Is fabric softener really necessary?

[Figmentofmyimagination]

I ran out last week and nobody seemed to notice. I must get through a bottle a month - all that plastic and chemicals - what difference does it actually make apart from changing the smell?

I have stopped using it as I hate the fake scent. Instead I have been using Calgon or equivalent, better for my machine and the washing is just as soft, if not softer, than when I was spending a fortune on conditioner.

I use because I like it, don't feel the need to justify myself

I prefer not to use it, the smell of most of them are foul, and the ingredients are not great, especially the allergens that are added as perfumes.

However, where I live the water comes out of the taps white and opaque and I have thrown away many towels and bath robes because they are hard after 3 or 4 washes. I dry them in the tumble dryer and use dryer balls, they still come out crunchy and have a residue. I am tempted to use softener/conditioner on the towels sometimes.

I do use it on fleece throws and cotton bedspreads before tumble drying, however I use sensitive, unperfumed conditioner as the other types give me a headache and make me feel ill due to the artificial scents and irritants.

Nothing will make my towelling items soft, and I mean nothing, have tried vinegar etc. but have not had nice towels since phosphates were removed from detergents a few years ago.

I always use it, except for towels as they aren’t as absorbent if you wash them with a softener, I find it makes the clothes less creased and easier to iron. We never bother to use the tumble drier. I love getting the clothes out of the wardrobe and still being able to smell the scent.

I use softener because I like my clothes to feel soft when I put them on. Wool feels horrible with out it and Towels feel like your wrapping tin foil around you.

Don't use it, haven't for years, live in a very hard water area and it makes no difference, do however put towels on a 10 minute tumble dry once they've dried outside to soften them up a bit.

I haven’t used it since my son was a baby so 17 years now. He got a nasty rash every time I did so I stopped and he has been fine ever since 🙂

Those of you with very hard water, what detergent do you use please?

I have yet to find one that leaves me with soft laundry, not helped by having to find one that doesn't stink to high heaven/make me sneeze/give me a headache, including the 'natural' ones.

I don't understand the point of it so never use it.

No, don’t use it! Full of really nasty chemicals that can exacerbate asthma and eczema and allergies. Plus so environmentally unfriendly, all those chemicals leach back into the water source. Why would you?

I live in the south and it's very hard water here thanks to the lovely chalky south downs!

I always wash my whites on a hot wash with vinegar instead of softener, I like the crisp feeling on bed sheets and towels. Occasionally a white item sneaks its way into a wash I put on with softener, and I can feel the difference on things like white T-shirts and underwear.

I live in a hard water area and I swapped for white vinegar and it works really well. Clothes smell fresh but not scenty and definitely don't smell of vinegar.
Just got a new tumble dryer though and the clothes come out really soft and static free without using anything. I still add some vinegar now and again as it helps to prevent scale build up - I am not paying for Calgon or similar

I’m in a hard water area and I use Sainsbury’s own brand powder. We don’t have a tumble dryer so things are line dried when possible. But I don’t get why you would need or want soft laundry. What am I missing?

Never use it, towels are more absorbent without it, just a way of getting people to spend money...emperors new clothes!

No, have never used it.

Fabric softener coats the things it 'washes', and as others have said, makes them less absorbent as a result.

I was told it ruins clothes and is unnecessary so I've never used it. I live in the SE so fairly hard water and I've honestly not noticed my clothes feeling bad. If it's needed due to really hard water though, I can see why people use it.

I use it. Don't have a tumble dryer and we have hard water, all clothes dry naturally and seem stiff if I don't use it.

but I don’t get why you would need or want soft laundry

Why wouldn't you? The clothes feel horrible on my skin, socks feel hard, who wants to put that on their feet?

I have rarely used it. Gave it a try last year and it coincided with out itchy dog having a bad flare up (scent molecules get everywhere apparently)

No, personally I don’t like the smell

Maybe it's because I grew up with parents that used it on our clothes? But love clothes that smell like fabric conditioner. Particular ones remind me of getting into a clean bed with nice clean sheets after a bed wash in Childhood.

I like the smell so I use it on clothes but I also like stiff sheets and scratchy towels so I don't use it on them.

It's not necessary, no. I find towels less absorbent when I've used fabric conditioner.

I'm such a loser that I treat myself to a bottle of fabric conditioner occasionally. I love sniffing them all in Tesco, choosing the nicest, then massively over-using it in a few loads.

We live in a hard water area. Haven't used it in years. Don't care about "cardboard" clothes - just happy they're clean.

God, it's like drying myself with a stale Ryvita if I don't use fabric softener on my towels.