To expect fluffy towels to stay fluffy!! What IS the secret?!

[ThisIsActuallyHappening]

Does it involve a tumble drier? 'cause we don't have one, or any space to put one 😥

Where can I buy nice fluffy towels and HOW do I keep them fluffy? Currently have a decent set of scratchy, cardboardy "Egyptian Cotton" towels purchased in vain last year ...

I don't use fabric softener with my towels as I understand that blocks the fibres and can make them hard, what else am I doing wrong?

It might be because you live in a hard water area, or over drying? Tumble dryer does make towels soft.

Yes tumbling seems to to be the only way I am afraid

It is a tumble dryer unfortunately

Just don't wash them. Rough towels = clean towels!

Tumble drier I'm afraid

Yep tumble drier is the only way I keep mine fluffy. Just hanging them up to dry always makes mine go like cardboard

Tumble dryer is the only way I've found. I use fabric conditioner on everything. My tumble dryer has broken again and dh said as it's summer it doesn't need sorting yet.
Towels are not nice. I have stunt towels for appearances sake

I don't tumble dry mine (well I do occasionally). I use fabric conditioner (not vast amounts) and dry outside.

Equally, I'm not sure my mother had ever bought a towel in her life so maybe I just have very low standards!

Don't use laundry detergent on them - use bicarb and white vinegar in machine, and dry on washing line on a windy day!

I have a tumble dryer so luckily have fluffy towels now (big difference from when I didn't have one.)
I was going to say white vinegar too (put it in where you would normally put fabric softener) And cut down on washing powder as that can build up a soapy residue which makes them stiff. Make sure you wash them in warm water.
I've seen these eco 'balls' you can use instead of washing powder and a friend of mine swears by them. I haven't used them myself, but may be worth a look.

I have a combi washing machine/tumble dryer. One machine does both jobs.

ime, tumble dryers strip towels like crazy. Shorten their working life for sure.

So basically, buy new towels frequently. That's how they "stay" fluffy.

Did I read correctly that you don't use fabric softener? If I did, than that could be why - fabric softener...it's in the name! I also find not washing them too hot helps.

No, you shouldn't use fabric softener on towels as it can reduce their absorption.

I never had fluffy towels until I got my tumble drier - works like magic

Fabric softener will make them less crispy but reduces their absorbency a bit. However, if you wash them hot without fabric softener every few washes, it should strip the conditioner out while you enjoy the softness after the other washes.

Give them a good few 'snaps' before line drying them on a breezy day. Makes quite a difference to the fluffiness. Proper fluffing will only be achieved with tumbling though, sorry!

I once asked DP how to get our towels all soft and fluffy because his towels were all so nice when i first went around to his place. He said slightly shamefaced that all his towels were nice then because they were all brand new. What, all of them? I asked. Yes, because I was coming over for the first time and he'd panicked and wanted everything to be perfect. I was fairly sure he was a keeper before that but i was sure then
which is a long winded way of saying yes, buying new is apparently the only way without a tumbledrier.

Petrichery love that story! 😍

I've never used fabric conditioner but I would never not tumble my towels, I want my fluffy towels to be nice and soft. I had a nervo when our dryer was on the fritz at the prospect of crispy towels!

Wash them with 2 tennis balls in the machine. They work well in the dryer too!

I admit to using a tumble dryer and softener to get fluffiness.
Preferably towels been outside on line, brought in damp then a wee while in dryer.

But have also found an extra washing cycle to get all the detergent out helps. And a good blowy drying day. Get them in while still dampish.
It's like a cool tumble dry.

I quite like a nice hard towel - gets you dry much more quickly. No?

My soft fluffy towels seem to be perfectly adequate in getting me dry, not sure what valuable seconds a scratchy towel would shave off? (in addition to the top layer of skin!)

I prefer to wrap myself in a lovely warm cosy towel when I step out the shower - a hard, crispy towel would feel like some spartan punishment!

Heavy, good quality towels.

Mine are either 700 or 800 GSM from house of fraser. Not the same as tumble dried towels but they're still soft and quite fluffy when dried outside.

Dry on the line then iron them with a tint hint of fabric softener in the iron water!!! It works.

Definitely the tumble drier. I used to have to line dry everything and all our clothes were stiff and cardboardy. I insisted we got a tumble drier before the baby was born as I wasn't going to dress him in babygros that could stand up by themselves.

Maybe when your washing machine gives up the ghost you get a washer/drier, if you haven't the space for a tumble drier? We didn't have room for ours in our tiny kitchen, DH had to run electricity out to the (brick) shed and put it in there.

In the absence of a drier, ironing seems to be only answer. I had to iron socks to get them to be all floppy again, you can imagine how I loved the tumble drier saving me from that shit.

I got lots of towels from M&S, in fact I still have a pair of bath towels that I bought there 16 years ago. And they are still snuggly and absorbent, albeit a tad thin in places...