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Any way to avoid "crunchy" towels when line drying?

post #1 of 14
6/26/10 at 12:24am
Thread Starter 
I LOVE hanging our clothes out to dry during the summer, but the towels are SO hard and crunchy when I bring them off the line. Is there any way to avoid this?

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post #2 of 14
6/26/10 at 12:59am
vinegar in the rinse to get the soap out?
post #3 of 14
6/26/10 at 1:34am
do you have access to a dryer? I would put mine in the dryer for maybe 10 minutes on air only (no heat) with some dryer balls (their a silicone ball with little knubs all over them) definately helped with softening the towels up and I figured it didnt use as much electricity as drying a load from start to finish.
post #4 of 14
6/26/10 at 10:28pm
I dry them in the dryer for 10 minutes before hanging them on the line. Well, technically, I toss the load from the washer into the dryer and press start. Then, I start the next load (water, detergent, baking soda and/or vinegar, clothes). If it is the first load, then I also walk outside and pull out the retractable line. Then, I grab the load from the dryer and go hang it up outside. Most often, it is under 10 minutes.

Anyway, shaking also helps soften line-dried laundry....before and after hanging. After is especially important to remove any critters...

Using less detergent and adding vinegar to the rinse cycle (my washer has a holding spot) also help.
post #5 of 14
6/26/10 at 11:18pm
I'm almost positive you don't want to hear that ironing them once dry pretty much solves the problem.
post #6 of 14
6/26/10 at 11:25pm
I just bought a couple of pima cotton towels, and they don't seem to have that problem. Part of it is just the material. Terry cloth gets so starchy!
post #7 of 14
6/26/10 at 11:25pm
I give mine a good shake before and after, and only leave them up long enough to get dry. It seems that the longer they hang, the stiffer they get.
post #8 of 14
6/27/10 at 1:29am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bea View Post
I'm almost positive you don't want to hear that ironing them once dry pretty much solves the problem.
post #9 of 14
6/27/10 at 1:30am
Thread Starter 
I'm going to try vinegar. And maybe getting some pima cotton towels too- we only have about 2 nice towels and could use 2 more good ones.
post #10 of 14
6/27/10 at 11:14pm
We don't own a dryer and after two and a half years the only thing I've found that really makes line dried towels not so crunchy is Downy liquid fabric softener (April Fresh specifically). I know, I know! Not at all natural. And yes, they are still crazy absorbent. I don't know if the fabric softener + towels = non-absorbent is an urban legend or maybe it's liquid softener + driers that's a bad combo, but anyhoo it works.

I wish the "natural" softeners worked as well, but IME they just don't. I've tried Ecover's liquid softener and it was pretty terrible. I'm currently trying Vaska's version and it's definitely better than Ecover but not as good as Downy. Also Vaska has a funky consistency to it and I think it would gunk up my machine if I used it too much (Downy is not at all gummy and has never gunked up my machine). I'd like to try 7th Generation softener. Has anyone here tried it and like it?

Also new towels stay nice and soft for a good while with or without Downy, but definitely better with it, it even helps old crispy crunchy towels
Something about that darn animal tallow that natural softeners just can't replicate.
post #11 of 14
6/27/10 at 11:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by laurabfig View Post
I'm going to try vinegar. And maybe getting some pima cotton towels too- we only have about 2 nice towels and could use 2 more good ones.
The pima aren't perfect, but IME they're a lot better. Maybe get one that you can display in the guest bathroom and see what you think of it after vinegar treatment and line drying. I found these towels at about $10 each, so definitely sample one before you make a $50-100 commitment!
post #12 of 14
6/30/10 at 11:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bea View Post
I'm almost positive you don't want to hear that ironing them once dry pretty much solves the problem.
I...ron? What is this "iron" you speak of?
post #13 of 14
6/30/10 at 11:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bea View Post
I'm almost positive you don't want to hear that ironing them once dry pretty much solves the problem.
How did you figure this out? Please say you don't really iron your towels!!
post #14 of 14
7/1/10 at 11:14am
How much vinegar would you put in the softener spot in the washer?
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Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Natural Family Living › The Mindful Home › Any way to avoid "crunchy" towels when line drying?