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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think fabric softener is a waste of money?

228 replies

k2p2k2tog · 30/01/2018 09:10

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.

OP posts:
Chocolatesprinkledcrumpet · 30/01/2018 20:49

I just put zoflora in.

speakout · 30/01/2018 21:15

I don't use it, but have soft water here.
I also line dry all year around. I had 4 loads outside today, now wearing the pjs that have been blowing in the wind today, they smell amazing, so fresh , a lovely outdoor smell.

DotCottonDotCom · 30/01/2018 21:17

I love unstoppables (I even have the bloody candles now) and I love fabric conditioner, more so because it reminds me of my recently departed grandmother who used to overdose on the bloody stuff 😂

TheSconeOfStone · 30/01/2018 21:28

I can't stand the stuff. The smell is awful and can set off my asthma. We live in a soft water area and I tumble towels and bedding so they are perfectly soft. Our clothes smell of clean clothes.

DotCottonDotCom · 30/01/2018 21:35

I get why a previous poster said it was vile though. My pregnancy nose thought it smelt so so bad!!!

Haffiana · 30/01/2018 21:43

It isn't just slimy towels and slimy knicker gussets that are the problem.

Lycra and microfibre fabrics always say on the labels to NOT use fabric conditioner. This is because fabric conditioner ruins Lycra and also makes it become smelly from contact with sweat.

It completely trashes microfibre - apparently even using fabric conditioner on microfibre just once will completely, irreversibly damage it.

Save the money and buy some nice perfume...

brownelephant · 30/01/2018 21:47

I use it for the smell.
doesn't do anything for softness ime

AthenaAshton · 30/01/2018 21:48

YAB completely R, OP.

ArcheryAnnie · 30/01/2018 22:56

Lycra and microfibre fabrics always say on the labels to NOT use fabric conditioner. This is because fabric conditioner ruins Lycra and also makes it become smelly from contact with sweat.

It completely trashes microfibre - apparently even using fabric conditioner on microfibre just once will completely, irreversibly damage it.

I did not know this, either!

So - should not be used on anything with Lycra in it. Or on microfibres. Or on anything with transfer lettering. Or on children's nightclothes (or presumably all babyclothes) due to damaging the fire retardant.

I didn't know any of this, and it certainly isn't printed in large on the bottles.

MayFayner · 30/01/2018 23:31

toad you can also use hair conditioner to de-shrink woollens. I pretty much always have that in the house so no need to keep fabric softener.

I've never used it. Clothes and towels come out of the tumble dryer soft and clean. I think our water is quite soft though (Ireland).

Praisebe · 30/01/2018 23:34

I just use a generous scoop of surf on a 60 wash or 90 for whites. I found softner left my clothes with a slightly greasy feel to them and none of the nice scent from when it went in! I love my clothes to smell of fresh laundry powder i hate using perfumes and my deodorant is an unscented organic brand.

windchimesabotage · 30/01/2018 23:34

ah well its not pointless if you keep accidentally leaving wet washing in the machine for ages because you are chaotic. Because the smell of fabric conditioner stops the clothes from smelling mouldy for a bit longer...... Im told.

babyccinoo · 31/01/2018 05:24

I had itchy legs all my life, it was only until I moved out and got my own place that I realised it was the fabric conditioner (Comfort) causing it.

Going to google chemicals.

steff13 · 31/01/2018 05:34

I like it, so I use it on everything but towels. If you don't like it you don't have to use it. That's the crux of it isn't it?

Batmanwearspants · 31/01/2018 06:02

It makes my eczema really bad. Hate the stuff.

TournesolsetLavande · 31/01/2018 06:09

If you are in hard water area it really makes a difference to the softness and handling of the fabric, whether things need ironing or not, and how easy they are to iron.

It makes no difference to the cleanliness or the smell. Washing poster does the cleaning part and can smell nice too.

speakout · 31/01/2018 06:31

ah well its not pointless if you keep accidentally leaving wet washing in the machine for ages because you are chaotic. Because the smell of fabric conditioner stops the clothes from smelling mouldy for a bit longer...... Im told.

It doesn't stop the mould it simply disguises the smell. The mould is still there.

Yuch.

AnotherShirtRuined · 31/01/2018 06:46

Another one who uses white vinegar. It makes the clothes softer same as fabric softener, removes odours AND helps keep my washing machine scale free. Also it's cheaper and much, much better for me, my kids and the environment than the toxic cocktail that is fabric softener. My washing powder is perfume free too by the way.

londonrach · 31/01/2018 07:07

Having grow up with hard towels i once asked my mum why our towels felt like sandpaper as a teenager. She got some softer the next day and as a result the towels got better. I use softer now for the same reason

TheDailyMailLovesTheEUReally · 31/01/2018 07:45

I don't use it because it wrecks sports kit and stops it from wicking properly. I also don't like it because it makes towels less absorbent.

I don't live in a hard water area though so no problems with my laundry being 'crispy'. If I hang towels out and they are a bit hard from drying, they go in the tumble dryer for 5 minutes which loosens them up a treat.

Our house is on a septic tank system so I try and avoid putting unnecessary chemicals into the system as I don't want to harm our lovely bacteria!

ferrier · 31/01/2018 07:48

No softener here either. Though I do use dryer balls for the towels because they get crispy otherwise.

dissapointedafternoon · 31/01/2018 07:54

It makes a huge difference I always use it.
I was away at Christmas staying in someone else's home who didn't have it and everything was rough and crispy

EmmaGrundyForPM · 31/01/2018 08:05

We live in a hard water area and have never used it. I've never noticed our clothes being stiff or difficult to iron.

Dh and I work out or run every day after work, so almost every load of washing apart from bedding an towels has something with lycra or microfibre in it. So I can't see that we would use it even if we wanted to.

Notagainmun · 31/01/2018 08:06

Stopped using it years ago and in a hard water area. I agree it can make laundry feel a bit hard but I pop towels in the tumble dryer with a damp face cloth for 15 mins and it fluffs and softens them lovely. A quick iron softens the rest of the laundry too. No slimy feel and it is better for the washing machine too.

SilverySurfer · 31/01/2018 08:41

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

I'm puzzled. Where in any of my posts have I inferred that the users of fabric conditioner/softener are vile?

I called the products vile because to me they are - they stink and I can get an allergic reaction from them as I do from some perfumes.

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties
Are you friends with SilverySurfer? You'd really get on. You both remind me of my aunt- so strongly opinionated and funny.

I'm too polite to tell you who you remind me of.