How to Make Your Rough T-Shirts Super Soft

There is nothing better than putting on a really soft vintage t-shirt. Not only does the piece instantly give you street cred, especially if it's a cool band tee, but it also feels so light on your skin that it's almost like you're not wearing anything at all. But how do you get the look if you don't like to shop at thrift stores or flea markets? Easy. Make your new shirts look and feel used. We'll show you how to give your new-from-the-store tees a vintage-y feel below.

How to Soften Your T-Shirts

We have explained a step-by-step guide below to make your t-shirts feel super soft:

Prepare a mixture.

To make a T-shirt that looks old, first mix water, salt, or vinegar with water in a large bucket. About 1/2 cup of salt or vinegar is needed for every quart of water. Salt and vinegar will make the fibers more open. The mixture will give the cotton more volume, just like how adding volume to your hair makes it look fuller. There will be a brushing of the fibers.

Put your shirt in the mixture.

Soak your shirt for about seven minutes in the mixture. Some people say you have to leave your T-shirt in for the whole night, but the magic will happen in exactly seven minutes. This method works for cotton, cotton/polyester blends, and modals. Modal fabrics will be the softest of all.

Normal wash/dry.

Then, wash your shirt as usual in the washing machine with a mild detergent. Dry your shirt in the dryer as usual, but make sure to take it out before it's completely dry. If it's really dry, the T-shirt will feel rough. Like your skin, you want the shirt to be a little damp and then let it dry naturally.