If your towels come out of the wash feeling like… sandpaper, you’re not alone.
People think it’s “bad towels” or “bad detergent”. But usually it’s not.

Most towels feel hard for one reason: they are not actually clean inside the fibers. They are coated. With detergent. With minerals. With leftovers from softeners. With too much “help”.

Let’s make it simple.

The 5 Most Common Reasons Towels Get Hard

1) Too much detergent (the biggest one)

This is the classic mistake. More detergent = more “clean”, right?
No. With towels it’s the opposite.

Towels are thick. They hold product easily. And when you overdose detergent, it doesn’t rinse out fully. It stays inside. After a few washes, your towels become stiff and less absorbent.

Signs this is your problem:

• towels smell “clean” but feel waxy
• they stop absorbing water properly
• they feel worse over time

Fix:
Use less detergent than the bottle says.

This is one reason I prefer laundry detergent sheets for everyday loads. They are pre-measured, so you don’t accidentally pour too much. They dissolve in seconds and don’t leave heavy residue in thick fabrics like towels.

2) Fabric softener (it makes towels worse)

Fabric softener gives that “soft touch” moment… but it coats the towel fibers.
And towels need open fibers to absorb water.

Softener makes towels:

• less absorbent
• more smelly over time
• weirdly stiff after drying

Fix:
Stop using softener on towels. If you want softness, let’s fix the real problem instead of masking it.

3) Hard water minerals (very common and very underestimated)

This is where many people don’t look.

Hard water leaves mineral buildup (calcium and magnesium) inside the towel fibers. Over time this creates stiffness, greying, reduced absorbency and faster fabric damage.

Now here’s something important.

I actually analyze detergent ingredient lists quite often (yes, I’m that person…). And not all detergents are equal when it comes to hard water.

Some formulas include water softeners (also called builders or chelants) like:

• MGDA
• Citrates

These ingredients bind hardness minerals (Ca/Mg) so they don’t deposit inside fabrics and inside your machine.

For example, White Hack detergent sheets contain MGDA and citrates. That means they help control hardness ions and reduce mineral buildup during washing. This doesn’t magically eliminate limescale in very hard water areas — but it helps reduce deposits and makes surfactants work more effectively.

If you’re not using sheets, you can look for detergents that list:

• MGDA
• Citrates
• Other chelating agents/builders

These are especially helpful if you live in a hard-water area.

So water softness matters more than most people realize.

4) Too hot drying / overdrying

High heat + overdrying makes towel fibers brittle.
This is extra true for towels that already have detergent/mineral buildup.

Fix:

• Dry on medium, not hottest
• Don’t bake them “just in case”
• Take them out when dry, not crispy

5) Washing towels with the wrong items

If you wash towels with:

• microfiber cloths
• sportswear
• items with zippers

You create friction and damage. Towels are heavy cotton. They like similar company.

The “Towel Reset” Routine (My Go-To Fix)

If your towels are already stiff, do this once. It’s like rebooting them.

Step 1: Hot wash to break down buildup

• Put towels in washer
• Add 1 cup white vinegar to the drum
• Add one White Hack laundry sheet directly into the drum
• Run a hot wash (40–60°C / 104–140°F)

Vinegar helps dissolve mineral buildup.
The detergent sheet helps break down old detergent residue without overdosing again. I prefer using a sheet here because it dissolves quickly and rinses clean — no thick liquid sitting in the fibers.

If you’re using another detergent, just make sure it includes water-softening ingredients like MGDA or citrates. That helps especially if you have hard water.

Step 2: Second wash — light and controlled

• Run another cycle
• Use a small amount of detergent only (or one detergent sheet)
• Warm wash again

The goal is balanced cleaning — not flooding the towels again.

Then dry normally (medium heat).

(If your washer is small, do fewer towels. Movement = better rinsing.)

Does This Prevent Limescale Completely?

Let’s be realistic.

Detergents that contain MGDA or citrates help reduce hardness effects and prevent deposits — but they do not guarantee zero limescale in very hard water areas.

If you already have heavy scale in your machine, that’s a separate issue. That needs acidic descaling products.

But for everyday maintenance, using a detergent with proper water-softening ingredients makes a noticeable difference over time.

How to Keep Towels Soft Long-Term

Use correct detergent amount

Not more. Not “just in case.” If you often find yourself guessing how much liquid to pour, pre-measured formats like laundry sheets can make this easier.

Choose detergents with water-softening ingredients

Look for MGDA or citrates. Some detergent sheets (like White Hack) include these builders, which helps support softness in the long run — especially for towels and whites.

Skip fabric softener. Always

Wash warm (40–60°C depending on use)

Do reset wash every 1–2 months

Especially for white towels.

If you have very hard water and your towels still go grey, sometimes adding an occasional oxygen bleach booster for whites helps maintain brightness.

Final Thought

Hard towels are usually not old towels.
They are overloaded towels.

When you simplify the routine, control dosage, and support your water quality, towels become soft again and absorb like they should.

Sometimes the smartest laundry hack is not adding more — it’s understanding what’s happening inside the fiber.