Why have my towels gone crunchy???

[Turry]

Suddenly, genuinely crunchy! Like rough exfoliating mitts! I put fabric conditioner in the last load and still came out crunchy! Bizarre!

How are you drying them? I find I only get fluffy towels if I put them in the dryer. Hang them on the washing line or dry indoors I always get crunchy towels. Only happens with bath towels tho, tea towels always soft no matter how they dry

it might also be a buildup of soap residue.

give them a hot hot hot wash with no powder or fabsoft, just a cup of washing soda crystals.

cotton towels, especially white, will stand the heat, and this will wash away soap residue from the towels and the machine. If the water goes grey and foams up, that's old soap dissolving. Do it again until the water stays clear.

I thought you weren't supposed to use fabric conditioner when washing towels, affects their absorbency?