to think fabric softener is a waste of money?

[k2p2k2tog]

Know MN loves a laundry thread....

We don't use separate fabric softener or fabric conditioner in the washing machine. My clothes don't seem to be crusty or stinky washed with normal powder or the capsules and nothing else. No complaints from the other people who live in this house. Also the marketing of those "unstoppables" things - who on earth would want to walk around smelling of washing powder or fabric conditioner? Isn't that what body spray and perfume is for? And those products to get bacteria out of clothes - totally pointless for a normal wash.

All those plastic bottles of fabric conditioner.

Stopped using it a while back as my skin didn't like it. My clothes don't feel any different.

Using fabric softner is vulgar

Zoflora in the fabric conditioner bit can help with smells. Dettol laundry liquid does the same job too

I always use it, and a particular one, because then if I have clothes in the cupboard or linen in the airing cupboard for some months, it comes out smelling just s nice as when it was put away.

I used to,use it until a relation who owns a hotel told me it made towels less absorbent so I stopped using it for towels and sheets but carried on using it for other things. Then I realised how slimy and grimy it made the washing machine dispenser and stopped using it all together. That was 20 years ago. My clothes smell of Persil which I like and tumble drying keeps them soft and bouncy. During the summer I line dry sheets and towels which do then get a bit harder but I like that -it's bracing!

I don’t use it either - most contain animal fat. Yum.

I recently bought some dresses from ebay. Opening the packages made me feel sick because of the strength of the fake floral smell. Why the fuck do people want to smell like that?! I had to wash them twice to get the stink off them.

I love a bit of fabric softener. Softer clothes that smell great. It's not an overpowering smell. I don't think anyone's walking around reeking of Lenor?

I think those hideously overpriced washing capsule things have softener added in so no need to use a separate one in the drawer.

I use white vinegar and a few drops of my favourite essential oils. Dirt cheap and my clothes smell like peppermint (my ultimate favourite smell)

I use it and the unstoppables. I love smelling so strongly of fabric softener I can be smelt after leaving a room.

I used to be allergic to something in it, but none of them use that chemical anymore, so I go for it. I felt cheated all those years without it.

I find in a hard water area clothes are less wrinkly if i use it.

I don't use it - makes towels less absorbent, and I think they feel weirdly "greasy" if they've been fabric-softener.

Also the smell! I bought a top off ebay that had been washed with fabric softener, and it took ages (and a number of washes) for this awful artificial floral smell to finally dissipate.

It just seems like such a waste of money, to make the clothes and towels less nice, and it isn't good for the washing machine, either.

"Vulgar"? That's hilarious. Thanks Hyacinth

It depends on your water hardness. Clothes in my area come out of the machine like a brick without softener. You're lucky if you don't need it

I love fabric conditioner but if you are standing next to someone and they smell very strongly of it they are using way too much. It can be a bit like inhaling their perfume.

I don't use it on towels-I prefer them a bit crispier.

I use half a capful of Unstoppables in my Dyson as a deodoriser - house smells lovely after I've hoovered. I couldn't cope with a smell that strong on my clothes though.

Have a read of clothing labels et al.
The majority of them say no fabric conditioner.

It wrecks towels.

It destroys the sweat wicking ability of gym kit.

I dont get why it exists

Re; the Lennor they used to do a tea-tree one, I would go to work and people would say I smelt really nice, whay was it? My DH went to work last week, he works in a garage, one of the "office" ladies, said how lovelly he smelt, what was he "wearing" only comfort intense!!

Using fabric softner is vulgar Creambun

I think fabric conditioners smell like petrol, can't bear it, and vinegar smells like vinegar - often hotel towels smell of that.

Proper airing of things after washing is enough for me.

You mustn't use Fabric Conditioner on football strips. It peels the transfers off.

It contains ANIMAL FAT? Seriously?!!

EdwinaMarlow I'm in a very hard water area, and still really dislike the effect of fabric conditioner on my clothes!

(I use BioD washing powder, but not much of it, and it gets the clothes clean without making them stink of washing powder. I think that if your clothes smell of either the washing powder or the fabric conditioner, if you are using conditioner at all, then you are probably using too much in the drum.)

Never use it, I don't think it's necessary and it leaves slime in the dispenser drawer. In a hard water area but I do use water softener tablets in the machine, maybe that's why I don't have the cardboard clothes problem?

Some soaps contain animal fat don't they?

I started using it as woolie clothing become a static nightmare if washed without. if that hadn't bee a problem i probabaly wouldn't have bothered. it was recommended for my baby clothes though to make them soft so i suppose i'm keeping with it for a while.

This is interesting, I use it but not on towels. I have very hard water here, what else could I use to stop clothes becoming crispy?