Vinegar and Baking Soda to the Rescue
This is a two-cycle process, and the key is keeping detergent out of both. First, place your towels in the washing machine and add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Make sure the towels have plenty of space within the machine — it’s important not to overstuff the drum. Run a wash cycle on a hot setting if the towels are white, or a warm setting if your towels are colored.
After that cycle finishes, leave the towels in the machine and add half a cup of baking soda directly onto the towels. Again, do not add detergent. Then run a second wash cycle using the same heat settings as before. Following that cycle, dry the towels in the dryer like usual.
Why Does This Work?
Over time, towels get stiff and musty because they build up detergent remnants from many wash cycles, plus mineral traces from the water they absorb after a person dries off. The acid in vinegar breaks up both the detergent and minerals, while the baking soda softens the water in the wash cycle and neutralizes any lingering odors.
Tips and Tricks
Think of the vinegar and baking soda cycles as a towel reset, not a weekly routine. Do them once every three to four months. Repeating the cycles too often could expose your towels and your washing machine parts to too much acidity, which can cause excessive wear and tear.
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If your towels still smell like vinegar after you’ve completed both cycles, sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on top of them and let them air dry. Alternatively, wash them again in hot or warm water with another half cup of baking soda, then dry as normal.
