water is in a particular geographical point using a special map, but it is not difficult to do this using simple observations. Hard water foams badly, leaves scale on kettle machines after several boils; when such water settles, a white layer will appear on the walls of the container. Water with increased hardness intended for washing must be softened, and this can be done with the help of available tools.
Salt
Table salt available in every kitchen softens hard water by dissolving calcium and magnesium salts. To soften the water used in washing machines and dishwashers, special tablets or granules are produced; they are made from table salt.
The vinegar
To soften the water, you need 1 tablespoon of vinegar in 2 liters of water. The liquid is stirred and left to infuse for five minutes. Instead of vinegar, you can take 1 teaspoon of citric acid or the juice of one lemon.
A soda
Soda not only softens water, but also reduces its acidity. It is necessary to add 2 teaspoons of baking soda to 10 liters of water, mix well and wait for the sediment to fall to the bottom.
A mixture of baking soda and vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar will soften not only hard water, but also the terry towel itself.It is enough for machine washing to pour a glass of table vinegar into the compartment for liquid detergents and start the mode without rinsing and spinning at a sufficiently high temperature, after which half a glass of soda should be poured into the compartment intended for powder detergents and run a cycle with rinse and spin.
How to wash by hand
To wash a terry towel by hand, you must first place it in a soapy solution for some time, while the water should be lukewarm. To soften the fabric, you can add a little vinegar while soaking. Then the towel is gently massaged with the addition of washing gel. You must rinse several times to completely remove the detergent from the fabric; during the first rinse, you can lightly salt the water so that the towel becomes softer.
How to restore the fabric of old products
It often happens that after a number of washes, a terry towel looks quite presentable, but it is hard and unpleasant to the touch, and besides, it absorbs water poorly. There are several ways to restore tissue from such products that have already been used.
Soak
To restore softness to a terry towel, which has become hard after use, soaking in cold water will help. The product is left in a basin or in a bath with water overnight, during which the residues of detergents are washed from the fibers and the towel becomes softer.
Salt and ammonia
You can soften the terry cloth by soaking it for a few hours in a solution of salt and ammonia. To prepare the mixture, you will need 2 liters of cold water, 2 teaspoons of ammonia and 2 tablespoons of salt. After soaking, the product must be well rinsed and dried.
How to wash washed terry towels
It is quite possible to make washed terry towels soft and beautiful again. To do this, you need to follow a few simple recommendations.
Machine wash
For machine washing, select a mode with a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees, and rinsing, it is better to use pre-soak. Doing no more than 500 rounds. Use liquid detergent. The drum is loaded no more than two-thirds, special spiked plastic balls are added to it to make the fibers of the fabric soft. Immediately after washing, the towels are removed from the drum and dried.
Manual way
Hand washing is one of the gentlest ways to remove dirt. When washing by hand, the fabric should first be soaked for a while, if there is heavy dirt, rub it with laundry soap. After that, you need to rinse the item at least three times, changing the water each time.
Pre-soak
Pre-soaking is an important step in regaining softness. Vinegar can be added to the water to remove the stiffness from the fabric. As a detergent, you can use ordinary soap, gel for washing or washing dishes, and even shampoo. Detergents are dissolved in warm water, where a towel is placed and left to act for some time.
Boiling
Despite the fact that previously all fabrics were boiled for bleaching, this method is undesirable for terry towels. It is best to bleach the product and remove dirt by other means.
Whiten otherwise
If detergents could not return the original white color, substances whose effectiveness has been empirically confirmed will come to the rescue. You can use both folk methods and special means.
Mustard
Mustard powder will give the white towel a brilliant whiteness and disinfect it. To do this, dilute 50 grams of powder in 5 liters of water, soak the fabric, then rinse thoroughly.
potassium permanganate
The towel can be bleached by adding potassium permanganate and detergent when soaking; liquid gel and laundry soap shavings are fine. After the procedure, the product should be rinsed well with cold water.
Boric acid
A terry towel should be soaked in a solution prepared from 5 liters of hot water and 2 tablespoons of boric acid. After that, the fabric is washed as usual.
Use of special tools
It is not recommended to use chlorine bleaches for terry towels, it is better to use oxygen-based products, they will gently remove dirt without damaging the fibers of the fabric.
Funds from Amway and Faberlic are proven.
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil can help whiten towels, soften dirt, allowing it to be removed. For this method, you need to prepare a mixture by dissolving an incomplete glass of washing powder, 3 tablespoons of oil and the same amount of vinegar in 15 liters of hot water. It is better to add vegetable oil last, otherwise the rest of the components will be difficult to dissolve in water covered with a film of oil. The towel is soaked in the resulting mixture overnight, then wrung out and machine washed.
Features of washing other types of towels
Depending on the purpose, towels of different fabrics are used, each with its own functionality and distinctive features during care.In the kitchen, cotton and waffle products are often used, hands and face can be wiped with bamboo and terry cloth, the body is wiped with large bath towels. When washing, each type of product has its own nuances.
Cotton
Cotton towels are universal: they are used for wiping the face and hands, and are also used for kitchen needs. Dirty white towels can be machine washed with universal detergents as well as bed linen at the maximum temperature. For colored items, the water should not be hotter than 60 degrees, choose mild detergents, bleach should not be used.
Bath
A bath towel is a large terry cloth that is easy to wrap up after taking a bath or shower. Maintenance is required, as with any sponge product: hand or machine wash with a mild detergent at low temperature, rinse thoroughly, dry in fresh air away from direct sunlight and heating devices. As a rule, bath towels do not get very dirty, the main thing is to keep them fresh and soft during washing.
Waffle
Housewives love waffle towels because the products absorb moisture well and wash well, making them convenient to use in the kitchen. Such fabric can be hand and machine washed; any detergent will do, but the water temperature should not exceed 40 degrees.
Bamboo
Bamboo towels are chosen because this soft and delicate natural material is hypoallergenic, absorbs well and has antibacterial properties. Bamboo products are unpretentious maintenance, withstand many cleanings, while retaining their softness and color.It is necessary to follow the recommendations indicated on the label: wash by hand or in a typewriter, set a gentle mode, the temperature should not be chosen above 30 degrees, wring at low speed, bleaches and fabric softeners should be avoided.
Tips & Tricks
When caring for a terry towel, you must follow all the rules, then the fabric will remain soft and pleasant to the touch for a long time. When preparing a product for washing, you need to remember simple recommendations:
- Care instructions can be found on the label, where there is information on recommended washing, ironing, permitted water temperature.
- The terry towel absorbs all aromas, so it should not be stored in a basket with other dirty objects.
- A damp product should not be left in the dirty linen drawer, as this may give off a musty smell. It must either be washed immediately or dried.
- It is best to dry a terry towel in the wind, in the cool air, avoiding direct sunlight. Thus, the moisture will quickly disappear, and the fabric will acquire a pleasant aroma.
- If a snag appears on the terry cloth, the thread can simply be carefully cut with scissors, without fear of an arrow appearing or the fabric blooming.
Terry towels are an essential attribute of a bathroom in any home. In order to preserve the softness of the fabric and a neat appearance for as long as possible, regular and careful care of the towels should be taken care of, not to mention simple tips and tricks.