Stiff T-shirts?

[FurryDogMother]

I know this is not a massive problem, but just thought I'd ask in case anyone knows! When I wash cotton T-shirts (on 40 degrees, 3-in-1 liquid) and then hang them up to dry, they tend to dry 'stiff' and not as soft as they originally were. Am I doing something wrong, or not doing something, or is this normal? I mean, I should know by now - been washing T-shirts for decades - but I've always thought it's just one of those things. Anyone got a magical cure?

Cotton does tend to dry stiff, especially if it dries naturally and quickly. However, using too much detergent can also make fabric stiff, or kind of crunchy. Liquids are not as effective as cleaning and bad for your washing machine as they don't contain the bleaching agents which help to keep the innards of the machine clean. A separate softener is more effective than one combined with the detergent too.

Thanks for the reply - I'll try powder and a separate softener and see what happens!

Are you in a hard water area? If so, you might want to try cutting down how much detergent you use - so not as much as the packet says - and adding a good dose of soda crystals. The soda crystals will soften the wash water and make the detergent more effective.

Yes, the water here is incredibly hard - hadn't considered that - but it makes sense! Thaks again for the advice.