Melanie Radzicki McManus is an outdoors enthusiast specializing in travel. She has won many awards for her writing, most notably four prestigious Lowell Thomas Awards, considered the Pultizers of travel writing. McManus is the author of "Thousand-Miler: Adventures Hiking the Ice Age Trail." Her work has appeared in Backpacker, the Chicago Tribune, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, How Stuff Works and dozens of other publications.
Fabric softener is popular because they help keep clothes soft, fresh-smelling and static-free. It also helps clothing retain its shape and color. But when it comes to washing towels, fabric softener should be given the boot.