How to wash towels with vinegar in a washing machine?

Most housewives wash potholders and napkins like other items—with regular detergent and fabric softener. But this is a bad idea, as it discolors the fabric, making it stiff and unpleasant to the touch. Washing towels with vinegar will remedy the situation, as vinegar is renowned for its softening and color-restoring properties. It's simple, quick, and inexpensive.

Why do kitchen towels go stale?

Kitchen napkins become stiff for several reasons. Long-term use is only a secondary factor, as most towels "fail" due to improper care. As practice shows, the following errors lead to “hardening”:

• using regular powder, which contains aggressive components, bleaches and alkalis;
• washing without adding softeners for tap water;
• overloading the drum, which prevents the laundry from being completely rinsed from the detergent;
• choosing an economy or quick mode with insufficient water for a full rinse;
• prolonged drying in direct sunlight or on a radiator, leading to overdrying of the fiber;
• Ironing with a hot iron without steam (this procedure is harmful to textiles).

Another problem is that kitchen towels get dirty quickly, but they accumulate until a full batch is complete. During this time, the dirt penetrates deep into the fabric and destroys it from the inside. Improper washing exacerbates the situation, causing the towels to become even more stale. Fortunately, it's possible to restore the softness of these textiles.

Restore Towels with Vinegar

Washing with vinegar will help restore your towel's original softness. Regular table vinegar will not only remove stubborn stains and eliminate unpleasant odors, but also restore the fabric's nap. Just follow the instructions carefully:

• sort the towels and load a batch into the drum;
• pour the powder into the main compartment of the powder receptacle, and pour 2 tablespoons of vinegar into the central compartment;
• select any mode with water heating temperature up to 60 degrees;
• activate the double rinse function;
• start the cycle and wait for it to finish.

If you regularly wash your napkins with vinegar in the washing machine, they will not only become softer, but will also restore their original color.

That's it! All that's left to do is remove the towels from the drum, shake them out, and smooth them out with a steam iron or steam iron. The results are usually visible after the second wash.

What if we take baking soda and vinegar?

To enhance the effect, it's recommended to wash kitchen towels with vinegar and baking soda. Together, they will clean, soften, whiten, and refresh your laundry. A modest dosage is sufficient: half a cup of essence and half a cup of detergent. The first one is poured into the powder receiver, and the second one is poured into the tank.

Experienced homemakers recommend going a step further and making a homemade conditioner using vinegar and baking soda. Take 6 cups of vinegar and 1 cup of baking soda powder, and mix everything together with 250 ml of water. Once the mixture foams, add another 6 cups of clean water, and for fragrance, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Then, pour the resulting solution into an empty dispenser and use as needed.

Don't forget that both baking soda and vinegar are considered excellent and affordable water softeners. To avoid purchasing expensive, specialized products, you can add them together or separately during the rinse cycle. This advice applies to both machine and hand washing.

Restoring towels that have been "battered by life"

Old kitchen towels only look so. In fact, restoring their former softness and freshness is quite simple. The first method is to soak the towels in salted water before washing. To do this, add 2-3 tablespoons of salt to a filled basin at a rate of 5 liters (1.5 gallons), then soak the towels in the resulting solution for 30-40 minutes. Then, wash the towels as usual.

If your towel has turned gray or is extremely dirty and you can't use bleach, a second method—soaking it in salt and ammonia—will help. Take a tablespoon of the powder and add it to a liter of water along with a teaspoon of ammonia. Leave the towels in the solution for at least eight hours, or preferably 10.

It's important not only to save old towels but also to protect new ones. To do this, choose delicate washing gels and powders, avoid high-temperature cycles, enable double rinse, and avoid intensive bleaching. We also remember to soften the water with vinegar, salt or soda.

The towels smell bad.

The second problem after stiff towels is an unpleasant odor. This isn't just a matter of insufficient cleaning and odorous stains, but more serious and widespread issues. Typically, napkins emit an unpleasant odor for the following reasons:

• long-term use;
• insufficient ventilation of the bathroom or kitchen;
• clogged washing machine;
• dampness of the room used for drying.

Removing odor from towels is easy. A great method is soaking the fabric for 8 hours in a solution of water, baking soda, and vinegar, then washing. If that doesn't work, try using the professional Oxiclean product, using it strictly according to the instructions.

   

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