We all have that one towel we refuse to get rid of — it's old, kind of crusty, and probably smells a bit no matter how much you wash it. Would you believe there is a way to keep that towel out of the landfill and potentially give it new life?
In a viral Instagram post, Nancy Birtwhistle (@nancy.birtwhistle) shows us how we can bring towels back from the brink, restoring them to their soft and fluffy form.
The scoop
Birtwhistle is a cleaning expert and has a seemingly endless supply of home-care hacks and tips — think British Martha Stewart vibes.
In a recent video on Instagram, Birtwhistle showed viewers a nifty hack that can revive crusty towels and make all your towels fluffy while air drying.
The first step uses washing soda to get rid of the musty smell of a dingy towel. Birtwhistle tells viewers, "Tepid soak in washing soda, and that'll neutralize the disgusting odor."
Washing soda is less well-known in the U.S. but can be purchased online or in some stores. Washing soda is not to be mistaken for baking soda, another common cleaning tool — these two useful items have different chemical compositions and are not interchangeable.
The cleaning expert then goes on to wash the treated towel, and the final part of the hack comes into play during drying.
Before hanging up the towel to dry, Birtwhistle tells us to shake out the pile of the towel vigorously, as she says, "So that you're breathless."
By shaking out the towel in this way, you are playing the role of a tumble dryer and getting the fibers of the towel to be standing on end, thus leading to a soft, fluffy towel after it has hung out to dry.
How it's helping
Using Birtwhistle's tips has the potential to save money and reduce environmental impact.
Firstly, the money saving starts with reduced electricity usage by not using your dryer. Dryers are one of the appliances in your house that use the most energy, so being able to reduce that is a great way to save a little on your bills.
In addition to reducing energy costs, avoiding the dryer also extends the life of your towels and clothes. Getting the most use out of your belongings allows you to save money and reduce your waste in the long term.
Not only are these things great for your wallet but they also have environmental benefits. Reducing electric use and extending the life of your items are two easy changes we can make in our day-to-day to help the planet. Small changes really do add up to big results!
What everyone's saying
Viewers love these tips. One person commented: "Wonderful, informative and a pleasure to watch. You are a treasure!"
"You're brilliant," someone else commented.
Another said: "Love your tips! Going to try this one with my teen boy's towels!"
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