How to make towels soft?!

[Anon501178]

Having constant issues with towels.
Admittedly I don't buy the most expensive ones.....maybe that's the issue?!
But they are constantly becoming rough with 'lumpy fibres' (not the smooth short pile appearance like when you buy them)

Tumble drying unless it's for ages isn't fixing the issue (and it's a waste of energy when the other clothes don't need it- although tips on how to make clothes especially cotton ones softer in general would be appreciated too!)

We live in a hardwater area which maybe doesn't help.Use a cheap supermarket brand laundry liquid and a more expensive branded fab conditioner such as comfort creations.
Try not to over do the quantities of these.
Line dry washing either indoors or out then try to soften in the tumbler for awhile (it can take an hour or so to properly soften clothes!)

Maybe it's the tumble dryer as its a washer dryer and not the best.

Thanks

Never use a fabric conditioner with towels.

ETA: And washer tumblers are generally rubbish.

Apparently leaving them out to get rained on works but can’t try it until rains again

I never line dry my towels and will only tumble dryer them so that they stay soft. Line drying for any length of time will always make them ‘crispy’.

Just use more softener.

Use powder detergent very sparingly, never use fabric softener (on any laundry) and a quick tumble dry if line dried.

all my towels are from Sainsbury’s, are over 10 years old and still look and feel great.

Don’t use fabric conditioner. Bicarbonate of soda added to your wash load will make towels soft.

You can line dry then do a 30 minute tumble for softness if your machine allows. Don't use softener on towels!

Embrace the crunch, I love a crispy towel off the line and they soon go soft again.

I line dry. They are stiff as a board when I bring them in, but after being used once they’re soft again (I know there are people her who wash towels after every use, but I’m not in that camp).

I like crispy towels too. They dry better and exfoliate as well.

Who wants soft towels? Crunchy towels have peak absorbency. The whole point of a towel no?

Washer dryers are overpriced shite and bring only misery to washing clothes..

Fabric softener in every wash, clean the machine frequently. And you should be able to tumble dry from already dry to soft in like 10 mins.

Never use fabric conditioner on towels.

They're not that dirty either so I use minimal detergent, a wool wash so they don't get agitated & ruin the fibres.

If you line dry they go soft pretty quickly. I only tumble dry them 80% dry in winter and then hang them in the airing cupboard

I have hard water and started adding 1 cup if vinegar to the wash, it seems to be helping. I dry them in the dryer for 10-15 minutes, then hang them. I'm also going to try baking soda as that's been recommended.

Came here to also say: don't use fabric conditioner use vinegar. Keeps the towels soft and absorbant (and no, they don't smell of vinegar)

I use white vinegar in the wash, half the recommended dose of detergent, tumble for half an hour, clothes horse indoors to finish.
I always double spin my clothes, so they get the spin with the wash, then another fifteen minutes fast spin after - taking out more of the hard water so less left on the towels to dry and leave scale behind.

They're not fluffy soft, but not rough.

Absolutely no fabric conditioner on towels - it’s basically fragranced grease which stops absorbancy. Wash and then condition with white vinegar.

Never use fabric softener on towels and tumble dry them not line dry.

You can get balls you put in the tumble dryer that are supposed to help, they sell them everywhere for a couple of pounds (just search for tumble dryer balls) or you can just use clean tennis balls if you have any around.
They are noisy though and I've never needed them.

I have never used fabric softener as it makes the pile lie down which makes them less absorbent and less fluffy and my towels are soft.

I half dry then on the line or an airer, but put them in the tumble dryer when still all damp.
If they feel dry they never seem to soften up as much.

I don't get the no fabric conditioner thing I have to say. I buy cheapsih towels, wash with plenty of FC, tumble dry and they are always perfectly soft, and absorbent.

Same here

I have always had a washer dryer for reasons of space. It’s fine. Fabric conditioner on towels is fine. My water is very hard so I use anti limescale gel along with the detergent. That really helps.
A short tumble before or after line drying also helps, but mostly I don’t bother; the towels soften up quickly enough.

Not in my experience it doesn't. Fabric conditioner works far better than anything else.

Sometimes a quick steam
with the iron if you’ve got time.

I like M&S towels best of all.
my oldest surviving set are about 40 years old now, a bit thin compared to the newer ones but still fit for purpose.
I wash mine at 60 with no fabric conditioner, ideally tumble dry in a "proper" old school tumble drier for soft and fluffy. It may be your drier causing the issue here.

When I used cloth nappies I preferred to line dry but it made them a bit stiff. I used to do a 10 minute tumble before putting them on the line and they were really fluffy. I didn’t use fabric conditioner because of potential of irritating skin etc as well as potential absorbency issues