HELP - crunchy towels!! What fabric conditioner do you use in hard water, like London, without a tumble dryer??

[loveyouradvice]

Years ago we decided not to have a tumble drier as one of our "environmentally - friendly" things to do.... I am rather regretting this!

So.... soft towels and clothes... surely we can get these with a good fabric conditioner and air drying?

Comfort and the ecover ones don't work for us... what works for you?

I add vinegar and put it on 60 at least an hour wash.
When you get them out after, SHAKE them. Grab one side, shake, switch sides, shake. Properly. Get that air in. All 4 sides.

Fabric conditioner stops them drying you properly after a shower.
I use the dettol laundry cleanser.

In my experience, you just can't get properly fluffy towels without a tumble drier. That and bedsheets is the only thing I use the drier for.

As above, don't use fabric conditioner on towels!

I live in a v hard water area too and don't have a tumble drier. I use water softener tablets in the machine on every wash (stops limescale marks on darker clothing too) then as @SchrodingersImmigrant has said I shake them when they come out of the machine (you can see the difference in the pile after a good shake). I then either dry them in the airing cupboard or on a radiator.

I use washing capsules, but no separate fabric conditioner for towel washes. They're not perfectly soft and fluffy but they're not crispy either.

You may find you have a build up of previous washing products on them too, so maybe run them through the machine on a long wash without any additional products to really get them clear of it.

@TigerDrawers

I live in a v hard water area too and don't have a tumble drier. I use water softener tablets in the machine on every wash (stops limescale marks on darker clothing too) then as *@SchrodingersImmigrant* has said I shake them when they come out of the machine (you can see the difference in the pile after a good shake). I then either dry them in the airing cupboard or on a radiator.

I use washing capsules, but no separate fabric conditioner for towel washes. They're not perfectly soft and fluffy but they're not crispy either.

You may find you have a build up of previous washing products on them too, so maybe run them through the machine on a long wash without any additional products to really get them clear of it.

I didn't know you could get single use water softener tablets? Dh and I have endlessly debated getting one of those machines that you put on the incoming water supply because our water is so hard.

Pressed Post too soon.

My issue is the kids' school uniforms. I can't tumble dry their jumpers because the logos go all funny. But the jumpers are HARD as rocks after just a few washes. I hate it.

Lakeland do a fabric conditioner for towels (because yes normally it stops water absorbing). Have to say towels are still a bit crunchy though so not sure if it is worth it. May have to try shaking more!

Iron them with a steam iron.
(Just for context, I have a water softener and don't use fabric conditioner or a tumble drier.)

I use fairy fabric conditioner. Live in central London. Seems to work well, does not stop the towels from drying us

White vinegar is great for this, add a cup to the drawer.

It's also fab if you fill a cup in your dishwasher with white vinegar, it removes any white marks.

White vinegar , I hate fabric conditioner it just coats the fibres of towels which means they don’t dry properly

use less detergent & white vinegar.

they will never be as fluffy as dried in a tumble dryer though.

I use fairy or comfort but they won't be soft as if dried in tumble. Fabric conditioner doesn't stop towel drying me but I only add a small bit but I do live in hard water area.

I dont think that you can get properly soft and fluffy towels without a Tumble Drier really. We are in a hard water area as well .Maybe invest in one just for towels/sheets .

YABU because crunchy towels are the best.my favourite thing about Summer is crisp, line-dried towels.

Tumble dryer soft ones never feel properly clean or that they are properly drying me.

I quite like a thin, crunchy towel which dries me properly. But since the rest of the household moans about the crunchiness of towels I iron all of mine . It works well to get back some semblance of softness and doesn't affect absorbency like fabric conditioner does.
I have a towel from Dunelm - labelled as The Towel That Loves To Be Washed .It has stayed quite soft and fluffy after a couple of years use . Ive just checked and they dont seem to be carried any more which is a shame .

Same as @plumpootle here - fairy fabric conditioner - london - hard water - all good!

Fabric conditioner reduces the absorbency. Use a spoonful of soda crystals (cheap too).
Me, I prefer the exfoliating action of a crispy towel.

We have hard water and I've found that using a liquid detergent rather than a tablet or powder makes a difference.

My towels are soft and I use own-brand fabric conditioner. I concede that they're not massively fluffy though!

I also dry them from the curtain rails in the bedrooms, and each window has a radiator beneath, so they get warm air. If I wash them late afternoon, they get heat all evening and again in the morning, and are then dry enough to put away in the airing cupboard.

It makes the house smell nice while they are drying, too.

Fabric softener will waterproof your towels for you.

Mind are washed and line-dried in a nice breeze and are lovely and fluffy.

Can't help you - crunchy towels are fantastic. Actually dry you.

Hate going to b&bs etc and having to try and get dry on a piece of slimy fluff!

I love crunchy towels. I dislike the almost slimy softness of a brand new towel, not to mention all the fluff it sheds until it's been washed a few times.

I have had hard, crunchy towels since the rules regarding laundry products were changed, a few years now. Phosphates used to soften the water and keep the dirt in the water until it was rinsed away but they were accused of being environmentally bad.

I use detergent sparingly and not in every wash. Looking at the amount of suds in a machine without adding detergent you can see you don't need any more. Washing detergent doesn't soften.

I have tried vinegar, made no difference, however I do use it on a hot wash to clean the machine. Extra water in the wash makes no difference because it is extremely hard water.

I shake the towels, they are still stiff and scratchy. Ironing still leaves me with hard towels.

Our water is white when it comes out of the tap. I can soften the towels only in the tumble dryer, but just tell myself they will exfoliate my skin if I don't.

There are types of phosphate you can buy (not easily) but beware as they can also mess up your machine. It is much easier to live with hard towels, and cotton jumpers, and stiff, scratchy pyjamas. I don't use conditioner, it contains worse things than phosphates.

My towels are model and cotton from House of Fraser in a 70% off sale a few years ago. I usually use Lenor fabric conditioner though it can be whichever is on offer if it smells nice... they’re a lot softer than many!

Bog standard soda crystals.

Add a heaped tablespoon or two dissolved in hot water through the drawer after the wash has got going.

Use soap powder, not detergent liquids because they slime your towels up and don't remove dirt so effectively, but use only a third to a half the recommended dose.

Run through on a second 60 degree cycle without adding any more detergent and add distilled white vinegar to the rinse.

The goal is to remove all residues, be that dirt, washing detergents or the often overlooked residue of soap/shower gel/shampoo/hair conditioner/etc that gets on your towels when used.