Hard towels!

Floor flock still laughing, mine are the same.

If you have never used soda crystals in your machine, perhaps you could do a boil wash with about 1/2 cup soda crystals. That will solve the bits of scale, then you can use 1tbsp per wash and it should keep hunky-dory.

I've heard that you're meant to shake them so that they 'snap' before you hang them out. I've not tried it so can't say if it works. Otherwise praise its exfoliating qualities.

I use a descaler tab (like Calgon but stores own brand as those are far too expensive!) in my washing machine. Does the soda crystals do the same thing then, that would be even cheaper to use, wouldn’t it.

One way of softening them a bit is to shake them like mad when you get them off the line. They're not quite as board like.

Or just hang them out when it's really really windy!

Having said that, I wouldn't dream of hanging anything out without the flap-snap flick of the wrist, be it a sock or a sheet.

Towels, however, I do tumble dry, but with time, they fray at the edges - Any tips on how to reduce this? (We have PV panels on the roof and I practically only ever use the tumble dryer during the day, when the batteries are full of free electricity.)

Oh - and I've just remembered my mother's trick: Hang 2 towels together or fold them in two and hang them by the 2 hems on the shorter sides. They can rub together in the wind and soften up like that.

I am a fan of hard towels. The big, heavy extra fluffy ones are a pain and not very absorbent. I don't like fabric softener either. I find the smell of most on dry towels and clothes very sickly.

Another fan of hard towels. Dislike big fluffy ones, which don't dry as efficiently. Hard towels are good at exfoliation, too, as someone said ^ thread.

Never use conditioner. Awful stuff.

I love scratchy, hard towels, they dry much better. Even in winter I prefer to dry them on a clotheshorse rather than the tumble dryer!

I've just brought my towels in from the line, after using white vinegar, shaking the towels before hanging them loosely on the line, all as advised by you wise GNs. Guess what, I have lovely air dried towels, just soft enough. Many thanks everyone.

Plenty of advice here-DH and I don't mind the towels as they are, or at least he's never commented.
Will try vinegar and hanging out two towels together and then ironing them. . . .

I have a tumble drier but I so love a hard towel it exfoliates you at the same time .

Thanks for your useful post Newquay. I too have towels like boards and can only justify using the dryer when weather very wet. I have picked up some really good tips here, and will definitely try the vinegar, perhaps adding some essential oil. I really dislike that fabric conditioner appears to contain a cocktail of chemicals that stay in the atmosphere for us to inhale even when laundry is dry.

I bought these for my dogs

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I8TUQ9K?tag=gransnetforum-21

They are very absorbent and dry very quickly! I've yet to try one for myself but am wondering if they make for a good hair towel.?

I’m obviously having a granmoment here. Would someone please remind me how to reply to a post so that the name appears in bold in my comment? Thank you.

Typing asterisks at the start and beginning of the name bolds it, Nanny27.

Thank you so much maggiemaybe. I consider myself rescued.

Save yourself a fortune and do the environment some good. I was converted to soda crystals and white vinegar some time ago and have never looked back. Plenty of websites extolling the virtues of soda crystals, vinegar, bicarbonate of soda etc for all our cleaning needs.
No more clogged machines or mystery skin rashes and everything clean and soft.

joemaxster2018
I'm glad you mentioned soda crystals as I bought some in a tub recently but have forgotten to use them!

You're welcome, Nanny27. Though looking at what I've typed you did well to translate it! I meant, of course, an asterisk at the start and one at the end.

I’m another who likes a good rub down with a hard towel. I don’t like thick towels either. I keep all the nice thick fluffy ones for visitors. DH has to put up with whatever I give him!

Iron them.

I don't have a tumble dryer and do use conditioner (my grandson always comments on the smell of his clothes that are washed by me!). I don't use any special kind but friends that come to visit from the middle of England always comment on my soft towels. I suspect it may have something to do with the soft water up here in the North of Scotland. I always iron my towels as they store better in the cupboard. The only "flat" towels I have are from IKEA which I bought after reading a report on how absorbent they are (it might have been on here) and I have distributed some to the family for when they are going swimming.