Clothes like cardboard unless tumbled

[milktraylady]

Hi can anyone tell me why our washing is like cardboard if I line dry it?
It's all lovely & soft when tumbled. But that is daft in the summer & expensive.

I've run the washing machine on a 90degree wash empty with no powder- no difference.

(We don't use softener, do use method Eco liquid, or daz powder for whites.)

We are in SE England with hard water. Do we just need to use fabric softener?
Got a newborn, so don't really want to use softener.

Thanks!

I love crunchy towels too :o

I'm in a really hard water area and find that fabric softener helps this problem. I've always used either Comfort Pure, or Fairy - no problems with either of my DCs. (The time I used bio wash liquid by mistake is another story! )

The only things that go really cardboardy are towels, and DH's jeans (not mine, for some reason). I just give them a really good shake before folding. Maybe 5 mins in the dryer if I'm feeling extravagant.

Seconding MNiscold, putting them in the drier for 5 mins before putting them on the line seems to fluff towels up and stop them going stiff and crunchy.

A water softener like Calgon in your wash helps, but not sure if it's eco friendly. I use that alone on towels once in a while and it de-crunches them beautifully! I think white vinegar can be used in the same way.