The Pantry Staple That Makes Old Towels Fluffy and Absorbent Again

If your once-fluffy towels have turned lackluster, there may be hope. Towels can turn stiff and lose absorbency with age, but experts say you can revive them with a little care. Here's how:

Over time, residue from detergent, hard water, and fabric softener builds up on a towel’s individual fibers, interfering with how well the fabric soaks up water, explains Scott Schrader, a cleaning expert at CottageCare , a national cleaning service. “I come across this situation frequently in homes where there is an excessive use of detergent or where a dryer sheet is introduced into every load,” Schrader says. Drying towels on the hottest setting can scorch the fibers , causing them to stiffen and absorb less water, Schrader says.

Threadbare, old towels will understandably be less absorbent as t