How to Soften Stiff Fabric

How to Soften Stiff Fabric
Published: Jun 26, 2011
Updated: May 14, 2022
1 minute read

Things You'll Need:

Things You Will Need

  • Sewing machine
  • Dry, nonfat milk
  • White vinegar
  • You find a colorful and beautifully woven dress or coat in your favorite fashion boutique. But, upon closer inspection, you realize it is stiff and coarse, and you don’t want to risk any abrasions on your body after wearing it. So do you forego the fabulous garment and continue your search, or do you take on this toughie and attempt to soften it? With two common household products, you can make this washable garment soft enough for a baby to rest on.

    Put 1 cup dry, nonfat milk in your washing machine in place of your usual detergent or wash solution. Set the machine for a warm wash and cold rinse cycle.

    Pour between ½ cup and 1 cup white vinegar in the washing machine at the beginning of the first rinse cycle.

    Put the garment in the dryer instead of hanging it to dry. The tumbling action of the dryer helps soften fabrics while letting the fabric hang dry will only make it stiff again.

    Toss in a fabric softening sheet as an extra softening agent, if you choose.

    M.T. Wroblewski

    With education, health care and small business marketing as her core interests, M.T. Wroblewski has penned pieces for Woman's Day, Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal and many newspapers and magazines. She holds a master's degree in…

    Sponsored
    Our Pastimes Logo

    A destination for the avid collector and weekend hobbyist alike, Our Pastimes features articles and tips about your favorite cards and games, hobbies and more.

    Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

    Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.