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.

I always use it as the clothes are less creased with it and I hate ironing.

I hate that slithery feeling on your hands when you touch something that has had fabric conditioner on it. Also it prevents towels from being as absorbent by depositing that horrible layer on them.

I use the anti bac laundry kit on teen ds's sports kit, it really helps with sweat and mud.

I use it. I like the smell of it.
As we don’t have a tumble drier and living in the damp NE Scotland, sometimes my washing will hang on driers for a few days and I find that without softener they don’t smell as fresh.
I definitely use less in the better weather as everything goes on the line and has a lovely outside fresh smell.

Very hard water here, clothes as stiff as a board without it.

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties
the smell is beyond vile that made me laugh SilverySurfer. I'm imagining you sniffing all the hundreds of softeners in the supermarket aisle and pronouncing them all Vile! grin

Hundreds? Really? You must go to a different supermarket. Still, I'm happy to provide you with something to laugh about.

(there is a fragrance free one if you ever want to reconsider or the Pure Cotton one basically smells of nothing)

No thanks, completely superfluous IMO.

I like the smell of washing powder and clean laundry - I don't like the smell of fabric conditioner, I've tried lots, but can't find one I like. Rarely use it now, and only for jumpers and things like that, which can go a bit stiff otherwise.

I use it in every wash, towels and all. It hasn't made my towels less absorbing at all, Never has. It softens and fragrances and I really like it. Some smell very strong, I agree. I don't buy those Ines and I don't put a full measure in. The water in our area is very hard.

I use fabric softener. Not for towels though as I've always been told not to and it stuck.

I use those unstoppables things for towels and bedding and I love them. I find some scents smell like toilet cleaner though. I like the 'Dreams' one best. I think it would be too much to use for clothes, and it would cost a fortune!

More here about when you shouldn't use fabric conditioner on certain items (including towels).

Silverysurfer vile would be if you added dog turd to the laundry or fresh vomit perhaps......... talk about completely overboard
Maybe you aren't keen on it but those of us that do use it are hardly vile!!!

I don't allow people who smell of laundry products into my house.
Same rule applies to plug-in air freshener scented individuals.
Harsh but neccessary.
Fortunately I don't have many acquintances who would ever use either.

That's harsh Wakemeup What are plug in scented individuals though?
Are you friends with SilverySurfer? You'd really get on. You both remind me of my aunt- so strongly opinionated and funny.

Never use it because I'm allergic to anything I've tried years ago. None of my clothes are rough, plus I find fabric conditioner way too perfumed

I don't use it as it ruins a lot of technical clothing (which is what DP and I wear for work) so I just don't bother with it all these days. One less thing to add to the shopping list!

It's just fabric conditioner(!)..use it, don't use it, like it or don't like it but some people could do with unclenching, I think!

I don’t use it. All the dc get eczema patches if I use it on their clothes or sheets. White vinegar if essential, and zoflora for very mucky stuff.

Lived in a soft water area, never used fabric conditioner.

Moved to a very hard water area and everything ended up like sandpaper without it, even after tumble drying, soused a tiny amount of unscented stuff on everything but towels, a bit more if line drying.

Back to a soft water area and only use it on certain line dried items. Tumble dried stuff comes out really soft without it.

The only thing that antibacterial laundry liquid is useful for is washing sports kit after Cross Country Friday

Not because I'm some kind of germphobe but because I can't wash the sports kit and trainers hot enough to get rid of the smell of fausty PE kit and trainers that look and smell like they've been running through pond slime.

I haven't used it for years. It just seems like an extra pollutant (plus the plastic bottles) and line drying clothes makes them all fresh and fluffy anyway.

I don't understand why it can smell quite pleasant in the bottle and absolutely disgusting after you use it. I keep some in case I accidentally felt something by using the wrong wash temp. However I prefer the unperfumed ones. It usually goes off before I get a quarter way down the bottle. Yes it can go off, and it is even nastier.

I use a lot of vinegar for household cleaning, laundry etc. and put it in the towels wash, however it doesn't really soften them, either a crap washing machine, crap laundry products or very likely due to having water that is so hard it is white when you run a bath.

In case anyone wonders, if you hot wash a wool item it will felt, sometimes it can be rescued by soaking in fabric conditioner. Not often though.

I use it because (I think!) it makes for easier or less ironing.
I use the unstoppables thing because drying laundry smells quite horrible and I'll take anything that helps with that.

I use it - very hard water area, and things are very stiff without it.