"Don't ask; don't tell."

They'll never know the difference!

No one with notice. Most clothes, just need a good
rinse, to come clean.

You just may want to pour a bit of vinegar and do another rinse. To much fabric softener can built up, and make towels not absorb water well.

Moni

I would go with what you have done. Who's the wiser?
Ever forgot to put in detergent at all? I have! I dare someone to complain.....

Trin

Why not just wash them again? They are still dirty, right? Maybe it's just my towels... but don't they lay around kind of damp and get kind of musty?

I'd feel like they were dirty no matter how they looked or smelled. There are better ways to cut back on utility bills IMHO. And, I second adding some vinegar to get out the fabric softner.

Moni is right about the fabric softener. It can reduce water absorption. I stopped using fabric softener a few years back and didn't notice a difference. I happened to run out while doing laundry and didn't want to make a trip to the store and I've never gone back to using it.

You put the fabric softener in the wash cycle. So it will rinse with clean water anyways. And how dirty can a towel get that you really need to use soap anyways? KWIM? I'm sure they'll rinse well in the rinse cycle and they'll dry just fine.

Silence can never be repeated.......I'd let it go.

Well, I'd wash that load TWICE more, using my regular detergent--and probably give it an extra rinse just to be on the safe side.

I've got major allergies to fabric softener, and wouldn't want to run the risk those clothes would pose.

Anyone in your realm allergic to softener? That could make all the difference in how you handle this.

I would wash them again.

I never use fabric softener on towels. I want them as absorbent as possible.

You are lucky you did this to towels. It can be difficult to remove fabric softener spots from some clothing, I know.

Just don't do it again

A terrible thing? Not at all. But I'd run them thru with soap just to be sure it's all out and they'll get absorbant again after that. A vinegar rinse wouldn't hurt, either.

I think we've all done stuff like that before. I hate that it's getting hard to see that one is detergent and the other is softener, they don't make it easy anymore to tell apart. Same with shampoo and conditioner, you really have to look.

I'd probably start over and get the softener out of the towels. I don't use softener, ever. I get nice fluffy towels by putting a little Calgon water softener in the rinse to get ALL the detergent out. Never did understand adding a 'slicker' (or a scent) to the wash. I just want towels that are absorbent and smell...clean.

Don't like room 'fresheners' or candles or any of that stuff either.

I know you are trying to save on your utility bills but I would wash again, with some vinegar in the rinse....

but use COLD water this time.. that will help save a little! lol

Shoot...no harm done!!!

Think a minute...this is the family stuff...we share stuff all the time, eat after one another...wifey/husband stuff....I wouldn't give it another thought!
No one knows about it just you and us!! And we won't tell.

Deb :o))

Well I've mistakenly washed a load of towels without any soap powder at all and believe it or not the water was still soapy. I'd say go ahead and dry them. What germs the water didn't kill the dryer will.

I'd rewash and forget about it. Hey if that is the dumbest thing you've ever done, you're pretty dang smart! You wanna hear some stories about truly DUMB things????

BTW, be careful about endorsing "cold" washes. Most laundry folks recommend "cold" as being from 70° to 90°. I just checked my water temperature and my cold water now is about 40°. That's not good for washing much of anything effectively. Next load I can, I'm going to check what "warm" actually is in the washer. Since it's in the basement and the tub is (room temperature) "cold", it'll cool the water some anyway so a "warm" setting probably is what is recommended for "cold". I'm thinking about rigging up something to make a warmer rinse water available. When I notice something isn't rinsed well, I usually do a warm cycle as a rinse.

Flamey, I was just thinking how I get shampoo and hair conditioner confused. Because of this, I now have 3 bottles of conditioner and one of shampoo. And all 3 conditioners are different..one for shiney, one for curly, one for straight. LOL

Back to the post, I can't decide if I'd rewash or not, but I wouldn't tell on myself until years later. tee hee

I would not rewash them. Last year I did a load of laundry and forgot to add any detergent. No problem, everything was clean. I never use fabric softener, I use white vinegar.

I would wash again too - who knows WHERE those towels have been??

I will add that the Laundry detergent aisle - along with most others - has become SOOOO complicated! It is easier to go to a small store than deal with all the choices available. A very understandable mistake.

You sterility addicts that must wash clothing and towels after one use can sleep soundly if you don't rewash.

There'll be little dirt/few germs to worry about ... and likely you'll see foamy on the surface of the wash water due to soapy residue left from earlier washings.

ole joyful

Detergent leaves a residual amount, too, I think - especially if one uses anywhere near as much as they recommend.

Unless the stuff is dirtier than usual for most folks, likely a run through plain water would do a good job.

Like with hair - two rinses're better'n one!

ole joyful