Hard towels

I invested in a water softener when I relocated to a ‘hard’ water area!

All my towels go hard, much more quickly than they used to. Nothing helps, and I don’t want to waste money, and the environment, tumble drying. I have tried vinegar, soda crystals, and hot washing without detergent. I am not in a hard water area and use very little detergent normally.

Think it's time I take towels to daughter to use her tumble dryer!

midgey "I love winter."
People used to think that leaving washed towels/nappies out on the line on a frosty night made them very soft.
I wonder if the quality of the cotton used these days is inferior?

A water softener or tumble drier the only really effective options.

My husband hated hard towels. Last winter as he came out of the shower he said...’ I bloody love winter.’! Nice soft towels from the tumbler ?

I prefer towels to be rough. They are better for drying me and act as a good exfoliator.

I love a hard rough towel ! I'm mean with washing powder only use less than half the advised dose but sometimes add a glug of vinegar as a luxury !
I've got increasing red veins on my mean face - too much rough !

Do NOT use fabric conditioner, this will actually end up making towels rougher. There are lots of supermarket own (much cheaper, but just as good), alternatives to Calgon.

Same problem here. I don't find white vinegar helps with softening, though it does get rid of the black deposits in the machine that you get with fabric conditioner.

Tumble drier is the key

Dee1012

I use distilled white vinegar...about half a mug every few weeks. It really seems to help.

Does it make everything smell like a chip shop though?

I think towels dry you far better if they're 'rough' from being dried outside and provide exfoliation at the same time!

I use distilled white vinegar...about half a mug every few weeks. It really seems to help.

I expect hotels tumble dry their towels. Mine are hard and stiff, even the newer ones. I use Sainsbury's own version of Calgon, which may help my w/machine but the towels are no different.

Sounds as if we all have the same problem. Wonder what hotels do.

Hello all, I too have this problem, bit like being rubbed down with sandpaper ??Used to always keep a couple of newer(softer) towels for visitors but now we can’t have any I’ve just washed them as usual and now just as ‘crispy’ Come the time we can have visitors I’ll have to buy some new ones ?

Water described as "hard" is high in dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. Hard water is not a health risk, but a nuisance because of mineral buildup on fixtures and poor soap and/or detergent performance. A Calgon tablet in the washing machine will not only "soften" the water, it will prevent limescale accumulating on the washing machine. Unfortunately Calgon costs a fiver a box.

I don’t have a tumble drier either, my washing is always dried outdoors. Also in a hard water area.

Towels end up stiff and board like, but hey ho, we are used to it. Probably acts as a natural skin buffer!

You aren't supposed to use fabric conditioner on towels.
Mine are all crispy too due to fabric conditioner, so they are currently having a detox.
I think that adding bicarbonate soda is supposed to help too.

I live in a hard water area and have no problem with hard towels,unless i dry them outside,maybe you are putting too much soap powder in your wash.