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?

Don't use it. It added to the muck that accumulated in my old washing machine. Only use either powder or an EcoEgg now.

Very rarely use it as I don't like the way it makes everything feel limp. Occasionally I will add a small amount to crunchy clothes like denim and a little whiff is quite nice but I really love the smell of outdoors from line drying.

No

Yes it is

It's REALLY bad for your washing machine as well as just adding to the load of chemicals you surround your family with. Not good at all.

I hate the smell of it. No matter what flavour it says on the bottle it always smells of flowery chemicals.

I’ve never used it as my dad and then dh are allergic.

Never used it. My Aunty uses it and their clothes all smell really strongly of it. That is the only difference I can tell.

We don't use it. We live in a hard water area, but no issues with that on clothing. We line dry everything as we don't have a tumble dryer.

We are in an area labelled "moderately soft" so I might quarter what we use now and then stop. Thank you for this thread. I'm doing ivf right now so saving money will be ace and the nappies will hopefully be needed soon so getting them washed will be easier as I can put them in with the towels if I'm not using softener 👍🏻

It can't be used with anything which needs to be absorbent (like towels, e-cloths etc) due to the plastic film it coats everything with or anything with elastic/stretchy fibers, because it loosens and stretches them more and leads to shapeless/baggy garments.
To me it's just extra contamination of the water system, so no, wouldn't use it. Lived in the hardest water area in UK for many years. Crunchiness could be beaten out of towels if needed, or dryers do it :), though when it's dry my favourite is like PP's is to dry in the fresh air.

I gave it up a few years ago when a man repairing our washing machine told me it was the worst culprit for blocking pipes.

Haven't missed it one bit!