Any tips to stop towels going hard when dried on the line?

[Springandsummerarecoming]

If I dry towels on the line they go hard and crunchy and everyone moans! I don’t really want to use the tumble drier on a gorgeous day like today. Any ideas?

I am currently finishing off my towels in the drier, having had them out on the line earlier.

I don't like using the drier on a day like today either, but as we have solar panels and all the energy we are currently using is coming from the roof or the battery, I'm not going to feel too guilty.

I use the fresh cycle on the dryer too for 10 minutes. It's just cool air. Best done before the towels are completely dry. If the towels have baked too long on the line pop a damp flannel in with them.

Crunchy towels are best- at least you can tell no-one else has used them first !

Tumble dryers should be illegal on days like this! 🤪

I always put them (and other washing) in the dryer for 5 minutes after being line dried as it loosens up the fibres (and kills the bitey bugs).

Otherwise make sure there is a breeze as the flapping is similar to the tumbling action.

I'm so pleased to see this thread. I thought I was the only one folding towels like cardboard 😂It's nice when they're fluffy, but as PP have said they work better crusty 😆...and when you've used them once they are fine. I couldn't bring myself to use the tumble drier in this heat, that's nuts.

I guess the dishwasher/tumble drier comparison is because you don't need a tumble drier to dry clothes. Just putting them outside uses no energy at all. But you do need the dishes to be washed, and whichever way you do it, you're going to use water and energy. My dishwasher apparently uses far less water than if I were to wash it all by hand. I can also get around 2 days worth in there, so it would be multiple loads of washing up. I don't know what the energy difference is though.

And no tips here, sorry. I didn't even know towels came in anything other than crunchy until I was in my late twenties. I secretly like the exfoliation too.

I've heard of adding white vinegar instead of conditioner but I can't vouch for it myself as I haven't tried it. I don't use conditioner either as I've read it loosens the thread and my towels aren't top-notch quality but maybe try that first and then try with only vinegar to see if it works.
Don't worry about the smell, I use vinegar to clean and once it evaporates the smell will be gone.

My dishwasher apparently uses far less water than if I were to wash it all by hand.
I've read this too. It takes a lot of water to get rid of the soap when I do it by hand.

I much prefer a crunchy towel and HATE the feel of them with fabric softener, and as others say they are not as absorbant. When we go away on holiday and using other towels, you end up with a very heavy, sloppy towel, which doesnt dry overnight in the bathroom, which to too slippery to get dry with. Horrible

I say learn to love it. They dry you better and exfoliate while you're at it.

Any tips ( sorry hacks) for making them even crunchier?

I tend to keep one or two tea towels back from the washing machine and then when the towels are Good and crisp 🤣 from the line I’ll put them in the dryer with the reserved tea towels. Really only takes a few mins as the dampness from the tea towel steams the fluffy again.

it obviously Isent drying the tea towels, you can just hang those up afterwards.

Lavender oil and no washing capsule/detergent (pre wash them first) then spin with lavender oil in drum

My tumble dryer is still broke, I'm avoiding getting it fixed for a while so I'm not tempted to use it (it's 'eco' which seems to mean it takes hours to dry a few items).

I've tried everything but the towels always end up as boards.

Who mentioned Turkish towels? I bought a peshtemal towel recently (as hand towel), if that's the same thing, but nobody other than me liked it .

I realise it's a mumsnet thing to only use a towel once and that I wwill be considered minging but it will soften up after the first time it's used.

I'd be a bit scared of putting lavender oil on my clothes tbh as I have hormonal problems. Isn't it an endocrine disruptor?

Keep shaking them vigorously, if you can whilst they’re drying. Takes the real roughness off.

If you’re running a wash with detergent and then another (rinse?) you may as well just stick them in the dryer surely?

Another crunchy towel fan here. Best bit of summer is being able to line dry everything and get super crunchy towels.

You just need to get everyone on board with it and stop them moaning!

The crunchier the towel the cleaner I feel after getting dry.

Dry them on the line then give them a cold tumble for a few minutes.

@cornettoninja sure if you have a drier. But I just spin them without a rinse gets them fluffy again and smelling nice. I put the oil on a used colour blocker sheet

My dryer has a warm air 20 minute cycle just for this, the heat is very mild and we use it to soften towels and linen stuff

So lower temp for a short while should fix it

We use a spin dryer and that gets rid of excess water and detergent and I find the fabric of anything is softer as a result. We don't have a tumble dryer and I'm allergic to fabric softener.

@plsbekind fair enough.

I think I just view everything like this through a lens of trying to cut energy consumption for financial/environmental reasons these days