Towels

[Barbara]

I have towels that are less than a year old and are no longer soft - any tips on what I can do to repair. I use bounce dryer sheets.

 

[Chef Munky]

Try using vinegar in the rinse cycle.

 

[Alix]

Switch to liquid fabric softener (bounce sheets are a fire hazard) or use dryer balls.

 

[Andy M.]

...or use dryer balls.

It's better left unsaid!

 

[babetoo]

Try using vinegar in the rinse cycle.

ditto, you have soap build up

 

[Barbara]

thanks to all of you for your tips, love the "dryer balls" one.

for my California friends I'm in the desert and wonder if it's the hard water?

 

[Alix]

Barbara, we have some of the hardest water in the world. Thats not it I don't think. Seriously, dryer balls from the dollar store work like magic. (insert own joke here!)

 

[MostlyWater]

i'm also hard on towels. I asume it's the water. did you buy a good brand ?

 

[CookLikeJulia]

Try using vinegar in the rinse cycle.

Yes, I know using vinegar for old towels. It will strip build up from the towels, and it also help eliminate odor.

 

[blissful]

I'm going to say detergent build up. I noticed some 10 years ago, I think, when i stopped using detergent, and started using homemade laundry soap, I could wash the towels and clothes and get 'soapy water' in the washer without even using detergent. Watch your spin rinse cycle. It was because the detergent was building up and and using too much and I have hard water. Now, and then, I softened my water, so that wasn't the problem.
Now I use homemade laundry detergent and my poly/cotton towels are nice and soft and my 100% cotton towels are soft and I use no fabric softener.
I think the same thing can happen with soap building up, I say this because I have a washcloth in the shower and I get it all lathered up with homemade soap and if I don't rinse it really good, it will get very stiff and there is soap lather left in it when I wet it down and take a look.