Keeping towels soft

[Quillan]

[quote user="Cassis"]Right.  I'm going to get a super-duper tumble dryer which will give 'em a good whirl on a no heat setting.  Thanks for your views, everyone.
[/quote]

You might also consider one with a time delay. Ours delays for 3, 6 and 9 hours and we have simular for our dishwashers and washing machines. The reason for this is that you can, at the press of a button, delay till you get to night rate electricity which saves a few bob. It means you don't have to remember to start them manually at 10:00pm. Could be seen as being a bit 'green' if you know what I mean although I guess all it really does is save you money. We use this feature particularily for wet towels when its raining.

The other thing I forgot to mention is have a look around and when you find one you like get the model number and rty a search in google.fr We have saved loads of money this way plus some of the companies do free delivery and one even took our old washing machine away for 10 Euros.

[Cassis]

I'll see what I can find.  It'll save having yet another plug-in timer.  The washing machine - a Whirlpool, not a Maelstrom - has a time delay and it also acts as an alarm clock if someone forgets to close the laundry room and bedroom doors.

Jude just said she doesn't like me spending a lot of money on her for Xmas - she's perfectly capable of spending money on herself.

[Clair]

[quote user="Cassis"]Jude just said she doesn't like me spending a lot of money on her for Xmas - she's perfectly capable of spending money on herself.[/quote]

Then get yourself one!

You're the one who's finding the towels hard... Go on, treat yourself little Black Pudding![:P]

[Cassis]

But I want a lathe! [:(]

[Cerise]

Stop whinging little sausage you will enjoy a nice tumbledryer.  I hope that you won't have the same trouble as me, as our electricity, for reasons historic it seems, is on tri-phase and I am currently unable to run tumble dryer and washing machine at the same time without plunging entire village into darkness.  EDF don't care nd i am really fed up

Sorry Miki if I offended you - I'm sureyour footballing skills are still firstclass..  In fact if you tell me how to remove henna hairdye and temporary tattoos from bedlinen I will be your number one fan.  This year seems to have been a dire one for pillowcases with everyone using them as makeup removers etc.

[suein56]

[quote user="Cassis"]But I want a lathe! [:(]
[/quote]

Then get Jude to buy you one at Christmas - problem solved! [:D]

BTW thank you for your instructions, so kindly and gently explained in another thread, on how to make a link not only short but clickable. I would never have worked that out for myself.

Sue

 

[Cassis]

Cerise - try Vanish, the steeping version that comes in a tub, not the spot spray.  It has shifted everything we have tried it on including fake tan and boot polish.

Sue - I think I've more chance if I ask Santa for a lathe.  I'll do him a letter tonight.

[Miki]

[quote]

Sorry Miki if I offended you - I'm sureyour footballing skills are still firstclass..  In fact if you tell me how to remove henna hairdye and temporary tattoos from bedlinen I will be your number one fan.  This year seems to have been a dire one for pillowcases with everyone using them as makeup removers etc.

[/quote]

Sod it, I don't know the answer to that..........Still first class skills you say....that's funny, they weren't before [:)]

Next season will see all the pillows changed, first time for ages and if some are still  OK, they get used as reserves....The pillowcases get changed as and when etc. We had more problems with the S E X thingy, Tina has played with the idea of me putting up a [quote]No sex please, we're a British B&B [/quote] banner above the bed, maybe on the ceiling even [:)]

[Miki]

[quote user="Cassis"]I'll see what I can find.  It'll save having yet another plug-in timer.  The washing machine - a Whirlpool, not a Maelstrom - has a time delay and it also acts as an alarm clock if someone forgets to close the laundry room and bedroom doors

[/quote]

Most Maelstrom's have time delays but you never know when they are going to start.

[Jo Taylor]

I confess - Cerise, you are not alone - I iron towels! [:'(] However, I have an ulterior motive that involves a very special folding technique. I can then tell if they've been used or simply re-folded by tidy guests...

And Susan is not alone either, my favouite towels are the ones that have been washed to the end of their public life. Nice and scratchy, bracing, mmm!

Jo

[tenniswitch]

[quote user="Cerise"]

Stop whinging little sausage you will enjoy a nice tumbledryer.  I hope that you won't have the same trouble as me, as our electricity, for reasons historic it seems, is on tri-phase and I am currently unable to run tumble dryer and washing machine at the same time without plunging entire village into darkness.  EDF don't care nd i am really fed up

Sorry Miki if I offended you - I'm sureyour footballing skills are still firstclass..  In fact if you tell me how to remove henna hairdye and temporary tattoos from bedlinen I will be your number one fan.  This year seems to have been a dire one for pillowcases with everyone using them as makeup removers etc.

[/quote]

Don't know anything about henna (maybe peroxide?[:D]), but hairspray (of all things) acts as a solvent for a lot of "indelible" inks (the non-water-soluble ones).

[Russethouse]

Try a search of e-how, there is often an answer lurking there.

http://www.ehow.com/sublist_2487.html

[Cassis]

Thanks for another useful site, Gay.  I really must make reorganise all my bookmarks.

I could not find anything for 'How to persuade Jude that she should get out of bed first', though, which was disappointing.

[Russethouse]

A certain other French forum has a list of the things that WD40 will do - I suppose in extremis - you know, if the likelihood is that the item is heading for the bin, a squirt of WD40 may be worth a try.

Oil of eucalyptus is also a pretty good standby for stain removal.

[Cassis]

But will it keep my towels soft?

Jude's getting very excited at the thought of her new tumble dryer.  I treated her to some smelly sheets in Leclerc today.

[Snobunny]

I contacted Good Housekeeping about this problem - sad I know, can't

live without it.  Anyway, they told me that the problem is caused

by using too much soap powder.  On no account should you use

fabric conditioner as it makes the problem worse.  You should

occasionaly wash the towels with water softener added and you should

always line dry, but not in direct hot sunshine - which makes them go

like boards. Haven't tried the water softener thing but the other

advise has helped.

[Cassis]

Clair and all those who contributed:

Just to say thanks for the tumble drier tip - our towels are restored to full fluffiness. [:)]

[Clair]

A tumble dryer AND a laptop!!!

What a lucky sausage you are![:D]

[saddie]

Fabric conditioners can affect certain parts of some tumble driers - check the instruction book. Something todo with fancy electronics if I remember correctly.

 

[Cassis]

Steady on - only the laptop is mine.  Jude can have the tumbler.

Can't see anything in the manual about fabric conditioners.  My idea of installing it in an airless cupboard next to a radiator and fitting a gas hob on top has gone for a burton, though.

[Coco]

[quote user="Snobunny"]I contacted Good Housekeeping about this problem - sad I know, can't live without it.  Anyway, they told me that the problem is caused by using too much soap powder.  On no account should you use fabric conditioner as it makes the problem worse.  You should occasionaly wash the towels with water softener added and you should always line dry, but not in direct hot sunshine - which makes them go like boards. Haven't tried the water softener thing but the other advise has helped.
[/quote]

Well I followed all of those instructions (without realising it - apart from no fabric conditioner that is) for my first three years in B&B and the towels were getting harder and harder until we finally fixed up the tumble dryer that had been donated to us and it's restored everything to perfect fluffiness, so can't say that in our case I am particular impresse with Good Housekeeping's advice!

[tenniswitch]

[quote user="Coco"]

[quote user="Snobunny"]I contacted Good Housekeeping about this problem - sad I know, can't live without it.  Anyway, they told me that the problem is caused by using too much soap powder.  On no account should you use fabric conditioner as it makes the problem worse.  You should occasionaly wash the towels with water softener added and you should always line dry, but not in direct hot sunshine - which makes them go like boards. Haven't tried the water softener thing but the other advise has helped.
[/quote]

Well I followed all of those instructions (without realising it - apart from no fabric conditioner that is) for my first three years in B&B and the towels were getting harder and harder until we finally fixed up the tumble dryer that had been donated to us and it's restored everything to perfect fluffiness, so can't say that in our case I am particular impresse with Good Housekeeping's advice!

[/quote]

Tenniswitch's 1st Law of Soft, Fluffy Towels: Always use a tumble dryer.  (Line-dried towels will never be as soft and fluffy.)

Also, I've been using fabric softener's of various kinds in dryers from at least 4 different manufacturers over the past 40 years without any problems.  I have read that fabric softeners will make towels less absorbent, but have no complaints in that department.  Too much detergent, however, will tend to make fabrics a bit stiffer, and, paradoxically, less clean.