My fleece throw transformed after 9 months of washing it wrong

I had this cheap gray fleece blanket for like 2 years. Always felt flat and sad. Then last month I read online that fabric softener ruins fleece. Blocks the fibers or something. I stopped using softener and switched to cold water only. After just 3 washes it got all fluffy again. Big difference in just a few weeks. Anyone else accidentally wreck their blankets with softener?

3 comments

3 Comments

emery_white20d ago

Oh yeah my friend Sarah had the same thing happen with her favorite fleece hoodie. She thought it was just getting old and pilling up so she kept using fabric softener trying to make it softer. I told her about the softener thing after I read it somewhere and she didn't believe me at first. Finally she tried washing it with just vinegar and cold water and it came out way fluffier than she expected. She said it felt like a completely different piece of clothing after a few washes. Kinda wild how a simple change can fix something you thought was ruined forever.

adamthompson20d ago

Wait, is fleece really that fragile?

the_amy20d ago

Yeah the fabric softener thing is a killer. I've been washing fleece for years and the second you use that stuff it basically coats the fibers and ruins the loft. Hard water can mess it up too if you're in an area with that. Your friend's trick with vinegar is solid, I do a similar thing but I add a half cup of baking soda to the wash cycle instead of detergent and it brings the fluff back even faster.