How to make calico bed linen softer?

When we buy KPB, at first glance, it seems hard to us, and many people wonder how to soften calico bedding? Everything can be fixed, the main thing is that there is a desire. In our section you can find the answer using tips that will help you make your underwear soft and comfortable.

When choosing a particular set of linen, our mind gives preference to high-quality, but at the same time affordable linen - this often turns out to be calico. But many people wonder: which bed linen is better to choose, poplin or calico, or are they the same? The manufacturer was able to make calico popular due to modern technology and the use of harmless dyes that do not affect human skin. The main advantage is the price, which is in no way comparable to the stiffness of the fabric. You can cope with this disadvantage using your own strength. Those who often buy bed linen may already be familiar with softening the linen, but there are also those who do not know how to do it without spending money.

General recommendations

Calico is easy to care for and copes well with many washes. But there are some subtleties with which you can get rid of the rigidity of the material in order to find a comfortable and healthy sleep. What we need:

• before making the bed, it is necessary to wash it well;
• the temperature should be equal to 40 degrees Celsius, thereby the recovery process occurs; add cotton conditioner to the powder, and then, if desired, you can add conditioner again to completely soften it;
• natural material should be washed separately from synthetics;
• when spinning, it is better to set the speed to 800 rpm, so you can avoid strong dents;
• The calico calico paper is dried until it is damp, thereby allowing for easy ironing.

Our food market has a fairly large assortment of products to make washing and ironing a pleasure - various conditioners, rinse aids, softeners and much more. Many manufacturers indicate on their labels that it is best to use during washing. But there are people who have an allergic reaction to any chemical substance, which housewives don’t really like, so they have to buy several sets of bed linen in order to somehow get out of this situation. Therefore, we have selected several effective actions that will help soften this fabric:

• when ironing, use steaming, add a little salted water to the water compartment, it will simplify ironing;
• during washing, you can add another rinse, in a special compartment for powder, add 1 tablespoon of table salt per liter of water, this will help soften the laundry and reduce water hardness;
• If you use the drying mode, it is better to choose a temperature much lower than when washing.

If you don't want to use store-bought products, you can make them at home. There is always baking soda and vinegar in any home, since they are irreplaceable and are used for baking. These two ingredients will help make your clothes softer. When washing these two ingredients you can use:

1. in the rinse aid section, add 125 milliliters of 9 percent vinegar, thanks to it you can achieve softness, refresh and remove bad odors;
2. Add half a glass of baking soda to the drum; it will strengthen and soften the powder.

IMPORTANT! Do not use vinegar and soda together, as they cause a reaction that causes the canvas to deform.

Several home recipes for soft bed linen:

• take a glass of water and add soda there (1:1);
• then add 6 glasses of 9 percent vinegar, after which we get pop;
• When the fizz subsides, add an additional 6 cups of water;
• To make the kpb smell delicious, you can add a few drops of any essential oil.

That's it, our home air conditioner is ready. It can be stored in any container among detergents. Now, when you wash, use this product so that your bed linen is always soft and pleasant, and drying bed linen on a floor dryer is a pleasure.

Reasons for hardness of bed linen

Calico is a dense cotton fabric of plain weave, so a new product made from this material is always particularly rigid. But many continue to purchase it for their family, as it has high wear resistance and an affordable price.

Another reason for bed hardness can be hard water . In most regions of Russia, water contains large amounts of lime salts. These salts, settling on the fabric fibers, make the bed linen rougher and worsen its quality. In order to soften water, you need to use special products.

How to replace wet cleaning: myths and reality

Sometimes you want to avoid the first wash of a set. One of the suggested options is to simply use an iron without wet treatment, because high temperatures disinfect the surface.

With this choice, the following positive effects are achieved:

1. The material is disinfected by exposure to high temperatures.
2. The fabric becomes soft.

But there were some downsides too:

1. The chemicals used to treat the fabric still remain in the fibers.
2. Residues of dyes also remain in the fabric.

How to make bedding soft and fragrant

Soft bedding is the key to a comfortable sleep. After several washes, the new product becomes much softer, as the starch is washed out of it. But bedding that has become rough from time to time can be helped by either air conditioning or tennis or foil balls.

Air conditioner. The easiest way to make a product soft and fragrant is to use conditioner when washing. You can buy it at any hardware store or supermarket, however, if there are children in the family, then this option can hit your pocket hard.

Tennis or foil balls. Tennis or foil balls will help replace the air conditioner. When washing, balls help remove static on artificial fabrics and effectively fight old stains. To use this simple technology, you need to put several tennis or foil balls in the washing machine along with your bed linen. If the machine has two different sections (washing and drying), then the balls are placed in the drying section. Rolling over the laundry, they will automatically soften the material.

Is it necessary to wash it before first use?

Hygienists are unanimous on the issue of the need to wash a new bedding set - it needs to be done. Moreover, this requirement applies to all sets - both children's and adults, and even exclusive ones from famous designers.

The need to wash before first use is due to the following reasons:

• 
  the fabric may be dusty due to prolonged exposure to warehouses and factory workshops;

• the material is often treated with drugs that can cause allergies;
• dyes can remain on the fabric in large quantities;
• pathogenic microorganisms can settle on the fabric;
• The new material is rigid in its structure.

Before reaching the consumer, a set of underwear passes through the hands of dozens of people, from creating the fabric to sewing and packaging. During the sewing process, pillowcases, duvet covers and sheets come into contact with the mechanisms of machines in sewing production, come into contact with the hands of workers, and absorb dust and other contaminants.

Home methods and recommendations for softening laundry

vinegar and soda in her kitchen , but few people know that these two components can not only soften hard fabric, but also remove heavy stains.

Softening fabric with vinegar . Vinegar is a universal remedy for making fabric soft. In addition to softening the product, vinegar will help housewives remove powder residues from the product, eliminate various odors and refresh the fabric. This is especially true for mothers with small children.

To soften items with vinegar, you need to pour half a glass of 9% vinegar and start washing the bed linen.

Softening the product with soda. Regular baking soda enhances the effectiveness of the powder and makes laundry soft and fresh. To soften items made of hard fabric, you need to pour half a glass of baking soda into the empty drum of the machine, and then load the laundry into it.

Softening bed linen with sodium tetraborate . Sodium tetraborate, or as it is popularly called, borax, allows you to soften hard water and enhance the effectiveness of the powder. You can purchase this product at any pharmacy. To apply this method, you need to take half a glass of tetraborate and add it along with the powder to the washing compartment.

Drying, ironing and storage

After washing, you can dry the set outside in the shade, turning it inside out. This will not only dry things out, but also ventilate them. But you can dry it in an apartment.

Ironing is carried out taking into account the composition of the material from which the new set is made . If there is decor on the duvet cover or pillowcase, for example, in the form of embroidery, then the item should be ironed from the wrong side.

It is advisable to carry out ironing immediately after drying, before storing the set in a closet. Bamboo, viscose and silk do not moisturize when ironed.

The kit, prepared for use, can be sent for storage. To do this, place it in a dry place, protected from bright sunlight .

Homemade conditioner recipe for softness

You can make your own air conditioner at home. To do this, you will need a medium-sized vessel and three components:

• baking soda;
• 9% vinegar;
• water;
• essential oil

A glass of water and soda are added to the prepared vessel, and six glasses of vinegar are poured on top. Do not be alarmed when the soda and vinegar enter into a chemical reaction, allow it to complete and add 6 more glasses of water. To add aroma to your homemade conditioner, you can add 20 drops of essential oil.

When the product is completely ready, it must be poured into a tightly closed bottle. To make the product soft, it is recommended to use half a glass of home conditioner with each wash.

Washing by type of laundry

Depending on the material, proper care of bed linen is selected. Different types of laundry have their own washing recommendations, which will be discussed below.

Natural colored fabrics

Such patterned fabrics require special care not only to give them softness, but also to maintain color.

1. All items of bed linen must be turned inside out before washing (hand or machine).
2. Use only cold water (temperature no more than 40 degrees).
3. When washing, do not mix colored laundry with laundry of a different color, white or another material.
4. Add special products to the powder to soften laundry and preserve color.
5. Do not use bleach. If necessary, it is better to treat stains before washing using a local method and a special product.
6. After washing, do not dry clothes artificially.
7. Treat dried laundry with an iron with steam or a steamer.

Correct wash cycle for softness

To ensure that your laundry always remains pleasant to the touch, you must also follow a few simple care rules:

• Always use the extra rinse option. And to reduce water hardness and soften clothes when rinsing, add 1 tablespoon of salt to the washing machine compartment;
• when turning on the drying mode, it is best to use low temperatures;
• You can only iron with the “steam” option turned on.

Proper care of bed linen guarantees its long service and comfortable use while sleeping.

Bed linen sizes

We sew bed linen for a baby crib with our own hands

What is calico shuya?

Shuya calico

- This is 100% cotton fiber, with a plain weave. Its feature is its high density - 142 g/m2. This fabric has always been valued for its impeccable quality, brightness, variety of colors and patterns.

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What makes denim and cotton coarse?

First of all, this comes from the water in which you wash the item. A trivial situation - the content of salts and chalk leads to the fact that natural fabric becomes very hard. The housewife can puzzle over this issue for a long time, changing the washing powder, but not achieving the desired effect. If your system has a centralized water supply, the cause may be salt deposits in the pipes. Well water may contain excess chalk. Solving the problem is very simple - you need to install a cleaning and softening filter at the inlet of the washing machine, and the problem will disappear by itself.

Washing denim in too hot water will cause shrinkage as the fibers become compressed. Therefore, they should be washed at a temperature of no more than 50 °C. But if this unpleasant situation occurs, soak the item in cool water, wait for 15 minutes, dry, and then steam without touching the sole of the iron to the surface of the fabric. For this purpose it is better to use a steam generator.

Women have long learned to soften fabrics made from cotton fibers (and they are woven from them) with a soda solution. Add 3 tablespoons of baking soda to an 8-liter bowl of water, leave for 20 minutes and rinse with conditioner. You can twist with effort to soften the fibers. Place the denim items in the washing machine and put in special wash balls, turn on the intensive spin mode. This will help eliminate stiffness.

Tips for washing soft towels

Linen will be soft after washing if you apply practical tips that will preserve the structure of the products. There are many tips on how to properly process terry products. Some of the best are:

1. Placing towels in special protective bags that resist direct impact of the drum walls on the product. These devices can be made of canvas or mesh. During washing, the fibers of the fabric will not rub off on the drum, which means that its softness will last for quite a long time.
2. Do not wash soft terry towels with items that shed heavily. This is due, first of all, to the loss of color of the product and its hair structure.
3. Under no circumstances should you wash towels with various items that contain plastic buttons or iron fasteners. If you wash them together, you will definitely damage the lint. When washing, you should take this factor into account, since otherwise the product may be completely damaged.
4. Selection of washing powder and rinse aid. There are many companies that produce high-quality products for washing and subsequent rinsing, which allow you to maintain the softness of the fabric after each wash.
5. Do not wash wet towels. When they are soaked, there is a possibility of a musty smell that may not disappear after washing.
6. Give preference to economical liquid washing powders and rinse aids.

To protect towels from the negative effects of water, use expensive products. Their main advantage is that they do not become clogged with fibers and are easy to rinse out.

But in general, you need to wash white separately, colored separately, and black separately. It is advisable to put the smallest and softest items in a bag for gentle washing (from 30 to 100 rubles per piece). and if you really feel sorry for electricity, then wait until a big pile accumulates.

Comfort in the house is created by various little things. A soft towel can continue the relaxing effect after a shower or bath.

But over time, the products lose their original appearance. There are several reasons for this.

There are simple, cost-effective ways to preserve the quality of new towels for a long time and even revive old products.

What to do if towels become hard after washing in the washing machine and why does this happen? How can I make them soft and fluffy again?

How to properly wash, dry and store so that the products are pleasant to the touch?

To keep your towels soft for a long time, you must follow the rules of washing, drying and storing. A tag with instructions for caring for the product is attached to any product.

Typically, the information contains advice on the following processes:

• washing;
• bleaching;
• drying;
• spin;
• ironing;
• professional care.

Towels should be stored separately from other linen in a ventilated closet.

It is not recommended to put contaminated items in a common basket , since they absorb unpleasant odors from other clothes and are then difficult to get rid of.

Towels have become hard: possible reasons

The reasons why terry towels become stiff after washing include the following:

• Too many revolutions in the selected washing mode lead to damage to the fibers of the fabric, as well as loss of the original appearance of the product;
• Various impurities in tap water settle in the material, making the fibers more rigid;
• The water temperature is too high when cleaning contaminants;
• A low-quality cleaning agent deteriorates the properties of the material, which is why after washing the towels become fluffy and hard;
• The item will lose its original attractive properties if you regularly dry it near heating equipment or directly on it.

The quality of the product itself influences why after washing you get stiffer towels than when you buy them - poor fabric will quickly deteriorate after cleaning.

Even synthetics will become soft

Many synthetic fabrics have properties that can be safely put on the same scale as natural ones. This is about technical characteristics. And if we talk about the possibilities of creating a unique design, then sometimes they have no equal. All girls now sew dresses and skirts from neoprene, they are at the peak of popularity.

Your wardrobe probably contains clothes made from materials that contain unnatural fibers:

• factory lace;
• taffeta;
• chiffon;
• footer;

One way or another, things from have become firmly established in our lives, so it is necessary to be able to handle them in order to ensure comfortable wearing.

To make this material soft, you need to use a conditioner and be sure to follow the rules indicated on the clothing label. Some housewives use vinegar or prepare the mixture themselves. But why resort to such methods if specialized products are sold in stores.

How to carry out treatment after purchase so that it does not fade or shrink?

Before you start washing for the first time, you should consider the information provided on the product label. In most cases, the temperature limit for processing colored bed linen is limited to +40ºС, but a higher value is possible. For the first wash, you can limit yourself to even +30ºС .

Almost all sets are allowed to be processed in a washing machine. Exceptions are most often associated with the characteristics of the composition (for example, natural silk) or the implementation of design techniques (the presence of complex additional elements, etc.).

The following recommendations will help you carry out your first wash simply and without unpleasant consequences:

1. 
   The detergent is chosen taking into account the composition of the fabric. Liquids are preferable to powdered ones, as they dissolve better and are easier to wash out when rinsing.

2. Bleach is not used during the first wash, even for white items.
3. If several bedding items from different sets are sent for the first wash, they must first be sorted by color and material composition.
4. All things are turned inside out.
5. Intense friction is not required when processing new items for the first time.
6. Selecting a mode on the washing machine is in accordance with the type of fabric under the conditions recommended by the manufacturer. But you can use a delicate wash for the first time.
7. When washing a set intended for a child, it is recommended to use baby detergent.

Effective preventive measures

To avoid many problems with restoring the presentation of your favorite products, you need to take good care of them, without subjecting them to rough cleaning and improper drying. It is important to set the correct temperature in the machine. If stains are easily removed and the contamination is fresh, then the limit should be 40 degrees. If the problem is more widespread, then the maximum can be set to 60 degrees. In addition, the number of revolutions should be minimal. It is better not to boil things, and when rinsing, the water should be changed several times until it becomes clear.

When choosing a detergent, special attention should be paid to its structure. Compositions intended for delicate items have particles of small diameter, and, therefore, are better washed out with water. In addition, they do not damage the fibers of the material. Experienced housewives advise installing a filter for water purification on the tap or in the water supply system itself, which will have a positive effect on the quality of cleaning of any products.

You also need to dry terry towels according to the rules - away from heating devices and on a flat surface so that there are no “creases” left on things. You can dry the product in a special dryer or by selecting the appropriate mode in the machine. To avoid deformation of the fibers, it is better not to iron the linen or twist it when squeezing. It is recommended to purchase a special cover that ensures maximum safety of the product when washing in the machine drum, minimizing friction. If you follow these recommendations, you can enjoy the novelty of towels and their pleasant structure for a long time.