Fabric Softener Ruins Towels Faster Than You Think—Here's What to Do Instead This laundry room staple may be ruining your towels. Close Credit: Viktoriya Skorikova / Getty Images Key Points Fabric softener coats towel fibers, reducing absorbency and causing stiffness, lingering odors, and residue buildup.Experts—including Martha herself—advise skipping fabric softener entirely to keep towels fresh, soft, and fully functional.Wash towels with quality detergent, space within the drum, and thorough drying. You can also use a fabric rinse to remove buildup. Sometimes, it isn't about adding more products or time-consuming steps; in fact, removing one may be just what’s called for. In this instance, the extraneous step is using fabric softener when laundering towels—and it’s not just superfluous. While fabric softener may seem like the logical choice for extra-soft linens (the name implies it!), it’s actually one of the quickest ways to dull towels’ performance. Remember: The simplest approach is often the most effective—and very Martha-coded. Here’s why experts, including Martha herself, advise skipping fabric softener for towels, and what to do instead. How Often Should You Wash Towels? (Hint: Probably More Than You Think) Why Never to Use Fabric Softener When Washing Towels Fabric softener works by coating fabric fibers, making them feel smoother and reducing wrinkles and static cling. But since towels are designed to absorb moisture, this coating actually works against you. “Your towels are not meant to be washed with any fabric softener,” says Victoria Greene, founder and CEO of Meet Your Neat. “Fabric softener will take away the towels' abilities to absorb water—which is kind of the main point, right?” She’s exactly right. The residue left behind by liquid fabric softeners builds up over time, creating a water-repellent barrier on fibers. Body oils, skincare products, detergent residue, and minerals from hard water can all accumulate within the fibers, too, adding to the sticky mix and leading to towels that feel stiff, smell musty, or further lose absorbency. What Would Martha Do? "I have learned (sometimes the hard way) to obey the rules," Martha writes in The Martha Manual: How to Do (Almost) Everything, of laundry best practices. "Because I like to have fresh white towels in most of the bathrooms and white dish towels in the kitchen, I have searched for the best detergents to keep them as bright and clean as possible—and insist on avoiding added scents and fabric softeners." Don't Miss How Often Should You Wash Towels? (Hint: Probably More Than You Think) How to Hang Wet Towels So They Dry Fast and Never Smell Mildewy What to Do Instead Choose Products Carefully: If fabric softener is out, what should take its place? Think, thoughtful laundering rather than extra products. First, choose a high-quality detergent, preferably one without added scents or softening agents. Over-fragranced detergents can irritate sensitive skin and sometimes leave behind excess residue, similar to fabric softeners. Wash Towels Alone: Second, wash towels separately from other laundry. Mixing towels with clothing, especially delicate items, can cause friction amongst fabric fibers. Plus, this allows you to use fabric softener in loads where it may be a better fit. Don't Stuff Your Dryer: Towels also need room to move in the washer to rinse thoroughly, so avoid overloading the machine. Dry Thoroughly: Lastly, make sure to dry your towels completely to avoid trapped moisture (and the resulting mildew odors) and then remove them from the machine promptly to keep them fluffy and absorbent. How to Remove Excess, Moisture- Repelling Buildup If you feel your linens need some extra TLC (i.e., they smell musty or their texture is decidedly "off"), Sammy Wang, senior laundry scientist at P&G Fabric Care, recommends a deep clean. "Using a fabric rinse like Downy Rinse can help remove stubborn residues and odors that can accumulate in towel fibers," Wang says. "Downy Rinse uses a low pH formula to dissolve and break down these residues, leaving towels softer, fresher, and brighter, and is designed to work in any temperature." Follow us to see more of our stories on Google. Follow Us On Google Bring your towels back to peak performance and then keep them that way: One laundry tweak can make a noticeable difference. Explore more: Cleaning & Organizing Laundry & Linens