Everyone desires laundry that feels soft and cozy. While many of us rely on various products, the key to achieving that luxurious feel lies in the settings of your washer and dryer.
Whether it's wool or denim, selecting the appropriate cycle lengths, temperatures, and spin speeds can transform your laundry from stiff to incredibly soft.
Here, laundry and cleaning specialists share their insights on the optimal dryer and washing machine settings to ensure you achieve perfect, enviable results every time.
Optimal Washer and Dryer Settings for Softness
For Cotton, Wool, Bedding, and Towels
Choosing the right settings can transform fabrics from stiff and scratchy to soft and luxurious.
To achieve that plush, fluffy texture when doing laundry with soft materials like cotton and wool, it's best to set your machine to a warm water cycle on a gentle or normal setting.
Rechelle Balanzat, founder and CEO of Juliette, states, 'Warm water effectively removes dirt while preventing stiffness, ensuring a thorough clean without damaging fibers, and a gentle cycle avoids pilling, especially when washing bed sheets, taking care of cotton, and washing towels.' This helps you avoid common laundry mistakes.
When aiming for softness—especially when reviving the fluffiness of towels—it's advisable to skip fabric softener. Despite its name, Rechelle clarifies that it can coat fibers and diminish absorbency. Instead, try washing towels with white vinegar, such as the Great Value Distilled White Vinegar available at Walmart, to help restore softness.
Additionally, for soft bedding, incorporate baking soda into your laundry routine for fresh, fluffy results.
Hand-washing is often the safest option if you're uncertain.
It may come as a surprise, but selecting the right dryer temperature is just as crucial as your washing machine settings for achieving maximum softness. Each fabric type has its own requirements.
For cotton, bedding, and towels, laundry expert Rechelle suggests using low to medium heat, as 'lower dryer temperatures prevent overdrying, which can lead to rough fabric.'
If your dryer has an air dry or air fluff setting, consider using it as well.
Petya Holevich, a laundry and textile care expert at Fantastic Services, explains, 'The air dry or air fluff setting uses room-temperature air to gently fluff fabrics. You can even use it after simply air-drying your laundry to soften the fabrics or pair it with wool or plastic dryer balls to enhance the dryer's efficiency.' We recommend the Cleancult Dryer Balls available at Walmart.
Petya continues, 'These balls gently beat the fabric to separate the layers, which is an excellent way to loosen fibers and leave your clothes feeling softer.'
If you're worried about damaging delicate items in the washing machine, consider hand washing clothes with a gentle detergent like the Woolite Delicates Hypoallergenic Liquid Laundry Detergent available at Walmart. Alternatively, a professional laundromat can handle delicate garments with care.
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For Linen, Denim, Silk, and Athleisure
Choosing the right settings on your dryer is essential for achieving the softest results.
Conversely, there are several items you should never wash in hot water to maintain softness and comfort: denim, delicate fabrics, and athletic wear.
For instance, Rechelle advises that when washing jeans and other denim items, linen, or activewear, cold water helps prevent stiffness and shrinkage, while the delicate setting on a washing machine minimizes wear. This also applies to wool sweaters.
Once again, it's a time to avoid fabric softener, Rechelle adds. To soften denim, consider adding a small amount of hair conditioner during the rinse cycle, and for activewear, use a specially formulated detergent like HEX Performance Laundry Detergent available at Amazon or Nathan Power Wash Clear available at Walmart.
Air drying provides numerous benefits, including fresh scents and lower energy costs.
For drying specialty fabrics like denim, activewear, and delicate items such as silk and lingerie, it's best to forgo the tumble dryer and embrace the advantages of air-drying.
Laundry expert Tom Ceconi, president of Heritage Park Laundry Essentials, cautions, 'Do not place these items in the dryer; hang them to dry either indoors or outdoors. The dryer's heat can damage fibers and lead to shrinkage.'
However, Tom stresses that silk and wool should never be dried in direct sunlight, as this can cause fading and discoloration while still allowing for softness.
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Meet Our Experts
Since founding Juliette, Rechelle has impressively become the youngest female board member of the International Laundry & Drycleaning Institute, and is recognized as one of the most influential leaders in her field.
Tom grew up in his parents' linen and bath store and has blended his extensive education with his background in technology to lead several luxury home textiles brands, including Fine Linen & Bath, Mulberry Park Silks, and Heritage Park Laundry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my laundry feel stiff and scratchy?
As Petya Holevich, a laundry and textile care expert explains, 'Typically, the stiffness in clothes after washing is due to the amount of detergent used. Overusing detergent leaves residue in the fibers, making them feel harsh.' For this reason, it's important to use a measuring cup for precise doses, such as the Laundry detergent cup available at Amazon.
Tom's main advice for laundry? 'Always read the laundry symbols and follow the instructions.' When you follow the labels, you minimize mistakes, and if you're ever unsure, hand wash and air-dry outdoors.
