Towel Care?

My wife moans that our towels dry like cardboard and feel like sand paper when you use them. Not sure if its due to our hard water or its how they're cleaned

Anyone have any tips to keep towels soft and like new?

Some people say dont use softener as you lose the absorbancy, some say dont iron them, some say only dry them outside, other say the opposite to all three.

[Russ]

Once they're washed, how do you dry them? I find leaving them dry through heat (on a radiator etc) makes them quite stiff and rough. Never seems to happen when they dry out on the line.....

[aliferste]

OOOOhhhhhh, I like a rough towel......leaves you feeling all tingly

Anyway, I think using good softner and hanging them outside makes them soft !!

Originally Posted by aliferste

OOOOhhhhhh, I like a rough towel......leaves you feeling all tingly

hmmm im not asking!!!


yes Russ, Drying outside seems to make them better. But still hard

[swoop101]

When washing only use a very small amount of detergent (they are not realy dirty - you just want to refresh them) and do not let them dry for too long.
Softener just makes them water resistant (not too good for drying off with then)

Try this with one towel first, see if that is better.

Originally Posted by swoop101

When washing only use a very small amount of detergent (they are not realy dirty - you just want to refresh them) and do not let them dry for too long.
Softener just makes them water resistant (not too good for drying off with then)

Try this with one towel first, see if that is better.

what do you mean by dont let them dry too long? Are you refering to a drier?

[Silent Wings]

the only way to keep them soft and fluffy is to tumble dry them

[zoombini]

Hmm, I'd have thought that once they were dry, they were dry.
Annd thus any further time "drying" is just a case of them being left out..

Why is this a fella's thread? wheres the wimmin with thier expert advice?

[Russ]

Well Silent Wings has turned up so that's a good sign

[Silent Wings]

Originally Posted by Russ D

Well Silent Wings has turned up so that's a good sign

Well, even on a lovely day, like today the towels would still go in the drier

[swoop101]

When I say 'not too long' I mean bring them in as soon as they are dry to the touch. I find that if I leave them out after this they start to bake and become hard and crusty.

edit: @ silent wings - oohh you electric waster you

[Silent Wings]

It also depends on the quality of the towels............cheap ones will never fluff up and feel soft..............egyptian cotton are the nicest

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Silent Wings

It also depends on the quality of the towels............cheap ones will never fluff up and feel soft..............egyptian cotton are the nicest

Isn't it great having women around to be able to get such advice without being told "well if you did a bit more washing, you'd know for yourself" etc....

[Silent Wings]

Originally Posted by Russ D

Isn't it great having women around to be able to get such advice without being told "well if you did a bit more washing, you'd know for yourself" etc....

You want to live in my household Russ..........they are all trained to cook and wash AND iron.................:pp

[Russ]

Well me too but when my mother calls, I never do enough apparently...