How to Make New Bed Sheets Softer

You bought or received a brand new pack of high-thread count, cotton sheet sets. You can’t wait to wash them, put them on your mattress, and get cozy when it’s time for bed. But…then you slip between your new sheets and find that they’re not so soft. In fact, they even feel a little rough and stiff! What’s the deal? 

We don’t know anyone who doesn’t like soft, comfy bed sheets. So, in this blog post, we’ll talk about why your new cotton sheets feel not-so-soft, how your laundry products can affect their softness, and tips on how to make new bed sheets softer. 

What makes sheets stiff?

If you’ve ever bought lower quality bed sheets, you might’ve noticed that they feel scratchy and they don’t really soften up over time after multiple washes. But why do high-quality (and more expensive) bed sheets feel the same way fresh out of their packaging?

Your new sheets may feel stiff and rough because of the manufacturing process. New sheets are often treated with chemicals to make the sheets look and feel crisp and new, which is one reason we highly recommend washing your sheets before use. 

Luckily, new sheets soften up with regular washing. However, there is a trick you can use to speed up the softening process with both high-quality and low-quality sheets. 

A tip for softening sheets

Here’s a natural hack for learning how to make new bed sheets softer. Throw them into your washing machine, add one cup of baking soda, and run a full cycle using warm or hot water. During the rinse, add ½ cup of vinegar and switch to cold water.

When your wash is complete, dry your sheets fully in your dryer. Or if you can, hang them up outside to dry in the sun. Before hanging them up, give them a good shake to prevent them from drying stiff.

Don’t have a clothesline and don’t like using dryer sheets? Wool dryer balls are a reusable and chemical-free alternative to disposable dryer sheets. Toss them into the dryer with your sheets, and they’ll help fluff them up and keep them soft.

After your sheets have fully dried, wash them one more time using laundry detergent and dry again. Be sure to use the recommended amount of detergent to avoid buildup, and prevent stiffness.

Why detergent matters

If this trick isn’t working for lower quality bed sheets, it’s probably the sheets themselves. Low-quality bedding is often made with short cotton fibers, which poke out of the weave and can make them feel rough. High-quality sheets, on the other hand, are often made of Pima cotton or Egyptian cotton. Both types of cotton are long-fibered, which make them soft, breathable, and luxurious.

After trying out this hack, it’s important that you regularly use a naturally derived laundry detergent that’ll clean your sheets without leaving behind any residue. We suggest avoiding fabric softeners, which coat the fibers on your sheets. Sure, they might feel soft at first, but those coated fibers will be less breathable and can degrade your sheets more quickly.