Lifehacks Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for people looking to bypass life's everyday problems with simple tricks. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
Every socks I own quickly end up dry and rigid (2 or 3 months). I am sick to feel like I was folding paperboard after every laundry, or buy a new dozens every month or so.
I don't know what the reason is, but perhaps it's due to my sweaty feet.
These socks are 100% cotton, changed every day. The detergent is... I don't know, a regular one? (It smells quite good, ah!) To dry them, I hang them.
How could I prevent this from happening?
You need to add fabric softener to your washing steps, after using the detergent fill up the laundry machine with water again and pour the instructed quantity of fabric softener, let the laundry do its job and after it has finished its cycle then take them to the dryer, hanging them to dry is another factor for this hard/rough/unpleasant situation.
If you add fabric softener and use a dryer I can assure you you'll have fluffy socks for longer time.
NOTE: Washing machines usually have predefined cycles that include the fabric softener step.
Use LESS detergent
The detergent has stiffened the fibres of your clothing. Bending stiffened fibres will weaken and eventually break them. The life span of the clothing has been compromised. A dryer will hasten the process. That's the first problem you asked about. There's more.
Ahhh should be Argh! ! !
If you can still smell your soap/detergent after your clothes are completely rinsed, something is wrong. If you can't completely rinse, You're using too much.
CUT BACK on the amount until you cannot smell the cleaning agents. The manufacturers have ADDED an odour to your wash. How can adding something clean it? It's bait and switch for your nose.
You are not sick to feel you are folding paperboard. You are poisoning yourself with the chemicals from the overexposure to the pthalate impregnated socks you're wearing.
Apparently using vinegar in with the fabric softener softens them
Are you using your socks for other activities non-foot related that might cause them to become rigid and dry?
There are a few factors to this equation: 1-The quality of the sock itself. The fabric used to make the sock may be a thin blend. 2- Dryer setting is too high. Some people I know just throw everything into the dryer at once like savages and the setting for the dryer is is too high causing shrinkage and stiffness. 3-Depending on your location, your water may have different impurities impacting your fabrics (May not be the case if your other articles of clothing are coming out fine).
Use liquid detergent and use the recommended amount. Usually the first line on the inside of the cap. In the rinse cycle use a 1/4 cup of vinegar to help dissolve any excess soap. Vinegar serves 3 purposes: As a de-greaser, deodorizer, and poor man's fabric softener.
Too much laundry detergent doesn't rinse out completely and a result when it dries it becomes stiff.
