My neighbor Frank was dead wrong about using fabric softener on towels

He swore by it for years, said it made them feel amazing. But after about 6 months of following his advice, all our bath towels stopped absorbing water completely. Had to toss three expensive ones from the Martindale store and start over with vinegar rinses. Anyone else had a laundry tip backfire like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

hayes.joel13d ago

Pulled my jaw off the floor reading about the Martindale store (is that the fancy one downtown with the monogramming?). I can't believe Frank steered you wrong like that, especially after six months of building up that softener gunk. I had a buddy who swore by using dryer sheets on his workout gear, said it kept them smelling fresh. Took me three washes to realize all my moisture-wicking shirts were basically turning into plastic wrap (sweat city, literally). At least you figured it out before ruining every towel in the house.

nancythomas13d ago

Oh wow, the "sweat city" part hit home. I had the same issue with my running shirts, and it took me forever to figure out the dryer sheet residue was basically sealing in the stink. The real trick I learned was to strip them with a cup of white vinegar in the wash every few months. It cuts through that waxy buildup better than anything, and your towels will puff up again too. Have you tried that on any of your moisture-wicking stuff yet, or did you end up tossing them?

the_susan13d ago

Huh, I actually disagree a little on the vinegar trick. Tried it on my towels and it worked at first but after a while the smell drove me crazy and they still weren't absorbing right. Frank might've been onto something if he used way less softener.