A B&B owner tried a new laundry hack to tackle rough, stiff towels — and cleaning enthusiasts say it works better than vinegar
Towels tend to turn stiff or scratchy mainly due to a build-up of detergent and fabric softener on the towel fibres, which can be made worse by hard water and over-drying. Fortunately, there are several ways to restore softness to your towels, even without resorting to white vinegar or bicarbonate of soda.
Posting on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page, Jane Hindle wrote: “I run a busy B&B, so I always have a problem with rough towels. Mainly hand towels, actually, because they’re in use constantly, but I hate to give guests rough ones, so I tried out a new hack I saw on here.
“I had no vinegar, but I use citric acid to clean kettles, so I thought I’d give it a go, and it made them so soft, I couldn’t believe it.”
The cleaning enthusiast explained how she simply added a small amount of citric acid to the laundry during the rinse cycle. Its descaling properties can help eliminate the mineral deposits responsible for leaving towels feeling hard and rough.
Many group members agreed with Jane, noting that citric acid actually outperforms vinegar, reports the Express.
Sandra Grey wrote: “I used softener for years, which I thought softened towels, but I learned it doesn’t. My daughter said citric acid is less aggressive on laundry and washing machines, making it better than vinegar.”
Valerie Buckley commented: “Towels will be super soft with this trick and when dried outside will be brightened too.”
Citric acid is available in powder form from retailers such as Waitrose for approximately £2.75 a box. It’s also especially useful in bathrooms and works brilliantly for cleaning loos, basins and shower heads.
The natural product is excellent at tackling limescale build-up in kettles, dishwashers and washing machines as well.
