How to Soften Linen Sheets?

• Linen is one of the sturdiest fabrics used in the whole textile industry.
• Usually, linen fabric is pre-softened by the manufacturer before turning it into bedding sheets, clothes, and other textile products.
• However, if your new linen bedding is not as comfy as you may have expected, there are a few super effective and simple home methods that will help you soften it. Once softened, linen sheets are extremely easy to wash and dry.

Washing Linen More Often Softens it Over Time

The first and 100% successful method, is to wash your linen sheets more frequently. In other words - use your linen bedding and wash it as often as possible. Over time, the linen fibers get more flexible and softer without any additional effort. While this method seems super easy, it requires a lot of time and patience.

If you are short of the time, keep reading and try some of the other natural methods to soften your sheets.

Try Baking Soda to Soften Linen Bedding

This magical powder will work its magic from the get-go. Here are a few simple ways to use baking soda as a fabric softener:

• You can simply mix ½ cup of baking soda with your washing powder, and drop everything in the washing machine as usual.
• For handwashing linen items, fill one full bucket of warm or cold water, and pour the whole cup of baking soda in it. After that, simply soak the linen sheets in this solution overnight. The principle is simple - the more of the baking soda you use, the stronger the softening effect will be. In the end, simply wash your linen sheets in the washing machine and dry them up completely.
• If you are about to hand-wash your linen sheets, simply dissolve half or 1 cup of the baking soda into the water before washing. Afterward, wash everything as you would normally do.

Use White Vinegar to Soften Linen Items

White vinegar is also a well-known natural cleaning solution that can also be used as a natural fabric softener. There are a few different ways to use it to soften sheets:

• When machine washing your linen, replace the chemical fabric softener by adding a mixed solution of ½ cup of vinegar and ½ cup of water.
• Before washing, first, rinse the linen sheets in the washing machine adding only ½ cup of pure vinegar instead of washing powder. After that, wash the clothes again under the regular washing cycle using the cleaning detergents of your choice.
• Pour a cup of vinegar into 1 gallon of water and leave the linen sheets soaking into this solution overnight. The next day, simply drop them in the washing machine. Not only will white vinegar softens the new linen sheets, but it will also remove the remaining residue of the washing powder or any unpleasant scent from your laundry.

Use Dryer Balls to Soften Linen Sheets

Haven’t heard of this method yet? Let us introduce it to you:

• Dryer balls come in a wide variety of different shapes, colors, and materials such as rubber or plastic.
• However, the most popular ones are made of pure wool. These balls work as an alternative to chemical fabric softeners.
• 2-3 balls put into the dryer together with the linen sheets would not only soften the fabric but also speed up the drying process up to 25%!

Perhaps, you're now wondering what’s all the mystery behind that? It’s pretty straightforward, actually! The dryer balls simply prevent the laundry from clumping together during the drying cycle. This way the hot air circulates freely allowing the natural fibers to separate and that’s exactly why your linen sheets become nice and soft!

TIP: Do you happen to play tennis in your spare time? Because tennis balls would do the same trick with your linen laundry and can be used as dryer balls, just make sure to use new tennis balls so as not to soil your fresh linen.

Now that you know just how easy it is to soften linen fabric so you can forget worrying that it will feel uncomfortable during sleep. Just follow the instructions above and you will be on your way to a good night’s rest!