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Stiff new sheets or rough old ones can usually be softened at home. Here are seven methods that work, how to treat cotton, linen and lyocell, and when to replace them.
New sheets straight out of the package often feel stiff, crisp or even a little scratchy. Older sheets can go rough too, usually from detergent buildup or hot, long dryer cycles. The good news is that most sheets can be softened at home with things you already have. This guide covers what actually works, which methods suit which fabrics, and when a sheet is simply never going to feel soft.
This is the simplest step and the one most people skip. One or two washes removes most manufacturing finishes. Use cool or warm water and the care label's recommended cycle.
More soap does not mean cleaner sheets. Excess detergent does not fully rinse out and leaves fabric stiff. Try using about half of what you normally would, especially in a high-efficiency washer, and add an extra rinse if your machine has one.
About half a cup of distilled white vinegar in the rinse cycle, or in the fabric softener compartment, helps dissolve detergent and mineral residue. The smell rinses out. Never combine vinegar with bleach in the same load.
About half a cup of baking soda added with your detergent helps soften water and loosen buildup. Use it in the wash and vinegar in the rinse, not both together in one compartment, since they cancel each other out.
Low or medium heat is kinder to fibers than high heat. Remove sheets while they are still very slightly damp and let them finish on the bed or a drying rack. Over-dried cotton is the most common reason sheets feel harsh.
Two to four wool dryer balls tumbling with your sheets separate the layers, improve airflow, cut drying time and gently soften the fabric by agitating the fibers. They are a good replacement for dryer sheets.
It sounds backward, but conventional liquid softener coats fibers, and on cotton, bamboo-derived and lyocell fabrics that coating builds up and reduces breathability. If you want a softener, the vinegar rinse does a similar job without the residue.
Cotton responds well to all of the methods above. Percale cotton will always feel crisp and cool compared to sateen, but it softens noticeably after several washes. If you want a naturally smoother feel, our guide to percale vs sateen sheets explains the difference.
Linen starts out firm and gets softer with every wash, often for years. Wash it in cool or warm water, use mild detergent, and try a vinegar rinse. Tumble dry on low with dryer balls, or line dry and finish with a few minutes in the dryer to relax the fibers. Our comparison of linen vs cotton sheets covers how each one feels over time.
These fabrics are usually soft from the start. Keep them that way with cool water, gentle cycles, low heat and no fabric softener. Heat and harsh detergents are what make them pill and lose their smooth hand.
Synthetic microfiber and knit sheets are already soft. Wash them cool, avoid high heat, and they should stay that way.
If a sheet still feels rough after several careful washes, the issue is usually the fiber quality. Short-staple cotton produces a rougher yarn that pills and never gets truly smooth. A high thread count on the label does not fix that, and some very high counts use thin multi-ply yarns that feel heavy rather than soft. Our guide to a good thread count for sheets explains what the number does and does not tell you.
When it is time to replace them, look for long-staple cotton, a sateen weave if you want silkiness, or a lyocell fabric if you sleep hot. We carry Malouf sheet sets, including Tencel lyocell, soft knit microfiber and linen-weave cotton options, in our bedding collection, and you can feel the fabrics in person at our Los Angeles showrooms.
Wash them before first use with a reduced amount of detergent, add half a cup of white vinegar to the rinse, and dry on low heat with wool dryer balls. Two or three washes usually removes the factory stiffness.
Linen feels crisp and slightly textured when new, but it softens significantly with each wash. Many people find well-washed linen one of the most comfortable fabrics, especially in warm weather.
Wash in cool or warm water with mild detergent, add a vinegar rinse, and tumble dry on low with dryer balls or line dry and finish briefly in the dryer. Repeated washing is what softens linen most.
Percale feels crisp, cool and matte rather than silky. Good percale made from long-staple cotton is smooth and gets softer with washing, but it will never feel like sateen. That crispness is exactly why many hot sleepers prefer it.
Yes, sheets made from bamboo-derived viscose or lyocell are typically very soft and smooth from the first night. Wash them on cool, gentle cycles and skip fabric softener to keep them that way.
Soft sheets make a big difference, but so does what is underneath them. If your bed still feels uncomfortable after new bedding, it may be time to look at a mattress topper or the mattress itself. Visit any of our five Los Angeles showrooms to try mattresses and bedding together, or take our sleep quiz to find your starting point.
Start with a mattress type that suits how you sleep, then compare the feel in person.
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Est. $124.84/month for 6 months
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Interest is charged from the purchase date if not paid in full in time. Minimum monthly payments are required and may not repay the balance in time.
This item price meets the 6-month deferred-interest threshold. We use the longest confirmed period available at this price. Avoiding interest requires paying the promotional balance in full before the deadline. Lender fees can affect total cost; this selection does not establish the lowest total borrowing cost.
This illustration divides the displayed price of $749.00 for one selected item by 6 months, rounding up to the next cent. It is not the lender’s required payment or billing schedule. Check the promotional deadline on your statement and pay the full promotional balance before it ends.
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How Synchrony deferred interest works
Est. $158.17/month for 6 months
Item-price payoff target · excludes taxes and fees.
Synchrony · No interest if paid in full within 6 months. Subject to credit approval.
Interest is charged from the purchase date if not paid in full in time. Minimum monthly payments are required and may not repay the balance in time.
This item price meets the 6-month deferred-interest threshold. We use the longest confirmed period available at this price. Avoiding interest requires paying the promotional balance in full before the deadline. Lender fees can affect total cost; this selection does not establish the lowest total borrowing cost.
This illustration divides the displayed price of $949.00 for one selected item by 6 months, rounding up to the next cent. It is not the lender’s required payment or billing schedule. Check the promotional deadline on your statement and pay the full promotional balance before it ends.
Taxes, delivery, recycling charges and any lender promotional fees are excluded. Fees may add to the total borrowing cost. Additional discounts can change plan eligibility and the amount financed. Confirm the final purchase amount and applicable terms with the store before arranging financing.
Credit approval, applicable account terms and purchase eligibility apply.
How Synchrony deferred interest works
Est. $146.50/month for 6 months
Item-price payoff target · excludes taxes and fees.
Synchrony · No interest if paid in full within 6 months. Subject to credit approval.
Interest is charged from the purchase date if not paid in full in time. Minimum monthly payments are required and may not repay the balance in time.
This item price meets the 6-month deferred-interest threshold. We use the longest confirmed period available at this price. Avoiding interest requires paying the promotional balance in full before the deadline. Lender fees can affect total cost; this selection does not establish the lowest total borrowing cost.
This illustration divides the displayed price of $879.00 for one selected item by 6 months, rounding up to the next cent. It is not the lender’s required payment or billing schedule. Check the promotional deadline on your statement and pay the full promotional balance before it ends.
Taxes, delivery, recycling charges and any lender promotional fees are excluded. Fees may add to the total borrowing cost. Additional discounts can change plan eligibility and the amount financed. Confirm the final purchase amount and applicable terms with the store before arranging financing.
Credit approval, applicable account terms and purchase eligibility apply.
How Synchrony deferred interest works
Est. $91.63/month for 24 months
Item-price payoff target · excludes taxes and fees.
Synchrony · No interest if paid in full within 24 months. Subject to credit approval.
Interest is charged from the purchase date if not paid in full in time. Minimum monthly payments are required and may not repay the balance in time.
This item price meets the 24-month deferred-interest threshold. We use the longest confirmed period available at this price. Avoiding interest requires paying the promotional balance in full before the deadline. Lender fees can affect total cost; this selection does not establish the lowest total borrowing cost.
This illustration divides the displayed price of $2,199.00 for one selected item by 24 months, rounding up to the next cent. It is not the lender’s required payment or billing schedule. Check the promotional deadline on your statement and pay the full promotional balance before it ends.
Taxes, delivery, recycling charges and any lender promotional fees are excluded. Fees may add to the total borrowing cost. Additional discounts can change plan eligibility and the amount financed. Confirm the final purchase amount and applicable terms with the store before arranging financing.
Credit approval, applicable account terms and purchase eligibility apply.
How Synchrony deferred interest works
Est. $92.42/month for 12 months
Item-price payoff target · excludes taxes and fees.
Synchrony · No interest if paid in full within 12 months. Subject to credit approval.
Interest is charged from the purchase date if not paid in full in time. Minimum monthly payments are required and may not repay the balance in time.
This item price meets the 12-month deferred-interest threshold. We use the longest confirmed period available at this price. Avoiding interest requires paying the promotional balance in full before the deadline. Lender fees can affect total cost; this selection does not establish the lowest total borrowing cost.
This illustration divides the displayed price of $1,109.00 for one selected item by 12 months, rounding up to the next cent. It is not the lender’s required payment or billing schedule. Check the promotional deadline on your statement and pay the full promotional balance before it ends.
Taxes, delivery, recycling charges and any lender promotional fees are excluded. Fees may add to the total borrowing cost. Additional discounts can change plan eligibility and the amount financed. Confirm the final purchase amount and applicable terms with the store before arranging financing.
Credit approval, applicable account terms and purchase eligibility apply.
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