There’s no better time of year than spring to refresh crispy towels, and with the help of one ingredient, they can be brought back to life. Cleaning expert at Only Radiators, Nancy Emery, said: “Towels become stiff and scratchy due to a build-up of soap and detergent which attach to the fibres causing them to become much less absorbent. But there’s also that damp smell that forms if towels aren’t hung up to dry after use or thrown into the laundry basket wet, causing mildew to form.

“This sour smell can linger, coming back after each use, even after a wash. This can all be fixed by washing them correctly. While many of us grab for the fabric softener and a hot was to restore our towels, this process is actually going to be counterproductive.”

To get your towels back to “super soft” ones, first, wash them on a cool wash with just half a cup of white vinegar and nothing else.

This helps to eliminate any bad odours and strips any build-up of softener and detergent.

The expert said: “You only need the cycle to run for about 90 minutes, so pick an eco-wash or equivalent on your machine.

“Then, wash them again straight away, but this time, use detergent and a cup of vinegar instead of fabric softener for your rinse.”

White vinegar can be purchased for around 30p a bottle and is used by hotels across the country to keep towels soft and fluffy.

Once the cycle has finished, pop them into the dryer immediately on a medium heat setting for a short cycle.

Nancy noted: “You want them to be dry but don’t over dry them or use a really high setting as this will start to break down the fibres again.

“Using a tennis ball or dryer ball can also be really effective. They help the warm air to circulate between the towels better, which reduces drying time. The movement of the balls against the fabrics can prevent static and wrinkles and add softness.”

If you don’t have a dryer, it’s important to give them an extra spin on the wash cycle and then hang them over your bannister, on an airer, heated towel rail or the back of the door.

The key is to keep them flat, according to the expert, which means unfolding to dry them as quickly as possible.

The expert added: “Using a heated airer or towel rail in between uses will also help to keep that damp smell at bay as they dry your towels quicker.”

When storing them, keep them side by side instead of in stacks to ensure the bottom ones aren’t crushed by the ones above. To prevent this from happening, you can store them on heated towel rails.