Fluffy towels

13 replies

delphinedownunder · 17/12/2009 02:07

i bet that this has been done before, but here goes ...

i have just bought some lovely new towels. How can I keep them lovely and soft and prevent them turning into sheets of corrugated iron? Any tips? And is there a way i can restore some of my older towels?

OP posts:

LowLevelBahHumbug · 17/12/2009 02:14

the radiator is your enemy, the dryer is your friend (sorry mother earth)

LowLevelBahHumbug · 17/12/2009 02:15

just realised, you're probably not in the uk are you? so radiators might not be an issue?

whomovedmychocolate · 17/12/2009 06:23

Ironically fabric conditioner makes them fluffy but prevents them being effective for drying.

FaintlyMacabre · 17/12/2009 07:49

Soft, fluffy towels are awful. They just move the water around and don't get you properly dry. Towels should be rough and cardboardy! (Except possibly for newborns).

emsyj · 17/12/2009 10:03

Agree with FantlyMacabre I'm afraid - weetabix-textured towels all the way for me. We got a whole stack of gorgeous, hotel-like fluffy Pima towels from John Lewis (check them out, they are thick, luxurious and gorgeous to just stroke and touch) and they drive me mad, I've just put them away in a cupboard. They weigh a ton, take for ever to dry and absorb about as much water as a plastic sheet.
But yes, tumble drier is the key to keeping towels fluffy (sorry).

emsyj · 17/12/2009 10:03

Oh, and if you iron your old ones on a steam setting it softens them up a bit.

Original poster

delphinedownunder · 18/12/2009 01:00

Nope, radiators haven't been invented here. There is this misconception that as we live in the South Pacific it is forever warm and sunny - it is NOT and i spend winter huddled around a wood burner. However, tis summer at the moment and my towels are getting hard baked on the line and i like soft and fluffy. A friend muttered something about white vinegar - any thoughts?

OP posts:

bumpybecky · 18/12/2009 01:03

if you must line dry I think the thing is to get them in as soon as they're dry, not leave them there to cook!

natapillar · 18/12/2009 01:24

i find that on the radiators they end up like bits of card. if i put them in the dryer they usually stay nice and soft...but not for long. softener is good to use.

Kaloki · 18/12/2009 02:00

No solutions for people without dryers then?

Also, I have a certain set of towels which, for whatever reason, always leave bits of coloured fluff on you whenever you use them. Any ideas?

leeloo1 · 18/12/2009 09:40

Yes, definitely wash with white vinegar (and few drops of essential oil - lavender? - to make them smell nice) - its fabric conditioner for things that you want to be absorbent (nappies and towels).

I've just converted my mum to this after staying over with her and her towels were uber-fluffy but just moved water around rather than drying me. Grrrr.

If they're a bit hard then rub the sides of them together or give quick press with iron, but if they're new and good quality it shouldn't be an issue.

leeloo1 · 18/12/2009 09:42

Oh and Kaloki - I had a deep turquoise towel that did that, I found that giving it to Oxfam solved the problem! Failing that then maybe if you did tumble dry them it'd get rid of the extra fluff? I didn't have a td at the time so didn't/couldn't try.

Kaloki · 18/12/2009 12:37

Ah I have no tumble drier so looks like the towels are a lost cause

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