Clothes that have gone stiff
Short answer: Stiff clothes are usually caused by lime in the water and detergent residue sitting in the fibres. A wash without detergent and drying with air around the clothes solves it in most cases.
Lime in the water
In hard water, lime settles on the fibres and the fabric becomes rough and stiff. The harder the water, the more detergent is needed to bind the lime. Check your water hardness with your local supplier and dose by it. Read more in lime in the water and what it does to clothes.
Too much detergent
Excess detergent does not rinse out. It settles in the fabric and makes it stiff and slightly sticky to the touch. More detergent does not give cleaner clothes, often the opposite. Follow the dose on the pack and consider how full the machine is. See how to dose detergent correctly.
An extra rinse
A wash with no detergent at all removes much of the residue that has built up in the fabric. Run a normal programme at 40 degrees with an empty drawer. If the clothes are very stiff, you may need to repeat it. Afterwards, go back to a normal dose.
Shake the clothes out
Shake each item firmly before hanging it up. This loosens the fibres that were pressed together in the spin, and the fabric dries softer. It only takes a moment per item, but it makes a clear difference, especially on towels and thicker tops.
Drying with air around
Air around the clothes gives a softer result than a warm radiator. On a radiator the fabric dries quickly and stiffly, because the fibres cannot move. Hang the clothes on a rack or line with a little space between items. More tips in how to dry bamboo clothing.
Fabric softener is not the answer
Fabric softener makes the fabric feel soft, but it leaves a film on the fibres. The film reduces the fabric's ability to absorb moisture and builds up over time. That is especially unfortunate on towels and underwear. Fix the cause with the right dose and good drying instead.
See the range
Basics like t-shirts are washed often, and they are where stiff fabric is noticed first, as they sit right against the skin. A soft t-shirt stays soft when the washing is right. See the basics in bamboo t-shirt for women.
Washing in general
Stiff clothes are often a sign that the routine can be adjusted in a few places. The right temperature, the right amount of detergent and air drying do most of the work. The remaining rules for bamboo clothing are collected in the washing guide.
Towels first
Towels turn stiff before anything else, because the terry loops easily clog with lime and residue. Wash them without fabric softener and shake them well before drying. If they are already stiff, try a wash without detergent. See bamboo towels.
Where to start
Start with the simplest fix: a wash without detergent and drying with air around. If that helps, adjust the dose from now on. If not, the water is probably hard, and the dose needs to match the water. Change one thing at a time so you can see what works.
Frequently asked questions
Why do clothes turn stiff?
Because of lime in the water and detergent residue that does not rinse out. Both settle in the fibres and make the fabric rough, especially when clothes dry quickly on a warm radiator.
Does fabric softener help?
It feels softer, but it leaves a film on the fibres and reduces the fabric's ability to absorb moisture. Fix the cause instead with the right dose and drying with air around the clothes.
What works best against stiff clothes?
A wash without detergent removes most of the residue. Then shake the clothes out and let them dry with air around them, and the fabric usually turns soft again after a single round.
You can find the full range at Bamboo-Clothing.com.
