Why Line-Dried Towels Feel Stiff—and How to Soften Them

We’re pretty enthusiastic when it comes to line-drying towels. Since they're heavy and require more electricity to dry thoroughly in the dryer, hanging them can reduce your energy bill. The dryer can also compromise the condition of your towels over time, causing premature wear and tear from heat exposure and agitation. Not to mention, it's hard to beat the simple act of hanging newly washed towels in the sun and the way they smell when you bring them back in. Unfortunately, all that often leaves a rough texture on towel fibers.

A negative tick against line drying, sure, but an easy enough one to overcome. Below, learn why line-dried towels can sometimes feel stiff, as well as the best methods for restoring them to their naturally soft state (sans dryer).

Why Air Drying Can Stiffen Towels

According to cleaning and laundry expert Mary Gagliardi, "The stiffness is a natural phenomenon caused by hydrogen bonding between the cellulose polymer chains that make up cotton fibers." She explains that cotton fibers swell when they absorb water during washing, causing hydrogen bonds to break. And as moisture evaporates from the towel during air-drying, hydrogen bonds reform between and within the cellulose fibers, leaving your towels stiff to the touch.

To prevent such stiffening, line-dry your towels in a breezy, lightly shaded area when possible, rather than in direct sunlight, advises professional organizer Marissa Rivera of Sparkly Maid Austin. The gentle breeze will naturally move the fibers as they dry, preventing them from stiffening in one position. "Direct intense sunlight dries towels too rapidly," she warns, "and can create a greater stiffness in fibers." Detergent use and washing methods can also add to the problem.

How to Soften Air-Dried Towels

Though it may seem counterintuitive to their name, fabric softeners should not be used to soften towels. They can interfere with a towel’s ability to absorb moisture, Gagliardi cautions, and a lack of moisture will leave you with a stiff, unwieldy towel after line drying.

Instead, opt for one of the expert-approved and natural methods below.

Vinegar Soak Method

"This is my go-to technique for restoring softness to towels that are stiff and have been previously washed," shares Rivera. This method also helps towels that may be stiff from being laundered in hard water, as vinegar dissolves calcium carbonate buildup, adds Gagliardi.

Place the stiff towels in the drum of your washing machine, add one cup of distilled vinegar, and then run a full wash cycle with warm water. “The acetic acid in the vinegar removes any detergent residue and mineral buildup that could exist in the fibers," which can cause stiffness, explains Rivera.

After removing the towels from the washer, shake each one vigorously before re-hanging. The vinegar smell will have disappeared entirely during the rinse cycle—no detergent necessary. When your towels have dried, softness should be restored.

Baking Soda Wash Method

If the towels have developed a musty smell in addition to being stiff, baking soda is a great solution, says Rivera. Add a half cup of baking soda directly to the drum with your stiff towels and run a warm wash cycle without detergent.

"Baking soda is slightly alkaline," she says. "Therefore, it eliminates odors, softens the water during the wash, and breaks up residue buildup in the fibers." Afterwards, Rivera recommends shaking each towel firmly upon removing it from the washer—so that you hear a sharp snap—and hanging it to dry in a location with good airflow, preferably with a light breeze.

The Snap and Shake Method

This method is not only completely free, but it makes a big difference, according to Rivera. “Before you hang-dry each towel, hold one end and snap the towel sharply three or four times,” she instructs. “By doing this, you separate the fibers that will otherwise dry together.”

Then, hang each towel with the short end draped over the clothesline by about 6 inches and clip them in place to allow maximum airflow. Return to the drying area halfway through the drying process, remove each towel, snap them again several times, and re-hang. 

Finally, when the towels have dried completely, give each towel a final, vigorous shake before folding. “These three sets of shakes simulate some of the tumbling action of a dryer and keep the fibers from becoming stiff and flat,” Rivera says.

And the Most Natural Method...

According to Gagliardi, the simple act of using your line-dried towel will cause the fibers to soften to their natural state. “Fortunately, simply using a stiff towel, however unpleasant that may be, will break the hydrogen bonds, loosening the towel,” she explains.

For those motivated by saving time and energy, this may be a small price to pay for quickly restored towels.

Tips and Tricks for Keeping Your Towels Soft

As it turns out, how you wash your clothes plays a big role in how they dry. For example, Rivera advises using less detergent than you think you will need. "Most people pour detergent well above the fill line," she says, "and most of the excess never completely rinses off the towels." This excess detergent builds up in the fibers over multiple wash cycles, making the towels progressively stiffer. For softer towels, Rivera recommends using approximately half the detergent you typically use.

Also, be sure to wash towels separately from your clothes. "Towels require sufficient space in the washing machine drum, so that the water and detergent can circulate through the thick fibers completely," explains Rivera. A heavily loaded washer will not rinse towels sufficiently, and the residual detergent will cause your towels to stiffen when hung to dry.

This is also where an extra rinse pays off: Selecting this option on your machine helps ensure that all detergent and mineral residue has been removed from the towels before they are placed on the line. "This one simple switch will result in noticeably softer towels," says Rivera, "especially if you have hard water."