The Fabric Conditioner Myth

[Ooopsadaisy]

Last week I ran out of fabric conditioner and forgot to buy any when I went shopping.

It was only when I was faced with the end of week bed/towels change and all the school/work uniform piles that I realised.

So I did all the washing without fabric conditioner for the first time in .... I have no idea how long ...... 20 years?? I expected the worst. Horrible smells, scratchy fabrics, creases and folds, hours of extra ironing ......

It was only after I'd finished the ironing and it was all put away that I realised that I hadn't even noticed the difference.

What a bloody waste of money all these years!

No-one else in the house had noticed the difference in smell, texture, comfort etc.

What else could I be wasting money on?

hard water + silk top - fabric conitioner = impossble to iron creases out.

Most normally soiled clothes are washed effectively with water the detergent is only there to break down the water resistance of the fabric n order for the water to penetrate. IIRC from A level physics thats what all detergents do just make things water permeable. SO soap nuts probably effetcvie enough for everyday dirt.

Things are softer if you line dry than if you hang up on radiators indoors.

I like the sound of soap nuts :) What do you do with them afterwards? Compost heap?

Re: too much detergent. I usually only use half the stated dose and a tiny amount of FC because I am tight thrifty.

3timesalady yes! Compostable.

Sorry to post so long after this thread ended but i just wanted to add that i ordered a soap nut sample and have only just got to use them.

I was so disappointed by them. I did a hot towel wash on 60 degrees and the towels weren't even that dirty but there was a small blood drop where DH had wiped a shave cut and when i took the 'clean' washing out to hang up the towel had a large patch of obvious blood stain that it had tried to get out but it had spread to a patch of 2" diameter. I had to put it straight back on with usual washing powder and thankfully it came out clean.

I watched the cycle for the first 10 mins and didn't even notice any lathering despite it being a hot wash. We are a 'green' family and DD has eczema so we were looking forward to this revolutionary idea working.

Waste of time and so definitely not worth changing to.

I did use vanish spray on them and it was only a tiny drop of blood. In the instructions it says the soap nuts get out household stains like tomato ketchup and grass stains so thought natural blood would be a doddle.

No, not impressed and won't be converting. i'll stick to my non bio sensitive skin powder and conditioner which has always done the trick up until now.

I've never used it. It smells ridiculously strong.

You can have my Lenor when you prise it from my cold, dead fingers.

my clothes feel crispy without conditioner and I am in a soft water area. Bought a huge bottle of comfort today from Morrisons for only £3 - bargain!

Wilko's had huge bottles of Lenor on offer for £2 last week. I stocked up .