Once you know how to soften T-shirts quickly and easily, you’ll never have to wait for a new tee to develop a soft, lived-in feel. In this guide, you’ll learn how to use salt, vinegar, baking soda, or fabric softener to soften stiff tees without affecting their quality.
These methods work perfectly on ringspun cotton and rayon and polyester blends from popular brands like Gildan, Hanes, and Fruit of the Loom. (Note that these methods are best used on standard t-shirts, and may be too harsh for more delicate fabrics like linen.)
For me, these methods are right up there next to knowing how to unshrink your clothes in terms of useful clothing hacks!
Table Of Contents
How To Soften T-shirts
Any of the quick and easy techniques we’ll cover here will make t-shirts softer and more comfortable to wear, and they are all inexpensive too. When new cotton t-shirts are too stiff, rough, or scratchy, use one of these ways to soften them up!
Jillee’s Take:
How To Soften A Shirt With Table Salt
Here is the step-by-step method on how to soften a stiff cotton shirt with table salt:
You’ll need:
- Bucket
- 1/2 cup of salt
- 1 quart of warm water
Instructions:
- Combine one quart of warm water and 1/2 cup of table salt in a bucket, then stir until the salt dissolves completely.
- Soak the shirt in the salty water for up to three days. (This method requires patience, but the results are worth the wait!)
- Stir the shirt around in the water once a day — you may notice salty patches forming on the shirt or salt crystals in the water, but that’s normal!
- After three days, remove the shirt from the salty water and place it in your washing machine.
- Wash the shirt as usual, then tumble dry on low heat until it’s just shy of dry.
“If you add a bit of vinegar to the salt water solution, it will help set the color in the shirt or any other article of clothing. I learned this a long time ago at a lingerie party. It even works on whites.”
– OGT Reader Deborah
Using Vinegar To Soften T-shirts
Here’s how to soften a shirt with vinegar:
You’ll need:
- 1 cup of distilled white vinegar
Instructions:
- Put the shirt in your washing machine, pour the vinegar over the top of it, and then run a rinse cycle using cold water. (If your washer has a fabric softener dispenser, you can add the vinegar there and run a cold rinse cycle.)
- Wash and dry the shirt as usual.
Using Fabric Softener To Make A Shirt Softer
You’ll need:
- Fabric softener (my homemade fabric softener is great for this!)
Instructions:
- Wash the t-shirt using your normal detergent and add fabric softener to the rinse cycle.
- Allow the shirt to air dry until slightly damp.
- Put the shirt in your dryer, then dry on low heat with a few wool dryer balls. (You can also use tennis balls, but be warned — they’re noisy!)
- Take the shirt out before it’s completely dry and hang.
Fabric Softener Alternatives
The homemade fabric softener I referenced above is far from the only option you have when it comes to fabric softeners. You can also make a wonderful fabric softener with glycerine and vinegar that will work great. Another option is homemade dryer sheets — they make a single bottle of fabric softener go a long, long way!
More Ideas You'll Love
You can also soften tees and other clothes using homemade fabric softener crystals (which in turn can be used to make homemade laundry detergent). They’re easy to make with Epsom salt and essential oils.
Finally, you may be able to achieve the softness you desire using wool dryer balls alone! They’re great at reducing stiffness, improving flexibility, and fighting static cling, especially with fabrics made from natural fibers.
BONUS: Heavy-Duty Options To Soften Stiff T-shirts
Some t-shirts are so rough, starchy, and itchy that the methods above may not soften them as much as you’d like! In that case, a more drastic measure may be called for. Try using a scouring pad, pumice stone, or even sandpaper to distress and soften the shirt around the collar, sleeves, and hem.
These options pose more of a risk, but it makes sense to try them if the alternative is giving up on the shirt entirely. Use a light hand to avoid damaging the fabric, then wash the shirt in hot water with 1 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of washing soda.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Makes Shirts Soft?
Brand-new shirts may feel stiff or rough at first, especially when they’ve been treated with finishing agents like starch. Washing new shirts or soaking them in water overnight can make them softer and more comfortable. To soften shirts fast, use the salt, vinegar, or fabric softener methods outlined in this post.
Does Salt Soften T-shirts?
Yes! Salt can soften t-shirts because its granules have an abrasive effect, helping to break in stiff fibers and make shirts softer and more flexible.
How Can I Make Cotton Very Soft?
If you want to make a cotton t-shirt very soft, the simplest way to do it is by wearing and washing it often. Regular wear and tear will naturally soften cotton and relax its fibers. To make a cotton shirt soft quickly, try the methods outlined in this post, or get it wet and manually knead, rub, and stretch the fabric before washing it.
Conclusion
Wearing a brand-new t-shirt isn’t always the most comfortable experience, especially if it feels rough or itchy. Luckily, there are several ways you can make your shirts softer quickly and easily! Armed with this knowledge, you’ll never have to suffer through another “breaking in” period to get the vintage-soft feel you want.
Have you ever tried to soften a new t-shirt?
How To Soften T-shirts With Salt (Step by Step)
Equipment
- Bucket
- Stiff t-shirt
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1 quart warm water
Instructions
- Add the warm water and salt to a bucket and stir until dissolved.
- Place the shirt in the salty water and let it soak for 3 days, stirring once daily.
- Remove the shirt from the bucket, then wash and dry as usual.
Video
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I just tried this method on three t-shirts and none of them became soft. I used two new t-shirts and one that had already been washed & worn twice, each soaked (separately) in 1/2 cup of table salt dissolved in a quart of warm water and stirred daily, per instructions. I let two of the shirts soak for three days and one of the new shirts soaked for four days before laundering as usual, all with the same result. Oh well, live & learn.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can you reuse this same water for another t-shirt or do you need to start off with fresh? Also, could you do a gallon of water (with 2 cups salt) and put in two t-shirts?.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jillee, my first email to you and from London UK. I too like natural ingredients for cleaning etc but can’t stand the smell of vinegar.
Also a little of the ingredients you suggest are just American and difficult or impossible to find in UK. The sizes too are much smaller.
A substitute suggestion would be a great help. And to know if there is a vinegar without that strong smell would help.
Thank you….
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Mirz
Mira, All vinegar will have that strong smell. Depending on the use, you can dilute it some. If you want to neutralize the smell after the vinegar has done its work, you can rinse or wipe the item with backing soda (bicarbonate of soda,) hydrogen peroxide, or another base/alkaline substance. The reason vinegar works so well for so many things is because it is a mild acid so neutralizing the smell before you use it would make it not work. Hope this helps!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Would this work on yarn?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Would this work on yarn? I would love to make my yarn softer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have spun yarn for a while and Knitted with all types of yarn for many years. If your yarn is skeined, make sure it’s tied in 4-6 places. Soak in very warm water. Squeeze it out. Straighten out the skein, grab one end of it and wack it several times on the side of the bath tub. Grab it in another spot and do it again. After working around the skein fill the sink with warm water and about the same amount of hair shampoo as you’d use to wash you hair. Work it around gently but don’t agitate too much. Drain that water and refill with clean water at the same temp. Add a fair amt of hair conditioner to the water. Let it sit for half an hour then rinse, squeeze out water and roll in towel to squeeze out most of the water. Hang over shower head or door knob to dry.
Acrylic should be hand washed in very warm water with shampoo and left overnight in the conditioner. The acrylic is way less sensitive to change in temp.
This is the method I use for all will and natural fibre items.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.One quart of water is not enough to soak one t-shirt. Is more salt necessary for more water?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, if you use more water then you will also need more salt :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Will this process remove the color from logos or pictures that are on the shirt as well as making it soft? I want soft, but the logo still intact.
Thank you
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Will this fade logos , fabric paint..etc?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Nope, it doesn’t affect the color :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am going to try this, my skin is sooo dry in the winter. I can’t wear sweaters, I can just feel a soft shirt on my skin!! Thanks so much for the great tips. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.OK, I want my big cotton bath towels to get soft. They say don’t use fabric softener as it decreases the drying power of the towel. What’s the solution? After several washes, the cotton is hard to the touch..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m going to try this trick on a pair of jeans. They are so darn stiff!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love this idea. It think if done at volume, you could create lot of vintage t-shirts. It would be a great way to start a clothing company and since being hipster is the cool thing right now, you know it’s going to take off. Thanks for showing us how to do this.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I find it interesting that you used a red t shirt with warm water and the color didn’t even bleed. The reason it’s interesting to me is because I recently read on a quilting blog that putting salt into the wash load when washing a hand made quilt for the first time keeps the colors from releasing and running onto the lighter fabrics in the quilt. I think I would still use a color catcher to be on the safe side, but I sure expected your soak water to turn red! Amazing.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hmm…I wonder if this would work on already “vintage” cottons? I’m thinking of a couple of my old cotton fleece hoodies (they still have plenty of wear left, but it would be nice if they were softer), and my bath sheet (I never use store bought fabric softeners on my towels, only your home made version, and this one could use some more “fluff”). This will be my first “after the holidays” experiment! Thanks Jill!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Will this work on other fabrics? I have a great cotton shirtwaist dress that’s stiff
Please log in or create a free account to comment.as a board. Wore it once, washed it ten times and it’s stiff as new.
It will definitely help!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jillee, could you please tell me what day the “how to use salt to tenderize a cheaper cut of meat”?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank You
I would like to know about the tough meat and salt also…..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Here’s the link! http://jillee.co/2i1Ff8N
Next time, try our search bar on the upper-right of the webpage. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve tried this a dozen times over the years. It hasn’t yet worked.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Bummer! Have you let it sit for up to three days? It worked so well for me!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Didn’t know about salt affecting the feel, but mom told me many years ago about doing a quick wash in cold salt water for new red apparel….to keep it from bleeding in the future. Has worked for me all these years!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you add a bit of vingear to the salt-water solution, it will help to set the color in the shirt or any other article of clothing. I learned this a long time ago at a langerie party. It even works on whites.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What happened to the pin buttons on iPad? Would love to save these posts but don’t know how. Thanks
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I too was looking for a ‘pinterest’ button in the blog! I found it by clicking on any of the pictures!! Hope this helps
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sorry Susan! The easiest way to pin is from my Pinterest profile: http://jillee.co/2dPwaZQ
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love it! I am guessing that a lot of us will have huge vats of salt water in their homes for the next few weeks! Thank you
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Excellent–I will try this with the starchy bandanas that never soften, even after being washed over and over. Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was wondering will this make the color bleed onto other shirts when washing.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.salt is used to set colors so it would probably lessen the chance of fading and bleeding. It would be worth an experiment to see if the salty shirts fade less over time!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.But, it would still be smart to keep reds and whites separated! Let’s not go too crazy!
I don’t think so – but I would wash loads of similar colors just to be safe. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do you think it will work with new jeans
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If it does maybe it will work on sweatshirts too!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have not tried to use salt on jeans, YET. But the best thing I’ve founnd for softening jeans is Coke Cola. Not diet but one can of regular Coke Cola in your washing machine will soften jeans. It can even be used on white jeans without effecting the color.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I don’t see why not!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It definitely works on blue jeans — I used this years ago on those really stiff jeans (and overalls — the first time they were popular ;-). As I recall, I filled the washer, added the salt, agitated a bit, let it soak and then ran it through the cycle. Thought it was a miracle when it actually worked.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do you think this might work on crocheted or knit items that are made with the less expensive and slightly scratchy acrylic yarns?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m not sure, but it’s worth a try! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Deb, for items made with acrylic yarn this is the way I soften them.
Hair conditioner (really cheap ones work just as well).
Warm water.
Container for item to soak.
Elbow grease/annoyance.
Patience.
I fill a bowl with hand hot warm water and put in 1 generous squeeze of conditioner.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Swirl into water with your hand then add garment and make sure thoroughly soaked.
Squeeze some conditioner on to garment and rub in well.
Then really work at garment like you are kneading bread/dough make sure it stays wet and add conditioner if required.
Great if you’re cross with someone, really let that frustration work into the garment.
When you’ve had enough (5-10 mins for me), submerge garment overnight.
Wash next day on gentle cycle and dry in tumble dryer or air and you will have a
super soft garment for it’s life time.
Thanks Lucy! I’ll give it a try.
Have a very happy new year!
This is fantastic! My husband and I were just talking about how much more comfy the vintage Ts are…I’m going to try it, see if he notices before I tell him
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks so much as always and wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
How to make my bras soft again like new ones like the Bali 3820 cups feel when there brand new ,
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