Help-My towels don't absorb anymore

[jorie]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I can't figure out how to define the search narrow enough so . . . my kitchen towels don't absorb very well anymore, and I have an entire set of towels I received for Christmas that repel water instead of absorbing it (water actually beads up on these towels!). Not a good trait in a towel!! So, help me out. I thought vinegar was the answer but I tried adding white vinegar to the rinse of my kitchen towels but it doesn't seem to have helped. But I've done nothing but wash the other towels in hot water. Do I need to soak the towels in vinegar rather than just add some to the rinse?

TIA

[Ruthla]

Have you been using fabric softener on them? Do you have hard or soft water?

My guess would be that you either have detergent or fabric softener buildup on your towels. It's possible that something's not working properly with your washing machine- before jumping through hoops with different washing routines, you might want to do a load of towels at a laundromat and see if there's any improvement.

[boongirl]

I wash mine in hot water in the washer with whatever laundry soap I happen to be using. The hot water gets them clean so you don't need vinegar or bleach or whatever. Ruthla is right; don't use fabric softener.

[CarrieMF]

Definitly any fabric softener you use, get rid of it and then strip your washing machine as you would diapers to get the buildup off the machine. The dryer(if the softeners are used there) could have buildup.

If they are brand new towels or you washed new with old there is probably chemical build up(and transfer) on the towels from manufacturing and they(all of them) should be stripped as you would diapers.

Then air dry your towels.

[momto l&a]

I would wash them with just Calgon boxed water softner.
It will strip all build up out of them