# Towels like sandpaper!



## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Anyone any idea why towels become like sandpaper over time? :surprise:I do not use fabric softener because it is supposed to reduce the absorbency. I do like to hot wash towels (and many other items).
Is it an age thing - the towels I mean?
Would a water softener like Calgon help? We do live in a hard water area.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Hot wash will do it every time Pat, we wash at 40c not sure about hard water, never had any, drying outside does mean they flap about a lot so less tendency to got stiff, and I do use a fabric softener.


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## delawaredandy (Oct 12, 2012)

All fabrics with continued washing will become harder/courser that's why we have fabric softners, but you are correct in not using it on towels as it does reduce the absorbency of the material this is especially the case with cottons, all fabric conditioners contain a certain amount of oil and while that may be nice to use on shirts/blouses trousers etc it no good at mopping up water :nerd:


M


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

You could stick them in a tumble drier for 5 minutes once they're dry or almost dry. That will loosen them up a bit.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

What happened to the scrap of papery stuff, you put in there, Bounce??? used to like that.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Ah found em

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bounce-Tumble-Dryer-Sheets-160/dp/B004HTY1MS

Apparantly Bounce is now Lenor https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenor-Tumble-Sheets-Summer-Breeze/dp/B004K1BMRU


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

I have a bit of a thing about warm washes and MRSA Kev. We didn't have all this trouble with superbugs in the "old days" when mother boiled everything up in the copper 


Don't have a tumble dryer  Perhaps when we change the house around, and move the kitchen, I will have room for one? If not I might get one anyway and put it in the garage.


My dad used to advocate rinsing everything in rainwater. Used to drive my mum nuts! He also insisted in soaking new underwear etc in rainwater!


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Our towels dry like that every time as they dry in about 30 minutes outside and come in like cardboard, 15 minutes in the cold tumble dryer makes them soft again, no fabric conditioner as it damages the fibres of towels....

Dave


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I wonder if we are related distantly.:wink2::wink2: I was always told by parents to soak new shirts and stuff or wash them before wearing.

cabby

does anyone use starch these days.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

cabby said:


> I wonder if we are related distantly.:wink2::wink2: I was always told by parents to soak new shirts and stuff or wash them before wearing.
> 
> cabby
> 
> does anyone use starch these days.


You should always wash anything which you put in your mouth, eat off or wear these things are stored in warehouses, and what do you find in any warehouse, rat crap, and their bladders are even worse, so the cloth which came from wherever to make your clothes etc could have been in more than one warehouse.

Just saying, enjoy your lunch >


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yep as Dave says towels dried in fresh air become very rough. But dried in the tumble drier they stay soft to my sensitive skin.

Ray.


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