My towels smell clean after washing but seem less absorbent than they used to. Water sits on the surface briefly instead of soaking in, which feels odd for something made to dry me. Could detergent buildup or fabric softener be coating the fibers? I'm curious why a fluffy towel sometimes dries worse than a worn thin one, and whether a simpler wash routine can restore absorbency.
Why freshly washed towels sometimes feel less absorbent
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3 replies
Yeah, detergent buildup can do that, and fabric softener is a usual suspect too. Towels love to collect a little waxy nonsense and then pret...
Yeah, detergent buildup can do that, and fabric softener is a usual suspect too. Towels love to collect a little waxy nonsense and then pretend they’re still clean.
Worn towels can feel better because they’ve had more of that coating washed out over time. Fluff isn’t always the same thing as absorbency.
My house has one towel that gets used for everything and somehow works better than the fancy ones. It’s not pretty, but it drinks up water l...
I’ve had this happen after using too much liquid detergent. Cut back and the towels stopped feeling weirdly slick.