Washed towels in the sun and now like sandpaper.

I too like a rough towel but mine always come out soft, maybe because I use fabric conditioner?
I don't own a tumble dryer either,.... so maybe I need to ditch the fabric softener

Stick them in your dryer for 10minswith a tumble dryer sheet. Why vinegar? Never heard of that apart to run an empty cycle through machine. My towels are always fine line dried.

I use very little liquid detergent for washing towels maybe a teaspoon. They tend to hold the soap so I do an extra rinse cycle HTH

Iam64

I agree, a brief spin in the drier solves the problem. I do mine ten mins they then dry soft

Me too, if they get too bad

Love crispy towels!

I hope some of the answers help in the quest for a softer towel. I can understand why you need them.
I also prefer a hard towel. They seem much more efficient.
I have to sneak a hard towel into my case when we stay with lovely friends. Their luxurious bath sheets are so soft, fluffy and heavy it's like having to dry yourself with a rug. I'm exhausted when I've finished in the bathroom!

This reminded me of the towelling nappies we used, no alternative being available. Poor babies! I’ve since found out that a hot steam iron softens towels if you can be bothered and no tumble dryer is available

My towels line-dry, not soft, but OK. But face flannels! Even after ironing they're like cardboard.

I got so fed up of towels drying like sandpaper. I tried all the google remedies- none worked! I asked at a posh hotel - and their solution- tumble drying them. I saved and bought a condenser tumble dryer and I line dry them till damp then tumble them. Softer towels!

Love rough towels 😂

I normally tumble dry my towels too, but I mainly use small ones which dry much more quickly. If I've had a bath or a shower I use a towelling dressing gown and wash it less often than the towels.
I do have a couple of bath sheets but would much rather use a smaller towel to dry myself off - I keep a pile of them folded in the bathroom so there is always a dry one waiting.
I've always understood that it is the calcium from hard water which gets into the fabric of towels and eventually makes them rougher, presumably that is why vinegar is often recommended? Others use washing soda which has a similar action. We have a water softener so don't have this problem.

Soak towels in a Calgon solution to remove detergent, then wash without detergent. When nearly dry, finish off in tumble dryer for approx 15 mins.

I pop mine in the tumble dryer for 10 minutes when I take them off the line. Works for me.

Vinegar in a washing machine.?
No thank you.

I much prefer a fragrant conditioner.
If you wash on a 60c they will not be slimy.
Well, mine aren’t anyway.

While the pollen count is high my hayfever forces me to dry towels indoors with a
short spell in the tumble dryer to keep them fluffy.

TheSunRisesInTheEast

Iron the towels with a hot iron, that will help to soften them 🙂.

Personally, I like a towel like sandpaper, it's good for exfoliating the skin 😂.

Me too.

A tip I received from an auntie years ago is to give them a right good shake before putting them on the line. Separates the fibres, less cardboardy outcome. I do this but must admit I like to put in dryer whilst still slightly damp for a short tumble.

I never use fabric softener with towels as it makes them more difficult to use to dry with. Always use tumbler dryer to dry them to stop them getting hard.

Good afternoon ladies, I put my towels on the line to dry( hopefully assisted by a stiff breeze) Whilst they are still damp I put them in the tumble dryer with 2 minky balls ( look like spiky tennis balls) for approximately 20 minutes resulting in soft towels . The heater is only on for 10 minutes ,low setting, then switches itself off for the remaining 10 minutes .
Minky balls available from Boyes, B and M or any hardware store and supermarket


Never use fabric softener or vinegar

tumble dry them when almost dry and spray with diluted fabric conditioner, or they will always be like sandpaper

Like other GNs here, I'd put "stiff" towels to finish off in the tumble dryer for a few minutes. IMO this can really make a difference and it's much less use of the dryer.

My brother in law told his wife to throw all their towels out and buy new ones because they had become too rough .
I told her to tumble dry them for ten minutes and they would be fine . He thought she had bought new towels 😂.

I love a scratchy towel

Tumble drier for me

I’m with Dylis just give them a rub, if you can ‘crack’ them when they are wet….a really good shake/flap, that helps too.