How to soften hard new bed sheets

 How to soften hard new bed sheets

There is nothing worse than rough, harsh sheets that will ruin your night's sleep. This often happens with new sheets, when the stiffness is caused by chemical residues left over from the manufacturing process. Fortunately, there are a number of easy ways to soften your sheets so that you can have a comfortable and enjoyable night. Read on and discover some tricks.

- How to soften hard new bed sheets and Bed Sheets Product

Method 1 Use baking soda and vinegar

1
Put the sheets in the washing machine. Immediately after removing the sheets from their packaging, put them in the washing machine.

• If they are queen size or larger, you may prefer to wash the top and bottom separately to give them plenty of room in the washing machine.

2
Add a cup of baking soda. Instead of your regular detergent, pour a cup of baking soda into the washing machine.

• It is important that you omit the detergent as it tends to fix the chemicals on the sheets. These chemicals make sheets stiff, so they are best removed.

3
Wash the sheets on the regular cycle. Set the washer on the regular cycle using lukewarm water and turn the washer on.

4
Add a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle. When the rinse cycle is about to begin, change the water temperature to cold and add a cup of white vinegar.

• This will help soften the sheets, but it is completely optional. The baking soda will work on its own. [1]

5
Let the sheets dry on a clothesline. When the rinse cycle is over, remove the sheets from the washing machine and hang them on a clothesline to dry in the sun.

• This will help the sheets soften. If you don't have space for them to dry outside, put them in the dryer and let them dry on a low setting, as too high temperatures can cause the sheets to shrink. [2]

6
Wash them again. After the sheets have dried, you can wash them a second time using the appropriate amount of detergent.

• Although washing them twice seems like a lot of work, this will really help soften the sheets.
• Dry the sheets outside or in a dryer, then iron them (if desired) and lay them on your bed.

7
Remember that your sheets will get softer every time you wash them. Good quality sheets will get softer after every wash, dry and iron.

• For maximum softness (and durability) buy good quality cotton sheets with a high thread count. [3]

Method 2 Use other substances

1
Use a fabric softener. In addition to a cup of baking soda, you can add the appropriate amount of your preferred fabric softener to the washing machine when you wash new sheets. This helps to have very soft sheets. Alternatively you can just use the fabric softener. [4]

2
Use turpentine. Add a cup of turpentine to the washing machine and wash the sheets on a regular cycle using warm water.

• Rinse the sheets well to remove all the turpentine. Hang the sheets outside on a clothesline to dry.
• It is very important that you do not put the sheets in the dryer after washing them with turpentine as this liquid is combustible and could start a fire.

3
Use magnesium sulfate. Fill the laundry tub with cold water and add 50g of magnesium sulfate. Stir the sheets in the tub for two minutes (use a wooden spoon if you don't want your hands to get cold).

• Let the sheets soak overnight in the magnesium sulfate and water mixture. The next morning, rinse them well and then hang them outside to dry. [5]

4
Use borax. Fill the laundry tub with cold water and add six tablespoons of borax.

• Dip the sheets in the water, stir them, and leave them soaked overnight.
• The next morning, rinse them well and hang them outside to dry.

5
Use salt. Fill a laundry tub with cold water and add two handfuls of salt. Submerge the sheets and leave them soaked overnight. Wash them and let them dry as you always do.

6
Ready.

Things you will need

• Sodium bicarbonate
• White vinegar
• Fabric softener
• Turpentine
• Magnesium sulphate
• Borax
• Salt
• Hard sheets