How To Soften Sheets?

[whirlcool]

Recently Karen bought a nice set of sheets at JCPenny. They are 100% 400TC Egyptian Cotton. According to the package, they are long grain sheets for the softest touch.
The problem is that these sheets are very rough. They have the texture of a burlap bag. We've washed them twice, but they still are rough. They weren't really cheap sheets, we paid $80.00 for a Queen set. Even though they have been washed twice, they are so rough we feel like out skin has been scraped up at night from them. They are of a kind of gauzy weave.
All of our other sheets are Egyptian Cotton. They are very soft and very nice.
What is the quickest way to soften them? I actually hate even having them on the bed. Who likes to wake up in the morning with irritated skin?

 

[leononmaui]

This works for me. I have a cal king bed. I dry one sheet at a time with a dryer sheet on LOW. Then the other sheet, and finally I have 4 pillowcases in one load. All with a fresh dryer sheet and temperature on LOW. This may work for you. Good luck.

 

[launderess]

Since You've Washed Them Twice Already

Much if not all the sizing applied during production should be gone by now, so there is only the good old fashioned soaking.

If you have a spare bathroom with tub, or failing that a large enough wash tub/wringer washer, anything that will allow you to really give a really good soak, will do.

Fill the tub with warm water and immerse linens. Allow to soak for several hours, drain water and repeat. After a few days of this, finally wash linens again using only a small amount of detergent. Try to use one that rinses clean and not full of Zeolites, washing soda or borax (all can leave laundry feeling rough).

Soaking is better than using a washing machine because most modern front loaders do not use tons of water. Top loaders can use more water but are hard on textiles. What you want to do is hydrate the fibers and to an extent break them down a little. This is why older sheets or clothing made from cotton or linen feels so soft, they have been "broken in", by so much washing.

Soaking also uses less energy, though it takes longer. Laundering over and over would also get you there, but that is using quite allot of electric and heating (if you use hot or warm water), and will "beat up" the linens more. While this can be a good thing, you want the sheets to be soft, not start wearing out.

Do not use fabric softener, it coats textiles, and to an extent prevents them from absorbing water.

In the old days wealthy persons gave new linens to their servants to sleep on (and one hopes subsequently launder) for several weeks or months to break them in. Once they were soft enough the things were returned to the master's bedroom.

 

[cphifer5115]

well i have always bought the egypton cotton sheets from walmart and of course they are not cheap either but not 80 bucks. and they are soft right out of the package and gets even softer with each wash.

 

[whirlcool]

Thanks for the advice Laundress. We do have a spare bathroom with tub that nobody ever uses. Perfect for soaking. I'll give it a try. Right now the sheets are on the bed, and my arms feel like they are sunburned. We'll do the soaking thing and try them again.

We have a set of SpringMaid Egyptian cotton sheets we bought back around 1990 or so. They are still so soft and comfy. We tried to find them again, but finally found another set of the brand at WalMart. They were around $39.95 for a set. After two washings they were soft, but after about 3 months Karen was making the bed and when she went to tuck in the top sheet, it split in half!
She used the sewing machine and sewed it up. Then two weeks later when the sheet rotation put the sheets on the bed, I was helping make the bed. I put my finger through the fitted sheet. Yes, right through it!

We have another set that is perfect, they are like silk on your skin, but they are not sateen. The brand name has long ago faded away on the tag. Wish we could find more of those!

And another thing, most of our sheets come out of the dryer pretty well. They are folded immediately and put away. These new sheets that we are having the problem with are the most wrinkled things I have ever seen, even after they are folded!
When you put them on the bed, most of the wrinkles go away.
Does that mean anything?

 

[cphifer5115]

well the Egyptian cotton sheets i got from walmart were more like 49.95 or 59.95 and they were Canopy brand name made in India. I use the same set each week. I wash then put the right back on the bed and I have never had them rip.

 

[whirlcool]

Probably a case of we get what we pay for.....

BTW, we always dry out sheets in the dryer on "Gentle/Knits". And we don't use and fabric softener in the rinse or in the dryer.

The sheets are washed as follows:

Wash - Hot Water Normal Cycle
Rinse1 - Warm Water with bleach added.
Rinse2 - Warm water with vinegar added.
Rinse3 - Warm water clear rinse.

The detergent we use is Foca, non phosphated. It seems using this method results in the softest nicest smelling sheets.

 

[joe_in_philly]

Whircool - do you use a front load washer? That sounds like a lot of rinses for a top load washer!

 

[whirlcool]

No, I use a 93' WP TOL DD washer. I want all my soap washed out. The final rinse is crystal clear, and that's how I like it. My machine only uses 29 gallons per cycle. It's an early energy efficient machine.

 

[joe_in_philly]

Nice!

 

[geoff]

OK, maybe just for me

Years ago, after much longing I splurged and bought a really expensive set of satin sheets. 5 years later they are the only sheets I allow on my bed. It is terrible, anything other than my sheets feels like sandpaper. Yes, in winter they are cold but after about 1 minute they warm up nicely. I have stayed at friends houses and have been unable to sleep cause the cotton sheets felt so rough. When my best friend and his partner go away, I stay at their house and bring my sheets, he always puts my satin sheets on their bed before they leave so I can sleep. I even bought a pair for my guest bedroom. When I have guests stay over they always tell me that they slept so well. Once you go satin, you never go back. You can even get them at Bed Bath and Beyond for about 60-80 bucks. If the cotton doesnt soften, I HIGHLY recommend a trip to B B & B. just my 2 cents

 

[whirlcool]

We tried satin sheets one time. I kept sliding off the bed! They are pretty slippery.

 

[geoff]

LOL

I get it, I guess I do not move when I sleep. I have heard that many times before

Geoff

 

[sudsmaster]

Easy solution, already hinted at: return those burlap sheets to JC Penney and get something else. Costco has excellent Supima or real Egyptian cotton sheets for less than $80.

Just because the JC Penney sheets' label said they were 100% cotton doesn't necessarily mean they ARE all cotton. I suspect that a batch was manufactured with a cotton/poly blend which of course will be coarse until they've been washed about 200 times.

You paid good money and didn't get satisfaction. Return to Penney for full refund.

 

[whirlcool]

Can I return these sheets even though they have been washed?

As per Laundress, I left them in water in the washer for 4 days. I changed the water once each day. The sheets are somewhat softer, but still not as soft as I would like. They still feel burlapy.
Now, they feel like they should be a coarse weave. But even if you look at them under a magnifying glass they still are woven very tightly. They look like they should be soft, maybe after 200 washings?
I hope I didn't throw away the bag they came in. I know I have the receipt. If I find them, I'll return them and go for the Fieldcrest sheets I saw at Target last night.

 

[whirlcool]

Voila!
I found the original bag & sales receipt. I'm going to return them today. It's been about 45 days since they were purchased. Do you think JCP will still take them back for refund?

 

[tomturbomatic]

Yes, especially if you have to call the store manager to the register and show him the crap Penny's is selling at that price. I would iron them and fold them as neatly as possible before returning them just to make a good impression.