Those of you who use washing powder for your washing. Do you use softener?

[depressed394]

I want to use washing powder only due to cost of softener but am worried it will ruin my clothes. What do you suggest?

I've always only ever used powder and I also always put it straight in the drum, so no mess in the tray either.
I sometimes use a fabric scent booster but never a softener.

Never ever. It smells horrible. My clothes just smell clean. (Surcare powder)

I never use softener. It is evil stuff. It makes your machine gunky. Nobody should use softener on towels as it stops them being absorbent and nobody should use softener on sports wear as it stops it wicking.

I stopped using it when I started washing nappies and found it didn't make any difference. We have quite soft water in our area, I don't know if that makes a difference.

I don't think it makes a difference in terms of cleanliness, but I LOVE the smell of fabric conditioner.

I use washing powder only, but do tumble dry a lot of it which softens things anyway

I love in a hard water area and use white vinegar instead of softener, if I don’t use white vinegar the clothes are much harder. Powder is so much better for the machine as it doesn’t go all gunky.

I use washing powder without softener, and line dry the clothes (not tumble dry as they shrink). My clothes last decades.

I use fabric softener on wool items, much like I use conditioner on my hair! I don’t think softener does much on cotton/synthetics, but it does make wool/silk feel good. I also use Woolite or supermarket equivalent on wool/silk/delicate things rather than powder.

live in a soft water area - used to use bicarbonate of soda before that

hate the smell of softener so don't use it.

I only use detergent. It wouldn't occur to me to add softener.
What does it do? Does it literally 'soften' clothes? Ours come out soft anyway.

I only use washing powder, have never seen the point of softener.

Washing powder and white vinegar.

Fabric softener actually makes clothes more flammable which I think is a scary thing. It's really not necessary.

What did you think fabric softener was for?

Yes but not for towels / blankets / swimming stuff. And I only put in a half measure.

As a pp said it is spinning too fast that will trash your clothes.

If I don't use softener then the clothes feel "crunchy". If I tumble dry them after, even for ten minutes, the static is really bad.

I can’t not use softener, it makes clothes smell amazing and does make them softer. My clothes especially tshirts dry stiffer without it

And easier to adjust the amount of powder for a smaller/ larger load of laundry!

I use powder, no softener (can't bear the feel on my clothes, or the overpowering smell). My clothes last ages, I've ruined nothing.

I use softener as well as powder, except for towels.

No softener = much stiffness in some clothing (which can also lead to Chafing) and a lot of static in other.

We live in a very hard water area though. I probably wouldn't bother if we had nice soft water.

I never use softener. I use a bag of bricks added to my always cold wash. I never iron clothes and I can’t stand it when anything smells nice. After I’m done washing, the bricks double up as my pillows.

I use powder and softener. I like the smell and I notice my clothes aren’t as soft when I don’t use it. I live in a very hard water area. I don’t use softener for towels or sports clothes I use laundry sanitiser. My clothes last ages.

I use washing powder and water softener tablets (very hard water area). I don’t ever use fabric conditioner - I just don’t like it, and my DH hates anything that smells too strong. I particularly dislike those plastic washing pod things.

I haven’t used softener in years and never noticed a difference to my clothes except they don’t have that vile smell that comes with softener.

I wish Vinted had some sort of search filter for sellers who don’t send stuff that stinks of it.

I use just powder. And not even bc a branded one either. My clothes are clean and smell fine.