How do you make new cotton bath towels more absorbant?

Question

Every time we purchas new cotton towels, they seem to repel water instead of absorbing it. After many times through the washer they start working properly. HELP

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Wash them at least 3 times in a row (without drying them) before you use them. Do not use fabric softner in the wash and if the towels are colored don't use hot water because the color will bleed.

Answer 2

wash in hot water

Answer 3

Fabric Sofener can cause the same effect on towels.

Answer 4

to keep towels more abosrbant, DO NOT use fabric softener, it only gets into the fibres and clogs them up.

When you wash towels, put in a cup of white vinager into the fabric softener cycle. The vinager will help break up the soap film and get it out during the spin cycle. You wont even notice the smell.

I do this to all of mine when I wash them.

Source(s):

I got this from one of those tip sheets that people send in email. Thought I would try it out and see what happens. It acutally works.

Answer 5

Wash in hot water twice adding a 1/2 cup of white vinegar each time, then throw them in the dryer.

Answer 6

Wash them a couple of times, with a fabric softener and that will help.

Answer 7

Do not use fabric softener after washing. They won't be as soft but much more absorbant.

Source(s):

Grandma

Answer 8

Wash them and do not use dryer sheets or fabric softeners.

Answer 9

I know how to help them. DO NOT use fabric softener when you wash and dry them.It will cause them to repel water even more.You answered your own question actually.Just wash them a few times until they get more absorbant.WITHOUT using fabric softener!

Answer 10

I learned this from my grandmother. She hated new dish towels because of this issue.

Use 1/4 cup hair conditioner the first time you wash them. You can get some at the dollar store because any kind will work. Put it in the rinse water at the start of the rinse cycle. It works!

Answer 11

Majority wins! DO NOT use fabric softener! That, and line drying works to keep them rough and absorbent! Works for me!

Answer 12

Don't use fabric softener on them. It builds up and tends to make them less absorbent.

Source(s):

experience

Answer 13

You could try mixing a little dishwasher detergent with the water before adding the towels. The dishwashing detergent is harsher and may work out the stuff that's repelling water. I get tough stains out of clothes with dilluted d/w soap.

Answer 14

Do not use ANY fabric softener at all. Fabric Softener interferes with cotton's absorbency. Your towels will also last 3 times longer is you don't use fabric softener.

Source(s):

Experience. I am 41 years old and have been doing laundry since I was 8.

Answer 15

wash them repeatedly, with fabric softener.

Answer 16

Do not use fabric softener. It is a well known fact that the more softerner you use, the less absorbent your clothes are. Softener puts a wax film on clothes and towels, which makes you think they are softer. Only use softner once or twice a month.

Answer 17

Bleach them a lot

Answer 18

Try to keep it dry.....may be for ever

Answer 19

Wash it and DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTNER. Also when you dry them, do not use dryer sheets. They also take from the towels ability to absorb. I actually air dry my towels.

Source(s):

My experience

Answer 20

Wow! We've got some reall towel washing experts out there! :-) I agree with everyone else who said, first wash before using them, add a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle and it's even a good idea to rinse a second time. When adding vinegar, dilute it first or wait until the water level is high enough to dilute it instantly. Otherwise the vinegar may create acidic fade spots on your towels. I know this from personal experience. Dryer dry to fluff, but NO FABRIC SOFTNER of any type. Sometimes line drying your towels will leave them stiff and scratchy, even when they are 100% cotton.

Oh any by the way, hot water is not good for colored towels. It will ruin them. Warm water and color-safe detergent is better.

Answer 21

I agree with pixie & david_in_milwaukee - if they later get washed with softner, you will have to wash them several times in hot water to get the softner completely out.

Source(s):

experience

Answer 22

Wash a couple of times and add fabric softener.

Answer 23

I have no idea what you mean.

Perhaps you should consider buying a higher quality towel.

Try stores like TJ MAXX, Marshalls, and FireSales, where you can get quality $30 towels for $6-12 a piece.

Answer 24

To sum up all the good advice:

Wash the towels in hot water
Use 1/2 c vinegar in wash cycle
Do not use too much detergant
Do not use any fabric softener
Line dry

Answer 25

If you use too much softner it will inhibit the absorbancy.

Answer 26

Wash with fabric softner use a dryer to dry them

Answer 27

New materials have synthetic coating on it to give it the gloss and make it look like new. If you could dip the new material in warm water and dry it before use, would start to absord more

Answer 28

I also heard fabric softner makes them repel water.

Answer 29

i don't know

Answer 30

Fabric softener is the answer. If you want a cheap natural alternative just add a handful of salt to your final rinse, same result and good for people who suffer allergies from some fragrances.

Answer 31

Regardless of what I've read so far, many are wrong. You not only need to use the warmest water, but you "do" need to use fabric softener and about half a capful of laundry detergent. Like when you wash you hair, you need conditioner to get rid of the soap curds.(Also was a barber for many years) Same goes in any wash. Fabric softener gets rid of soap curds and makes towels softer, "Period". Thats why fabric softener was invented. It also helps ten-fold if you have soft water anyway. A cold rinse actually reduces a lot of soap, but you need a "Quality" fabric softner. If you add a capful you must also try to fill your dispenser with a liitle water while its filling up to make the softener more fluid. It never hurts to remove your dispenser off your agitator every few months and clean the hollow center of it , you will find that it clogs the holes and turns black form bacteria. Not only have I done laundry for over 37 years as a male, but I've also sold many appliances, mostly washers.

Source(s):

Self.