Crunchy Towels

Skip the fabric softener on towels. It builds up and makes them not as absorbent. I wouldn't recommend it for any clothes at all personally.
First thing I would recommend is to wash them without any detergent etc in the wash and put white vinegar in. If you have a top loader put a cup right in, if you have a front loader put it in the fabric softener dispenser. Wash them in the hottest water you have.
If you see suds in the machine without having added detergent, wash them again until you get clear water. Then dry them. Get several tennis balls and throw them in the dryer. Do not use dryer sheets or anything else in the dryer.
From that point on wash them in hot water with at least half the detergent that is called for and white vinegar in the load and never use fabric softener or dryer sheets on them.

When you wash them, try adding vinegar in the rinse cycle.

http://www.ehow.com/how_###-###-####_make-towels-soft.html

They are crunchy because you are using too much detergent. Toss out the fabric softner, it builds up in the washer and eventuately ruins it, it also will build up on your dryer lint screen and can cause a dryer fire. Try rinsing your lint filter under water, if it fill up instead of drains it is clogged with fabic softner residue. Wash it wil hot soapy water until water passes through easily.

Add vinegar to your rinse water and that will get out detegent residue.

Vinegar
It is a natural fabric softener.
AND it does not accumulate or coat things over time, as commercial fabric softeners do.

I saw what B wrote just before I mentioned vinegar. Try what B is saying.

Good luck - hard water is a real pain!!

Dawn

Get rid of the fabric softener. It is really h*** o* the skin and those dryer sheets can be really bad, especially for people with skin or respiratory issues. I hope the vinegar does the trick for the towels. I use a lot of vinegar--for cleaning, disinfecting, etc. I am a hockey mom too and you might find it really useful in the future. (-:

Vinegar! Oh, and your soap might be contributing to the problem. I make my own using the Duggar's recipe. I just LOVE the stuff. Smells the best!

Ha! When I saw your nickname I thought -- just wait until your kids leave their towels inside their hockey bags. Then you'll really know what crunchy (and stinky) towels is!

YES to vinegar in the rinse -- and add a little baking soda in with them.

Have you ever heard of Charlie's Soap? It's the best laundry soap that I have ever used in my life. I buy it from amazon.com. You only use a tablespoon in each load and it makes laundry so soft and fresh!

I can't recommend it enough! I ran out of it and am using Seventh Generation laundry detergent right now and my towels have a sort of funk about them :) I am going to order more Charlie's as soon as I hit send on this message. Good grief, I sound like a paid advertisement. Cheesy!!!!! :)