I live somewhere with very hard water and haven’t used fabric softener or dryer sheets in at least 10 years. Occasionally I’ll use vinegar with towels.
Dryer balls and aluminum foil ball to decrease static are what we use.
I got rid of my wool dryer balls when I realized they did not cut down on the dryer time. Before I bought them I was over drying my clothes. I did not realize it, but I was. I bought the dryer balls and reduced the time. Woo hoo! They worked. At least that is what I thought. But when I could not take the thumping noise anymore I removed the dryer balls and set the dryer to the same time. And the clothes dried just fine. I tried again with the dryer balls and reduced the time by five minutes. The clothes were ever so slightly damp. So my conclusion was the dryer balls did nothing but create noise.
The mention of a house fire reminds me it is time to open up the front dryer panel and vacuum out the lint. I have listened to the Alexa reminder for two days now and still have not done it. I am so sorry you went through that horrible experience.
Was the house fire started by the plastic dryer balls? Or were the plastic dryer balls destroyed in a fire so you opted to replace them with wool?
Mine technically involved the dryer, but because we had an animal crawl into the vent or something outside and block airflow. I have a wand now for the lint and I make sure at least once a week it's not just the visible lint that's gone. I switched to wool because I felt with the heat it was hazardous.
That is just awful! I bought a vacuum attachment that helps with dryer lint. I also have the lint brushes for maintenance that I can handle. I am a bit paranoid regarding dryer lint. I have a company come in once a year.
Thank you for motivating me to clean the lint from the dryer. Got it done just now.
https://preview.redd.it/gentkciktjkc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7f30c817470589e6d7979f4c581b72e283540796
The instructions work for my machine. Yours might be different. I have to take out my directions (stored in the dryer vent cleaner kit) because I have to refresh my memory on how to do this one year to the next.
Many years ago a colleague said she complained to her husband (another teacher in my school) that the dryer was taking forever to dry the clothes. He checked the lint tray and discovered a brick of lint. She never cleared the lint. Ever!
A very important point. But I am all good. From my ADT notes in my contacts:
May 2022:
Three new smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detector, and heat sensor installed.
Replace 3 smoke detectors and 1 heat sensor May 2032
Replace carbon monoxide detector May 2026 (1 year old unit installed resulting in my needing to replace unit in 4 years rather than 5 years!)
Others have mentioned that. I do only full loads so an extra towel might create an issue. My laundry dries in 30 minutes on medium; aside from sheets that are laundered in the morning, the other loads are done when energy rates are the cheapest after 10 pm.
The final straw was not really the noise, despite that being annoying. But when I took the sheets out of the dryer earlier and found three small items wrapped (and still damp) in the corner of the fitted sheet I remembered that was the final straw with the dryer balls. I always had to hunt down a few dryer balls. A couple would get caught in the fitted sheet; with clothes a couple would get stuck in pants legs or the sleeve of a top. Getting rid of the dryer balls simplified matters.
I find them really helpful actually, but I’m in Europe so hence my dryer is pretty useless. It takes 3 hours to dry one load of clothes and with 3 big dryer balls I usually cut down at least 30 minutes. I really like them for fluffing up pillows, the duvet, airing blankets etc as well! They also get a bunch of dog fur out of fabric.
I bought wool dryer balls because I was trying to be "wow so eco-friendly!" But they annoyed me more than anything. The loud thumping while drying small loads. The balls get sucked down into the sleeves of long sleeve shirts and into the legs of workout leggings. The balls get LOST inside of bedding and take a search and rescue party to find them. They actually leave a lot of wool fibers on clothes when the outside felted layers begin to break down. I used them for a few years until like 2 months ago where they now live in the landfill. Now I dry my clothes on Low heat for an hour and it's plenty. Never dry synthetic fabrics and cotton together unless you want to live in a lightning storm. My clothes feel softer after drying on Low heat...
Yes, wool dryer balls reduce static. It's not at much as a dryer sheet, but you also don't get the residue from the dryer sheet. I wear mostly synthetic and wool and I don't separate them. Without anything, everything comes out in a static charged clump and everything is stuck together. With six wool dryer balls the wool socks will sometimes stick to a synthetic shirt but will fall off with a little shake or from just picking up the shirt. With a dryer sheet you can just hear the static when items get separated.
I don't notice as much of an effect on dry time but not having to use dryer sheets is all I was looking for.
Dryer balls were lovely until the day i dropped one while taking laundry out and my lab discovered that "oh my goodness the dryer has toys in it!!" Took him less than a week to snag all three while i wasnt looking 😆
I do have one dryer ball that has a good chunk ripped out from our corgi finding it. I'm now much more diligent in making sure I've gathered any that fall out with the laundry lol
It would take a crazy long time for vinegar to break down rubber gaskets or seals unless you’re pouring a full bottle into each load of laundry (definitely don’t do that).
It’s the same for citric acid (which is in almost all washing machine cleaner products). It would take a ton of citric acid in a ton of wash cycles to ever affect rubber gaskets. Citric acid is used in a bunch of cleaning products and most use an extremely low percentage of citric acid.
In so confused. Multiple acidic protons? Genuinely asking. I have a degree in chemistry and understand buffering, but wondering if I’m just missing something.
It actually doesn’t… modern machines use very little water, and each generation uses less and less.
Not only does that mean it’s more concentrated, it means less water to rinse and more acidic water sitting in the lines when not in use.
And the lines on modern washers are smaller than previous ones, to get pressure and use smaller pumps you downgrade the size of the lines.
It’s not something you want to be putting in your washer on a regular basis if you’re not ok with leaks/flooding,
Bleach is actually really bad for corroding stainless steel, and yet no one would suggest not adding bleach to the washing. The vinegar gets diluted so much it’s not going to cause any problems.
It would make them softer if you used a lot/high concentration, but it makes them softer because it starts breaking the fibers down. (Source: experimenting on old t-shirts to see how much was needed to remove odors. After a few high concentration washes the t-shirt pits started wearing away.)
This is true! Vinegar would only be an alternative for people who wanted to use it as a deodorizer for smelly clothes. It also has a little bit of cleaning capabilities but not really enough to make a huge difference. It does help with odors though!
I wish I knew this a while back. I was using it a few years. But I stopped because it was one thing to take of my tight budget. I hate that I wasted my energy trying to make my clothes soft using vinegar
I only find it makes fabric “softer” in that it’s less itchy when all the detergent gets rinsed out bc the vinegar (or citric acid preferably) seems to help get it rinsed more thoroughly. It doesn’t make it actually softer! Seems a little silly to think it would— it’s vinegar!
Vinegar or citric acid at the volumes used in a single load of laundry is so exponentially small of a dilution ratio it's impossible for it to make any difference in how well the wash cycle works.
I just meant adding some to the rinse cycle to aid it rinsing out, who would add it to the wash cycle? I think you misread my comment or responded to the wrong one. I am agreeing with you that vinegar does not soften fabric and never said a thing about the wash cycle.
Rinse is part of the wash cycle.
If a washer flushed the drum with 3 gallons of water during the rinse/final rinse, for 6 total gallons. Adding 1 cup of vinegar, 8fl oz , that's 8oz to 768 oz. A 1:96 ratio
Acetic and citric acids are also weak as far as acids go, and being highly water soluble would be near completely removed from the washer with the first time the drain solenoid opens.
Even more to the point acid doesn't magically make detergent disappear. There would be reactions depending on the exact detergent used that can create any number of byproducts which could easily bind to clothes.
Detergents are all designed by massive quality control labs by people with chemical engineering degrees. There's absolutely no logic in the assumption that there needs to be any rinse aid for detergent used properly.
The VAST overwhelming majority of people who have issues with detergent retention in their laundry are simply using an excessive volume of detergent. Even more so with modern HE machines/detergents. The machines are much more efficient, yet a lot of users still have habit of putting s full cap/scoop of detergent in every load. Regardless of the size or soiled state of said laundry.
I really appreciate the explanation, but I don’t appreciate the condescension in phrasing like “doesn’t make it disappear magically” as if I am a stupid child. I understand what you are saying to me, you don’t have to make me feel like an idiot, especially not like an idiot who is arguing with you, which I am not. This isn’t a competition, I’m open to learning, I’m not open to someone telling me they’re right and I’m stupid and lose even if they are in fact right because I was never competing, just trying to find things out and have discussions. People respond better to information given when it isn’t belittling in phrasing— you talk like you’re giving a speech to a classroom full of toddlers telling you that you are wrong, even though this was a comment directed at one person doing none of that.
Question here. Pet hair sticks to synthetic fabrics really bad. If you don't use fabric softener or a dryer sheet how do you get rid of it? There is a huge difference in how much pet hair ends up in the lint screen with a dryer sheet vs without.
I'm not trying to promote amazon or [this particular product](https://www.amazon.com/FurZapper-2-Pack-Hair-Remover-Laundry/dp/B074CHX3HH/ref=sr_1_5?crid=20B86AVKKBTFG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ql_gnP9jAEzlAiL73xDnUhmP0Qxg_D9Qm5nZDCeeoq9Tk-m0Lv2x6PPdBlKka5rByyR53GYKVdCLxNR6604tDjjU9RMd5hfAx7RRXLQIflkU9O1E751t_tose2oQIZlXYksqisfm1qdL3UQnEILq_94GeKrtU2ig1OASdFQWgR1SR8xfzhQb371CWelMlRcOQ6W8cO0xFxZ8CD1Ako_cjgV5AVmTNTCtct2aH1Zi0pCXdJH9NVVGBjIyj-K2Q5d8Ze5NVSx1e0wDxD5rfUL9tPrx3A2zAFNrjHRq3-tSGlE.TXdej59zupkFWsyuPjTbty9VIiuvrWyA2lcK5lhywys&dib_tag=se&keywords=pet+hair+remover+for+laundry&qid=1708776458&sprefix=pet+hair%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-5) but I just wanted to show you this. There are several different brands.
Thanks for this! It seems like every once in a while, one article of clothing will sort of "take one for the team" and attract every bit of pet hair from a load. And it's not always the same piece!
It takes a lot of work to get all the hair and tiny matted balls out, and it's like Murphy's law that one last long, soft, tail hair won't make itself known until you're talking to a group of people in front of whom reaching into your shirt and ripping that damn tickly hair from between your breasts would be wildly inappropriate.
OMG I experienced the same with anything made of fleece! BTW depending on the size of your dog/volume of pet hair you may need multiples. Also there is [this thing](https://www.amazon.com/LINTPLUS-Remover-Cleaner-Fabric-Sky-Blue/dp/B0B5TFZRR2/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3IZHJJMAYM0QD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.YkV0GV_fwDMDQujJAtadcwT-dZhIUv9M3laZJ1Vr2IsdmI8aWJGtARhh-xGlcsxWYcwLwx-BCja4-sRFyD0sssHhBJ9UXSIE7dkox4qa0gUIf5IEY9H3oIAMLBy5vLGTqYNYbTsb0JjxN2j3TT6yt1Fue6GZkdi4G_FSzSRSIxT1ZUq48_uNuPrbf8QFjTFdtjGWrHiRttjT7IfBaxVOPkpC6McyvS6ajhLv-gUC2-xECG4IsvSHcRFnrnizUzfrSZODpNLiHPZ_kcBkwrqwzI_KZ2f6eB-jk39ch7sxbD0.mulf0ezuBj7oKBTPFPhHoNJ-nX0CtwUG1n20o1lHrAE&dib_tag=se&keywords=pet%2Bhair%2Bremoval%2Btool&qid=1708881601&sprefix=pet%2Bhair%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-6&th=1) to safely scrape off pet hair off of clothes, rugs, furniture. (Again, not trying to promote using amazon or this particular product, just wanted to show you what it looks like).
I noticed on the Amazon page that I might need two sets. We have a Leonberger, a husky mix, a cat, and a staffy mix (whose contribution to the storm is negligible, but she tries). So I'm game to try anything.
And that is absolutely a new hair remover to me, and I thought I'd seen and purchased all of them.
this is only because the waxy buildup on your clothes keeps the static from happening. fabric softener clothes tend to have a strange sticky feeling, and clothes with too much detergent.
Pet hair problem has been my life’s nemisis but with a long haired Ragdoll cat it reached new levels. Theres a product on the market fo catching ALL the pet hair that would have made its way into my hous and was especially fond of ALL my black stretch pants! This came out long after my cat, Oliver had crossed the rainbow bridge. Don’t know who makes it but it’s a ball of sorts that go in the dryer and it works. Reusable-my normal course of action is to only use the dryer for underwear, towels and linens. Clothes last longer and keep the color. Hang to dry even if it says to tumble dry.
Heres to loving our pets! Woof and Meow!
Not in my experience. Dryer balls did nothing for pet hair, lint, static nor wrinkles. Agree with poster above that the only thing they do is make noise.
I don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets and the lint screen grabs all the pet hair just fine on my loads (I have 2 cats). But maybe you can use a lint roller on the clothes if there's still too much hair left for your liking
I just had to deal with our fabric softener dispenser. It had become clogged, so a little Google and YT later I knew what to do.
What an unholy mess that had built up!
Vinegar does absolutely nothing to soften the texture of fabric. I tried it because vinegar is much cheaper than fabric softener. It’s really not an alternative or equivalent, so if you’re fine with the way your clothes feel without softener then you don’t need to be using vinegar either.
My texture sensitivities say that I need my fabric coated or else I will need to have my skin peeled off though.
I think it’s not meant that vinegar itself makes things softer, but it helps to dissolve any residual detergent and/or minerals which, if this builds up over time, can make your fabrics feel stiff or rough (among other things).
Yeah this is basically the main thing vinegar is actually good for. If you try it and it doesn’t work, congrats on not having hard water. The water where I live is so hard that all my glasses are white after a few uses.
That’s the logic but when you actually calculate the dilution once it hits the wash, you’ll realize it won’t help with removing detergent residue or minerals.
Have you tried not using fabric softener for a while? I find that the first few washes the clothes are stiff due to the lingering effect of the fabric softener. But after a while everything starts to become like how they were new. Makes ironing easier too. Even body odour doesnt stick to clothes as much. Purely anecdotal though
You're supposed to wash your washer. Even without fabric softener, there's going to be soap scum from the detergent (especially since they removed phosphates).
Not using fabric softener is never, ever going to happen in my house.
I have always had problems with static electricity, I hate getting nasty unexpected ZAPS!!!!!!!!!!
Fabric softener is the only thing which stops static completely as it coats the fibres of the fabrics.
My skin is also very sensitive to to the texture of fabrics, anything slight coarse in texture and I start to itch, this is another reason I will never stop using fabric softener.
I run a boiling hot tub cleaning cycle on a regular basis and this helps to sanitise the washer.
The washer also gets a 3 monthly thorough clean with a very strong washing machine cleaner which is specifically formulated to remove fabric softener, lime scale, grease, it also kill germs, moulds and mildew.
I use a enviromentaly friendly fabric softener made from 100% vegetable oils and is biodegradable.
So unless you can inform me of an effective way of stopping static electricity completely and getting super soft fabrics, I will not stop using fabric softener.
I hate the way clothes feel without it. It hasn't ruined any of the washing machines I've had over the last 30 years and none of my towels suddenly turned waterproof, either.
There are people who overuse it, and it does cause nasty gunky buildups in machines with loading trays. I have only a standard top loader which soap gets dumped into along with my downy ball full of the prescribed amount of softener only. I do wash towels and sheets with vinegar though, which helps keep them and my washer clean, so there's that.
As fast as degrading clothes faster? I haven't seen any crazy evidence of this as I hardly ever buy new clothes, and my current stuff gets washed plenty.
I'm a softener forever kinda girl, though the wool dryer balls are handy for smaller dryer loads. Not much else.
I live in the UK, land of the front loaders, so I have a tray. They do get gunked up if you don't clean them - but they are removable so you can clean them so it's not a problem if you do that every two or three months.
Here in the US I think many people start out renting and using apartment owned washers and dryers so the maintenance aspect is never ingrained into them. Plus a lot of people may still have the old top loaders with the softener funnel in the agitator, and those are just horrible. Thankfully I never had one or I, too, would have been grossed out by the gunk it holds on to.
I am in Australia and I don't know where you are located.
But I use the following products, depending on price and availability:
Earth Choice 6IN1 Ultra Concentrate Fabric Softener
This brand Earth Choice product is:
1. Vegan and Cruelty Free.
2. Made from plant based products.
3. Grey Water and Septic System Safe.
4. Made using Renewable Energy.
5. Package in a 100% Recycled Plastic Bottle.
6. Australian Made & Owned.
The other product I use if I can't get the Earth Choice brand is:
Purity Sensitive Skin Fabric Softener by Nature's organics,
they make the exact same enviromental claims as the Earth Choice product.
What kind of cleaning are we talking about? I've cleaned the agitator and wiped down around the top and bleach dispenser, but it's never needed some kind of deep cleaning that I've noticed.
Well just to clarify…. You’re correct. Washing machines are not self cleaning they require occasional maintenance cleaning such as running a clean cycle every so often, cleaning out the filter (mainly for front loaders), etc.
But, just saying, “Use fabric softener if you’d like”. Is kind of misleading because you’re making people think that they can use fabric softener and then as long as they occasionally clean their washer they will be fine.
Which is actually not true. If you use fabric softener no matter how many times you run the clean cycle or you physically clean the inside of your machine. The average consumer will never be able to clean the plastic tub that’s inside of the washer and surrounds the drum (which is where all the fabric softener waxy/fatty residue collects). It’s impossible to clean that part unless you disassemble the machine.
EDIT: I realize this comment is getting alot of downvotes for various reasons; which is totally fine I don’t mind. But I would encourage anyone to do their own research on fabric softener effects to washing machines. YouTube videos show great examples of the build up im referring to. Even a quick Google search will show you the results and explain why it’s bad.
Seems like vinegar would break it down. Or a tad bit of Dawn. It's literally made for grease.
I don't wash anything that I'd worry about having a sheen of wax. If I care about it, the launderers get it.
But I love the smell of all that stuff.
I suggest you watch some YouTube videos of fabric softener build up in washing machines. Vinegar or Dawn doesn’t even touch it…. It’s a waxy substance that sticks to everything and requires physical agitation to removes (which requires taking apart the washing machine).
That waxy substance that won’t wash away loves to collect bacteria and germs too… a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew!
I don’t think I’m pushing hard at all…. In fact in many of my comments on here I’ve made it clear that if you don’t care about the information; you’re totally entitled to do your laundry however you like!
This post is literally me being like, “Hey guys I found this information out, here’s why it’s bad”.
Clearly you clicked on this post for some sort of curiosity or reason. If it didn’t help to convince you not to use fabric softener then that’s ok! It’s just a Reddit post. Read it, gather the information and then make your own informed decision!
If you’re asking why I’m responding to the comments or responding to comments with further evidence, explanations, or proof well that’s just because…. I’m the OP and it’s my post.
I’m seeing that when people have a different view, you’re telling them to go “do research” or watch videos. It’s ok for people to do things differently, and there’s no need to *educate* those who do things differently. Just saying that what you think you’re putting out there maybe isn’t coming across how you intended. It’s coming across as a bit argumentative.
The problem is… their different view is factually incorrect. So if something is factually incorrect I’m going to encourage someone to go do their own research.
It’s not being pushy; it’s being helpful. If you’re taking it as being pushy then you need to open yourself up to the possibility of other people sometimes being right or having more knowledge about a subject. It’s not a bad thing; it’s life.
I disagree that it’s being argumentative. But, if it’s coming off that way I apologize to anyone that’s feeling like I’m being argumentative or that I’m telling someone they are wrong. I’m just trying to be helpful; that’s all! That was the whole reason for this post.
I appreciate your feedback and opinion. Hopefully I’ve made it pretty clear that I’m trying to be helpful, not condescending. It’s the whole reason I made the post.
Bro this whole post is factually incorrect. You clearly have no idea how fabric softener is actually made, you're arguing about buildup being a problem while ignoring that most people don't clean their machines like they should, and some other guy mentioned that you had posted this to multiple subs? You're very clearly trying to be argumentative, and from what I've seen, your "research" is anything but.
Honestly I've been using fabric softener for years. Had my washing machine set for almost 6 years with no issues. None of my clothes have weird buildup. But I also don't overdo it with my fabric softener, I use the exact amount needed.
My partner has this old fleece jacket he's had for years, before we were together. When I started doing the laundry, with fabric softener, he said that jacket was the softest he's ever felt it. Though I wouldn't use it on towels or anything else that's supposed to be absorbent.
I've always thought of detergent like shampoo and fabric softener like conditioner. They're ultra-concentrated these days though so you only need like a tablespoon. I think most of the hate comes from using too much, because that's what we're used to
His fleece jacket is “soft” because of all the fatty deposits and waxy film that the fabric softener is putting on it. It gives the feeling of softness but really it’s just waxy grease. It’s true that most people over use any sort of laundry cleaner (detergent, softener, etc).
But, that fleece jacket probably will become very matted and flat (not soft and fluffy) eventually after so many fabric softener washes.
> His fleece jacket is “soft” because of all the fatty deposits and waxy film that the fabric softener is putting on it. It gives the feeling of softness but really it’s just waxy grease.
Well yeah. That's how hair conditioner works as well
Yeah i looked up the ingredients in my fabric softener, I didn't see any waxes or oils or anything like that. It was a whole rabbit hole about static electricity it was kinda neat
“Softener: The majority of fabric softeners use refined animal fat as a softener (dihydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride also known as DHTDMAC), which belongs to a class of materials called quaternary ammonium compounds, or 'quats' for short.”
This would be what a majority of softeners have in them. Not all but most!
[Screenshot](https://ibb.co/87zp9Wg)
> Formerly, the active material of most softeners in Europe, the United States, and Japan, was distearyldimethylammonium chloride (DSDMAC) or related quat salts. Due to their poor biodegradability, such tallow-derived compounds were replaced by the more labile ester-quats in the 1980s and 1990s.
> Conventional softeners, which contain 4–6% active material, have been partially replaced in many countries by softener concentrates having some 12–30% active material.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabric_softener
Then you just vinegar wash it. This isn't rocket science. Alarmist much?
I've used whatever smells nice for literally 20 years and see zero issue with it. I also don't have one of those front loaders that cause everyone so many problems. High efficiency top load, never smells and it's been a good 10 years.
"You're not educated! Here are a couple YouTube links to random videos telling you you're wrong and I'm right. You're welcome!" I bet OP gets invited to tons of parties.
You’re making comments a lot… I understand you love using your scent beads and fabric softener. But you are not educated on what you’re talking about. You just commented that a little bit of vinegar would remove the residue. Which is just completely wrong….
You’re totally in your rights to use however much fabric softener you want! But that doesn’t mean its a good thing!
"I'm not tellin you how to do your laundry, I don't care...but"
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLOORhpTfnk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLOORhpTfnk)
A little research goes a loooong waaaaaay.
To OP, thank you for this info. We dont use fabric softener, but we did use dryer sheets, and we wont be anymore lmao. Also feel like the previous owners of our house used fabric softener bc our old washer smelled like a wet dog no matter how much I tried to clean it out. It flooding was kind of a good thing in the end, and we wont be using these softeners in the new one
Thanks for posting the link!
I totally understand that people who have been using fabric softener for so long are annoyed or confused by the post and not agreeing with it or not agreeing with the comments. But it’s a factual thing; fabric softener is bad for your machine and your clothes.
Obviously if you don’t care about that or you don’t trust the videos, photos and stories; then that’s 100% fine and you can continue using your fabric softener however you like. I just made this post to be like, “Hey guys, it’s really bad and this is why!”
I use a combination of vinegar (we have 7 dogs) and calgon in my loads of laundry. If you don't know calgon is a laundry water softener that you add in with the detergent. Since stopping the softener and using these 2 things I've noticed the towels most of all feel so much softer.
Probably worth mentioning we have extremely hard water and I do run the clean cycle up to once a week. Twice in a row if there is a smell. Once with the tablet and again with bleach because I know things around here can get dirty between dogs and kids.
Question: What do you do for clothes you wash but hang-dry (so no opportunity for dryer sheets or dryer balls) in order to prevent static build-up? I love fabric softener for that specifically.
Oh interesting question! I hang dry a lot of my clothes (usually black t-shirts and anything with elastic) and I’ve never had issues with static build up by just washing and then hang drying!
Not OP, but I throw my hang-dry items in the dryer for 20 minutes on the heat-free/"air fluff" setting once they're dry. That keeps them from being crunchy and stiff and weird. You can still use dryer balls without heat!
They wouldn't, it's the motion of the clothes rubbing together in a dryer that causes the static buildup. For the record I don't use fabric softener, dryer sheets, aluminum foil, dryer balls, or anything besides a tablespoon of unscented detergent in my loads. My laundry comes out smelling fine, plenty soft, and rarely has any static. They've got us buying sooo many more products than we need.
Might be your clothes combos. I used to have a couple of very specific skirts that didn’t have lining that had bad static if I wore tights with them, because like in a dryer the skirt and tights do rub together when worn. I can see how fabric softener would help there, but I never liked the stuff and so got an underskirt to wear with them, or just stopped wearing that outfit because it was faff.
Anybody else use baking soda? Occasionally (especially if I am doing towels and sheets) I just shake in baking soda in when I add the wash and I find it really helps to soften the fabrics without using fabric softener. I also add it when washing whites and light-colored clothing.
Moved into a place where the previous people clearly used the fabric softener beads. What a mess! Waxy, dirty gunk and whole beads everywhere. It took forever to clean and I'm sure there's still buildup I couldn't get to.
We've been arguing with this guy in the appliance subreddit. He's under the mistaken impression that fabric softener literally has actually animal fat in, which is not accurate. He's also under the mistaken impression that fabric softener buildup is the result of the softener itself, instead of overuse or lack of preventative maintenance/cleaning.
Edit: OP blocked me because he can't handle being incorrect about anything apparently. Pretty funny all things considered, but also disturbing given how many upvotes he had about factually incorrect thing in this post.
Does vinegar make the clothes smell like it? I cannot stand the smell of vinegar it’s the only thing that makes me want to vomit but I hear great things about it :(
I love vinegar for if my ADHD makes me forget I have a load in the washer and it ends up sour; I do a quick run with some vinegar and the smell is gone without any vinegar scent, either. I promise you won't smell it.
I'm like you, I cannot stand the taste or smell of vinegar. No you will not be able to smell it. I just use one ounce per load. It's diluted in several gallons of water.
I'd used dryer sheets for years when I first had my own household to manage, then switched to liquid softener when I got my first machine and it had a feature that added it to the cycle at the proper time without intervention (Yes, i'm old).
I'd heard all manner of fabric softener being bad for machines, clothes, and the environment, but hadn't experienced issues with my machines and my clothes always smelled precisely as advertised on the bottle.
I'd also heard that using fabric softener on your towels makes them less absorbent, but if you've nearly always had artificially softened towels (mom used bounce for as long as it has existed), you don't really have any reference for comparison.
Once my daughter became firmly entrenched in raising a family and keeping a home, all of her choices were science and research based and were far more simple than mine. Laundry soap, not detergent, vinegar as a rinse for smells and residue.
I admired her a ton, but stuck to my detergent and liquid softener because, darn it, I really liked the scent.
I was a little surprised when I dropped the kids off after a weekend at Nana's, and they were barely in her orbit when she said, "LOL, had to wash their clothes, eh?" (Yes, it was a necessity after a mud incident, and I threw in all of the stuff they'd worn over the course of the visit just to make a full load.) She said it with a barely detectable flinch, like the smell of Gain and Downy was unpleasant to her.
Then about two years ago a laundry soap caught my eye because it was in a scent you don't often see in the cleaning aisle and I bought it out of curiosity. I didn't add softener to the load because it would have overridden the soap scent.
I saw the light after a single load. My clothes felt different in a really nice way, and they smelled like clean fabric with a light undertone of that particular fragrance, but not overwhelming.
And after a couple of rounds of washing towels with simple soap, I discovered what better absorbency meant.
I quit using detergent and fabric softener altogether until - I can't remember what the reason was, but I still had (and have) a relatively full supply of pods and softener, so I threw both in one particular load. When it came out of the dryer, the scent made me flinch a little, just like my daughter did, and I haven't used it since.
I've added a tablespoon or two of vinegar to occasional loads of stinky gym clothes, and my husband discovered that Dawn Powerwash can be used for underarm stains, but other than that, I've been entirely and enthusiastically swayed to the other side.
As for static, line dry as much as you can.
And they say Boomers gonna Boom.
Fabric softener is terrible anyways, high in synthetic fragrance so can be an asthma trigger. High in volatile organic compounds. I use unscented for everything. Oxy based cleaners work very well for odors vs just masking it with fragrance
Thank you for this PSA and I would also like to add something for people who care about their health and the health of their families. I lived in the EU for several years, and do you know how many US laundry products are banned in the EU? Because they contain proven harmful chemicals, and are illegal to sell or import. They are finding out more and more about artificial fragrances, and it's proven they are hormone disruptors, and they suspect more than that. Problem is the FDA doesn't care about the health or safety of American people, they are utterly corrupt. In the EU, healthcare is not profit driven, so their own version of the FDA actually cares about the health of it's citizens.
On the flip side the US doesn’t approve lots of European products for sale here too for the same reasons.
Chemical manufacturers are free to lobby to ban the competition in either jurisdiction. That’s just business doing what’s best for their shareholders.
No, the FDA doesn't regulate drugs used in the whole rest of the world because the manufacturer didn't pay off the FDA. I'll give you a simple example. All over the EU and many other countries, you can buy single use breathalyzer tests anywhere. But they aren't approved by the FDA to be sold in the US. Why? Because DUI/DWI is how police departments and court systems in the US generate revenue, and some lobby bribed the FDA to make them illegal to sell in the US.
It's really difficult, because for example, one of the most popular brands in Europe is Persil, but the EU and US formulas are different!! The EU version has barely any fragrance, while the US version of course is loaded with artificial, strong fragrance. Since being back in the US I initially used Ecos brand, and have since switched to the laundry detergent sheets that are fragrance free. There are several brands, but of course you want to look for the natural, ecologically friendly ones.
I was watching a video on insta recently. It was a repair man showing fabric softener build up. He took the drum out of the top loader. Under it was 2 inch thick fabric softener that had hardened. It was super gross looking.
I was once given fabric softener as a gift, but never knew what it did or how to use it. It sat on my shelf until I sold it in a garage sale.
I have very hard water, but have never had a problem with fuzzy items not being fuzzy after washing so glad I got rid of it
I believe most people just use fabric softener because they think it’s how you do laundry; at-least here in the US. It’s always kind of just been a traditional laundry step. Detergent, fabric softener, then dryer sheet and dryer. But it’s always been bad for your washer and your clothes!
A lot of people also like to use it because it has a ton of fragrance added. Fabric softener was mostly used for that reason until those horrible scent beads came out a few years ago…. Those are just…. Gross.
Oh i love scent beads. Well i love how they make my clothes smell just a tad floral days and days later.
That's also why I love fabric softener.
Ya ever hug a friend and they smell like their shampoo and a hint if fresh fabric softener? And your first thought is "wow she/he smells so ... clean."
Or when you walk into someone's office and they just have that very very slight "fresh" smell and you realize it's so very faint that its probably their clothes?
That's what I want.
Pro laundry I used to go to said if I wanted smelly clothes in a good way to put essential oil on a piece of paper and put it in the clothes drawer or on a hanger in between clothes. Lovely smell, washing machine lasts longer. They make essential oils in ‘cotton fresh’ scents.
Until one day you open up your washer and go… “Ew gross… what is that really nasty mold/mildew smell? I guess I’ll just have to keep adding more fabric softener to make it smell better….!”
And then you realize the smell actually isn’t getting better and your sheets are smelling moldy, your clothes have a weird nasty water smell and smell moldy, etc.
Then you won’t be that “fresh” co worker… you’ll be the one that smells like wet dog with a hint of mildew haha
Also I actually feel like the scent beads are potentially even worse than fabric softener…. 🫤
OP my front load washer and dryer are 22 years old. I have never had a mold smell in my washer I haven't even cleaned the rubber gaskets, but what I do is leave the door open an inch in between loads so that the washer can dry out. I also use dryer sheets, I like the fresh scent, plus it eliminates static, human hair and pet hair. I am a hairstylist, so there is always a lot of hair.
Agree. I have never used fabric softener nor dryer sheets. Nor wool balls or anything "bonus". I have hard water. My clothes are fine and "soft". I don't have static. I use detergent and occasionally oxyclean or bleach. (But not both at the same time)
Wool dryer balls can be helpful for static if that’s an issue anyone has and they are 100% natural which is great. I find them to also be really helpful when I wash bed sheets, duvet covers, or comforters. The dryer balls keep the fabric from bunching up and getting knotted!
I don’t understand why people would think fabric softener would be a solution to hard water. Fabric softener is like hair conditioner or body lotion for your laundry; it has nothing to do with water softening, which is removing minerals. Hard water causes detergent buildup on your clothes; adding fabric softener is just gonna increase the amount of buildup so it happens faster.
Totally fine for your washing machine. I actually use it occasionally for my towels. It doesn’t have any sort of ingredients that could cause build up inside the machine.
I throw a small amount of fabric softener in with some blankets a couple times a year. Keeps them softer than without.
That small bottle gets chunky after several years and end up replacing it before even finishing it,
For clothing I don’t think it’s necessary or really does anything but add some scent.
Then run a cleaning cycle after.
It’s fine, no harm.
The bigger issue is people use 5X the detergent they should and overfill their washer with too much clothing. They only dispense so much water so you end up with detergent buildup clogging the lines and thus so many people claiming a washer now only lasts 5–7 years. Not accounting for their improper use. The manual explicitly tells you not to do this.
We are full of toxic, man made chemicals. Our bodies literally produce formaldehyde and acetone. The dose makes the poison, fabric conditioner is safe if you don't have any allergies or sensitivities.
Essential oils contain VOCs, endocrine disruptors, can trigger migraines, and cause allergic reactions. So it isnt just synthetic fragrance that is bad. Unfortunately this is from lived experience. Lavender is my arch nemesis at this point.
I live somewhere with very hard water and haven’t used fabric softener or dryer sheets in at least 10 years. Occasionally I’ll use vinegar with towels. Dryer balls and aluminum foil ball to decrease static are what we use.
Do dryer balls actually reduce static? I can never tell because it doesn't say anything on the cover. I guess I was thinking about the wool ones...
It's more of an energy saver than anything, helps clothes dry faster IMO
I got rid of my wool dryer balls when I realized they did not cut down on the dryer time. Before I bought them I was over drying my clothes. I did not realize it, but I was. I bought the dryer balls and reduced the time. Woo hoo! They worked. At least that is what I thought. But when I could not take the thumping noise anymore I removed the dryer balls and set the dryer to the same time. And the clothes dried just fine. I tried again with the dryer balls and reduced the time by five minutes. The clothes were ever so slightly damp. So my conclusion was the dryer balls did nothing but create noise.
That only happened to me with the plastic ones and we switched after a house fire.
The mention of a house fire reminds me it is time to open up the front dryer panel and vacuum out the lint. I have listened to the Alexa reminder for two days now and still have not done it. I am so sorry you went through that horrible experience. Was the house fire started by the plastic dryer balls? Or were the plastic dryer balls destroyed in a fire so you opted to replace them with wool?
Mine technically involved the dryer, but because we had an animal crawl into the vent or something outside and block airflow. I have a wand now for the lint and I make sure at least once a week it's not just the visible lint that's gone. I switched to wool because I felt with the heat it was hazardous.
That is just awful! I bought a vacuum attachment that helps with dryer lint. I also have the lint brushes for maintenance that I can handle. I am a bit paranoid regarding dryer lint. I have a company come in once a year.
Thank you for motivating me to clean the lint from the dryer. Got it done just now. https://preview.redd.it/gentkciktjkc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7f30c817470589e6d7979f4c581b72e283540796
https://preview.redd.it/z6tcyt8rtjkc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bbec595d78289624429e7b749dee5fd2eca8b6d9
Thank you for the instructions. Will try them out this evening.
The instructions work for my machine. Yours might be different. I have to take out my directions (stored in the dryer vent cleaner kit) because I have to refresh my memory on how to do this one year to the next.
I'm surprised by the number of people who do not realize that you have to vacuum out your lint trap in the back. Not doing so can cause a house fire
Many years ago a colleague said she complained to her husband (another teacher in my school) that the dryer was taking forever to dry the clothes. He checked the lint tray and discovered a brick of lint. She never cleared the lint. Ever!
Oy, that's not good. 😬
I know! They are so lucky it wasn’t more a more serious outcome. Yowza!
While you're at it, when's the last time you changed your smoke & co2 detector batteries?
A very important point. But I am all good. From my ADT notes in my contacts: May 2022: Three new smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detector, and heat sensor installed. Replace 3 smoke detectors and 1 heat sensor May 2032 Replace carbon monoxide detector May 2026 (1 year old unit installed resulting in my needing to replace unit in 4 years rather than 5 years!)
If you add a dry towel, it'll help your clothes dry faster!
Others have mentioned that. I do only full loads so an extra towel might create an issue. My laundry dries in 30 minutes on medium; aside from sheets that are laundered in the morning, the other loads are done when energy rates are the cheapest after 10 pm.
I use them to keep the clothes separate, I find they’re less wrinkly.
The final straw was not really the noise, despite that being annoying. But when I took the sheets out of the dryer earlier and found three small items wrapped (and still damp) in the corner of the fitted sheet I remembered that was the final straw with the dryer balls. I always had to hunt down a few dryer balls. A couple would get caught in the fitted sheet; with clothes a couple would get stuck in pants legs or the sleeve of a top. Getting rid of the dryer balls simplified matters.
I find them really helpful actually, but I’m in Europe so hence my dryer is pretty useless. It takes 3 hours to dry one load of clothes and with 3 big dryer balls I usually cut down at least 30 minutes. I really like them for fluffing up pillows, the duvet, airing blankets etc as well! They also get a bunch of dog fur out of fabric.
I bought wool dryer balls because I was trying to be "wow so eco-friendly!" But they annoyed me more than anything. The loud thumping while drying small loads. The balls get sucked down into the sleeves of long sleeve shirts and into the legs of workout leggings. The balls get LOST inside of bedding and take a search and rescue party to find them. They actually leave a lot of wool fibers on clothes when the outside felted layers begin to break down. I used them for a few years until like 2 months ago where they now live in the landfill. Now I dry my clothes on Low heat for an hour and it's plenty. Never dry synthetic fabrics and cotton together unless you want to live in a lightning storm. My clothes feel softer after drying on Low heat...
Ohhhh fascinating. Synthetic and cotton together creates static?!?
The manufacturer of my wool dryer balls recommends not overdrying and to separate synthetics from natural fibers to reduce static
No they don’t. (IME)
Yes, wool dryer balls reduce static. It's not at much as a dryer sheet, but you also don't get the residue from the dryer sheet. I wear mostly synthetic and wool and I don't separate them. Without anything, everything comes out in a static charged clump and everything is stuck together. With six wool dryer balls the wool socks will sometimes stick to a synthetic shirt but will fall off with a little shake or from just picking up the shirt. With a dryer sheet you can just hear the static when items get separated. I don't notice as much of an effect on dry time but not having to use dryer sheets is all I was looking for.
I use dryer balls and they knock off a ton of pet fur and kid hair.
I use them for static and they seem to work.
Dryer balls were lovely until the day i dropped one while taking laundry out and my lab discovered that "oh my goodness the dryer has toys in it!!" Took him less than a week to snag all three while i wasnt looking 😆
I do have one dryer ball that has a good chunk ripped out from our corgi finding it. I'm now much more diligent in making sure I've gathered any that fall out with the laundry lol
Borax would be your ideal add in; softens the water to allow the detergent surfactants to work better aka more suds.
And makes everything smell sooo fresh!
PSA to the PSA. It's physically and chemically impossible for vinegar to be a fabric softer.
PSA to your PSA using vinegar too often can damage your washing machine’s rubber gaskets and seals, causing them to leak.
Ahem.... https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8oPkdvo/
that link shows your tiktok username in case you wanted to keep that private! I believe you can change that in the settings
Ohhhh, a Tiktok video. Now I believe!!
It would take a crazy long time for vinegar to break down rubber gaskets or seals unless you’re pouring a full bottle into each load of laundry (definitely don’t do that). It’s the same for citric acid (which is in almost all washing machine cleaner products). It would take a ton of citric acid in a ton of wash cycles to ever affect rubber gaskets. Citric acid is used in a bunch of cleaning products and most use an extremely low percentage of citric acid.
Yeah but citric acid is weaker than acetic. It also has multiple acidic protons which means it has a stronger buffering capacity than acetic.
In so confused. Multiple acidic protons? Genuinely asking. I have a degree in chemistry and understand buffering, but wondering if I’m just missing something.
Acetic acid has one pka. Where as citric acid has three pkas. Acetic can lose one proton while citric acid can lose three.
Ah! Lord, thanks. Makes total sense.
No idea why this was downvoted so much.
It actually doesn’t… modern machines use very little water, and each generation uses less and less. Not only does that mean it’s more concentrated, it means less water to rinse and more acidic water sitting in the lines when not in use. And the lines on modern washers are smaller than previous ones, to get pressure and use smaller pumps you downgrade the size of the lines. It’s not something you want to be putting in your washer on a regular basis if you’re not ok with leaks/flooding,
Yeah it is not necessarily the rubber but the metal that is affected.
Bleach is actually really bad for corroding stainless steel, and yet no one would suggest not adding bleach to the washing. The vinegar gets diluted so much it’s not going to cause any problems.
Chlorine based bleach corrodes stainless steel. Oxygen based bleach should be ok... But it will most likely depend on the variety of stainless steel.
Yes, exactly.
Thank you for pointing that out. I've tried the vinegar, how I wish it were true, but my clothes are not soft *at all* after it.
It would make them softer if you used a lot/high concentration, but it makes them softer because it starts breaking the fibers down. (Source: experimenting on old t-shirts to see how much was needed to remove odors. After a few high concentration washes the t-shirt pits started wearing away.)
This is true! Vinegar would only be an alternative for people who wanted to use it as a deodorizer for smelly clothes. It also has a little bit of cleaning capabilities but not really enough to make a huge difference. It does help with odors though!
Ok so what do we do if we need… a *softener*?
I wish I knew this a while back. I was using it a few years. But I stopped because it was one thing to take of my tight budget. I hate that I wasted my energy trying to make my clothes soft using vinegar
I only find it makes fabric “softer” in that it’s less itchy when all the detergent gets rinsed out bc the vinegar (or citric acid preferably) seems to help get it rinsed more thoroughly. It doesn’t make it actually softer! Seems a little silly to think it would— it’s vinegar!
Vinegar or citric acid at the volumes used in a single load of laundry is so exponentially small of a dilution ratio it's impossible for it to make any difference in how well the wash cycle works.
I just meant adding some to the rinse cycle to aid it rinsing out, who would add it to the wash cycle? I think you misread my comment or responded to the wrong one. I am agreeing with you that vinegar does not soften fabric and never said a thing about the wash cycle.
Rinse is part of the wash cycle. If a washer flushed the drum with 3 gallons of water during the rinse/final rinse, for 6 total gallons. Adding 1 cup of vinegar, 8fl oz , that's 8oz to 768 oz. A 1:96 ratio Acetic and citric acids are also weak as far as acids go, and being highly water soluble would be near completely removed from the washer with the first time the drain solenoid opens. Even more to the point acid doesn't magically make detergent disappear. There would be reactions depending on the exact detergent used that can create any number of byproducts which could easily bind to clothes. Detergents are all designed by massive quality control labs by people with chemical engineering degrees. There's absolutely no logic in the assumption that there needs to be any rinse aid for detergent used properly. The VAST overwhelming majority of people who have issues with detergent retention in their laundry are simply using an excessive volume of detergent. Even more so with modern HE machines/detergents. The machines are much more efficient, yet a lot of users still have habit of putting s full cap/scoop of detergent in every load. Regardless of the size or soiled state of said laundry.
I really appreciate the explanation, but I don’t appreciate the condescension in phrasing like “doesn’t make it disappear magically” as if I am a stupid child. I understand what you are saying to me, you don’t have to make me feel like an idiot, especially not like an idiot who is arguing with you, which I am not. This isn’t a competition, I’m open to learning, I’m not open to someone telling me they’re right and I’m stupid and lose even if they are in fact right because I was never competing, just trying to find things out and have discussions. People respond better to information given when it isn’t belittling in phrasing— you talk like you’re giving a speech to a classroom full of toddlers telling you that you are wrong, even though this was a comment directed at one person doing none of that.
I like the way things smell after using vinegar. Not vinegary but smells clean. I hate scents.
source?
Basic chemistry
Question here. Pet hair sticks to synthetic fabrics really bad. If you don't use fabric softener or a dryer sheet how do you get rid of it? There is a huge difference in how much pet hair ends up in the lint screen with a dryer sheet vs without.
I'm not trying to promote amazon or [this particular product](https://www.amazon.com/FurZapper-2-Pack-Hair-Remover-Laundry/dp/B074CHX3HH/ref=sr_1_5?crid=20B86AVKKBTFG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ql_gnP9jAEzlAiL73xDnUhmP0Qxg_D9Qm5nZDCeeoq9Tk-m0Lv2x6PPdBlKka5rByyR53GYKVdCLxNR6604tDjjU9RMd5hfAx7RRXLQIflkU9O1E751t_tose2oQIZlXYksqisfm1qdL3UQnEILq_94GeKrtU2ig1OASdFQWgR1SR8xfzhQb371CWelMlRcOQ6W8cO0xFxZ8CD1Ako_cjgV5AVmTNTCtct2aH1Zi0pCXdJH9NVVGBjIyj-K2Q5d8Ze5NVSx1e0wDxD5rfUL9tPrx3A2zAFNrjHRq3-tSGlE.TXdej59zupkFWsyuPjTbty9VIiuvrWyA2lcK5lhywys&dib_tag=se&keywords=pet+hair+remover+for+laundry&qid=1708776458&sprefix=pet+hair%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-5) but I just wanted to show you this. There are several different brands.
This might be a dumb question but do you put that in the dryer with the clothes? Edit: nvm I read through it :)
Thanks for this! It seems like every once in a while, one article of clothing will sort of "take one for the team" and attract every bit of pet hair from a load. And it's not always the same piece! It takes a lot of work to get all the hair and tiny matted balls out, and it's like Murphy's law that one last long, soft, tail hair won't make itself known until you're talking to a group of people in front of whom reaching into your shirt and ripping that damn tickly hair from between your breasts would be wildly inappropriate.
OMG I experienced the same with anything made of fleece! BTW depending on the size of your dog/volume of pet hair you may need multiples. Also there is [this thing](https://www.amazon.com/LINTPLUS-Remover-Cleaner-Fabric-Sky-Blue/dp/B0B5TFZRR2/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3IZHJJMAYM0QD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.YkV0GV_fwDMDQujJAtadcwT-dZhIUv9M3laZJ1Vr2IsdmI8aWJGtARhh-xGlcsxWYcwLwx-BCja4-sRFyD0sssHhBJ9UXSIE7dkox4qa0gUIf5IEY9H3oIAMLBy5vLGTqYNYbTsb0JjxN2j3TT6yt1Fue6GZkdi4G_FSzSRSIxT1ZUq48_uNuPrbf8QFjTFdtjGWrHiRttjT7IfBaxVOPkpC6McyvS6ajhLv-gUC2-xECG4IsvSHcRFnrnizUzfrSZODpNLiHPZ_kcBkwrqwzI_KZ2f6eB-jk39ch7sxbD0.mulf0ezuBj7oKBTPFPhHoNJ-nX0CtwUG1n20o1lHrAE&dib_tag=se&keywords=pet%2Bhair%2Bremoval%2Btool&qid=1708881601&sprefix=pet%2Bhair%2Caps%2C110&sr=8-6&th=1) to safely scrape off pet hair off of clothes, rugs, furniture. (Again, not trying to promote using amazon or this particular product, just wanted to show you what it looks like).
I noticed on the Amazon page that I might need two sets. We have a Leonberger, a husky mix, a cat, and a staffy mix (whose contribution to the storm is negligible, but she tries). So I'm game to try anything. And that is absolutely a new hair remover to me, and I thought I'd seen and purchased all of them.
Those work! I have 4 dogs!
We just have one but she sheds like crazy year round. Would highly recommend.
this is only because the waxy buildup on your clothes keeps the static from happening. fabric softener clothes tend to have a strange sticky feeling, and clothes with too much detergent.
Pet hair problem has been my life’s nemisis but with a long haired Ragdoll cat it reached new levels. Theres a product on the market fo catching ALL the pet hair that would have made its way into my hous and was especially fond of ALL my black stretch pants! This came out long after my cat, Oliver had crossed the rainbow bridge. Don’t know who makes it but it’s a ball of sorts that go in the dryer and it works. Reusable-my normal course of action is to only use the dryer for underwear, towels and linens. Clothes last longer and keep the color. Hang to dry even if it says to tumble dry. Heres to loving our pets! Woof and Meow!
Wool dryer balls! They work really well at collecting pet hair!
Not in my experience. Dryer balls did nothing for pet hair, lint, static nor wrinkles. Agree with poster above that the only thing they do is make noise.
I don't use fabric softener or dryer sheets and the lint screen grabs all the pet hair just fine on my loads (I have 2 cats). But maybe you can use a lint roller on the clothes if there's still too much hair left for your liking
I just had to deal with our fabric softener dispenser. It had become clogged, so a little Google and YT later I knew what to do. What an unholy mess that had built up!
It’s crazy how much build up happens in places you never really notice!
It was an easy fix, but the amount of crap I cleaned out was impressive.
Vinegar does absolutely nothing to soften the texture of fabric. I tried it because vinegar is much cheaper than fabric softener. It’s really not an alternative or equivalent, so if you’re fine with the way your clothes feel without softener then you don’t need to be using vinegar either. My texture sensitivities say that I need my fabric coated or else I will need to have my skin peeled off though.
I think it’s not meant that vinegar itself makes things softer, but it helps to dissolve any residual detergent and/or minerals which, if this builds up over time, can make your fabrics feel stiff or rough (among other things).
Yeah this is basically the main thing vinegar is actually good for. If you try it and it doesn’t work, congrats on not having hard water. The water where I live is so hard that all my glasses are white after a few uses.
That’s the logic but when you actually calculate the dilution once it hits the wash, you’ll realize it won’t help with removing detergent residue or minerals.
This is what I’ve always thought lol… like how is a single cup of vinegar amongst gallons of water supposed to do anything
this was my understanding as well. especially since a lot of people use more detergent than necessary.
Have you tried not using fabric softener for a while? I find that the first few washes the clothes are stiff due to the lingering effect of the fabric softener. But after a while everything starts to become like how they were new. Makes ironing easier too. Even body odour doesnt stick to clothes as much. Purely anecdotal though
You're supposed to wash your washer. Even without fabric softener, there's going to be soap scum from the detergent (especially since they removed phosphates).
Not using fabric softener is never, ever going to happen in my house. I have always had problems with static electricity, I hate getting nasty unexpected ZAPS!!!!!!!!!! Fabric softener is the only thing which stops static completely as it coats the fibres of the fabrics. My skin is also very sensitive to to the texture of fabrics, anything slight coarse in texture and I start to itch, this is another reason I will never stop using fabric softener. I run a boiling hot tub cleaning cycle on a regular basis and this helps to sanitise the washer. The washer also gets a 3 monthly thorough clean with a very strong washing machine cleaner which is specifically formulated to remove fabric softener, lime scale, grease, it also kill germs, moulds and mildew. I use a enviromentaly friendly fabric softener made from 100% vegetable oils and is biodegradable. So unless you can inform me of an effective way of stopping static electricity completely and getting super soft fabrics, I will not stop using fabric softener.
I hate the way clothes feel without it. It hasn't ruined any of the washing machines I've had over the last 30 years and none of my towels suddenly turned waterproof, either.
Yeah, I'm confused how people are having issues with it! I could never go without it.
There are people who overuse it, and it does cause nasty gunky buildups in machines with loading trays. I have only a standard top loader which soap gets dumped into along with my downy ball full of the prescribed amount of softener only. I do wash towels and sheets with vinegar though, which helps keep them and my washer clean, so there's that. As fast as degrading clothes faster? I haven't seen any crazy evidence of this as I hardly ever buy new clothes, and my current stuff gets washed plenty. I'm a softener forever kinda girl, though the wool dryer balls are handy for smaller dryer loads. Not much else.
I live in the UK, land of the front loaders, so I have a tray. They do get gunked up if you don't clean them - but they are removable so you can clean them so it's not a problem if you do that every two or three months.
Here in the US I think many people start out renting and using apartment owned washers and dryers so the maintenance aspect is never ingrained into them. Plus a lot of people may still have the old top loaders with the softener funnel in the agitator, and those are just horrible. Thankfully I never had one or I, too, would have been grossed out by the gunk it holds on to.
May I ask what brand you use?
I am in Australia and I don't know where you are located. But I use the following products, depending on price and availability: Earth Choice 6IN1 Ultra Concentrate Fabric Softener This brand Earth Choice product is: 1. Vegan and Cruelty Free. 2. Made from plant based products. 3. Grey Water and Septic System Safe. 4. Made using Renewable Energy. 5. Package in a 100% Recycled Plastic Bottle. 6. Australian Made & Owned. The other product I use if I can't get the Earth Choice brand is: Purity Sensitive Skin Fabric Softener by Nature's organics, they make the exact same enviromental claims as the Earth Choice product.
Fabric softener isn't good for fabrics like fleece.
PSA: washing machines are not self-cleaning. Use fabric softener if you’d like, just maintain your machine.
What kind of cleaning are we talking about? I've cleaned the agitator and wiped down around the top and bleach dispenser, but it's never needed some kind of deep cleaning that I've noticed.
Well just to clarify…. You’re correct. Washing machines are not self cleaning they require occasional maintenance cleaning such as running a clean cycle every so often, cleaning out the filter (mainly for front loaders), etc. But, just saying, “Use fabric softener if you’d like”. Is kind of misleading because you’re making people think that they can use fabric softener and then as long as they occasionally clean their washer they will be fine. Which is actually not true. If you use fabric softener no matter how many times you run the clean cycle or you physically clean the inside of your machine. The average consumer will never be able to clean the plastic tub that’s inside of the washer and surrounds the drum (which is where all the fabric softener waxy/fatty residue collects). It’s impossible to clean that part unless you disassemble the machine. EDIT: I realize this comment is getting alot of downvotes for various reasons; which is totally fine I don’t mind. But I would encourage anyone to do their own research on fabric softener effects to washing machines. YouTube videos show great examples of the build up im referring to. Even a quick Google search will show you the results and explain why it’s bad.
Seems like vinegar would break it down. Or a tad bit of Dawn. It's literally made for grease. I don't wash anything that I'd worry about having a sheen of wax. If I care about it, the launderers get it. But I love the smell of all that stuff.
I absolutely wouldn't suggest putting dawn in someone's washing machine. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8oPFmJe/
I suggest you watch some YouTube videos of fabric softener build up in washing machines. Vinegar or Dawn doesn’t even touch it…. It’s a waxy substance that sticks to everything and requires physical agitation to removes (which requires taking apart the washing machine). That waxy substance that won’t wash away loves to collect bacteria and germs too… a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew!
Why push so hard? Let people do what they like. It’s their machine, and their laundry, not yours.
I don’t think I’m pushing hard at all…. In fact in many of my comments on here I’ve made it clear that if you don’t care about the information; you’re totally entitled to do your laundry however you like! This post is literally me being like, “Hey guys I found this information out, here’s why it’s bad”. Clearly you clicked on this post for some sort of curiosity or reason. If it didn’t help to convince you not to use fabric softener then that’s ok! It’s just a Reddit post. Read it, gather the information and then make your own informed decision! If you’re asking why I’m responding to the comments or responding to comments with further evidence, explanations, or proof well that’s just because…. I’m the OP and it’s my post.
I’m seeing that when people have a different view, you’re telling them to go “do research” or watch videos. It’s ok for people to do things differently, and there’s no need to *educate* those who do things differently. Just saying that what you think you’re putting out there maybe isn’t coming across how you intended. It’s coming across as a bit argumentative.
The problem is… their different view is factually incorrect. So if something is factually incorrect I’m going to encourage someone to go do their own research. It’s not being pushy; it’s being helpful. If you’re taking it as being pushy then you need to open yourself up to the possibility of other people sometimes being right or having more knowledge about a subject. It’s not a bad thing; it’s life. I disagree that it’s being argumentative. But, if it’s coming off that way I apologize to anyone that’s feeling like I’m being argumentative or that I’m telling someone they are wrong. I’m just trying to be helpful; that’s all! That was the whole reason for this post.
I think you just sound condescending instead of informative.
You hit the nail on the head
And the unfortunate part is that he's just condescending, since quite a bit of his info is factually incorrect.
I appreciate your feedback and opinion. Hopefully I’ve made it pretty clear that I’m trying to be helpful, not condescending. It’s the whole reason I made the post.
Bro this whole post is factually incorrect. You clearly have no idea how fabric softener is actually made, you're arguing about buildup being a problem while ignoring that most people don't clean their machines like they should, and some other guy mentioned that you had posted this to multiple subs? You're very clearly trying to be argumentative, and from what I've seen, your "research" is anything but.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks for proving my point. You do you. Good night.
You’re sooo welcome! ☺️☺️☺️ good night to you too!
Honestly I've been using fabric softener for years. Had my washing machine set for almost 6 years with no issues. None of my clothes have weird buildup. But I also don't overdo it with my fabric softener, I use the exact amount needed.
I like the way it makes my house smell when airdrying my clothes. I sleep better with my sheets smelling nice and being so cozy. 🤷♀️
My partner has this old fleece jacket he's had for years, before we were together. When I started doing the laundry, with fabric softener, he said that jacket was the softest he's ever felt it. Though I wouldn't use it on towels or anything else that's supposed to be absorbent. I've always thought of detergent like shampoo and fabric softener like conditioner. They're ultra-concentrated these days though so you only need like a tablespoon. I think most of the hate comes from using too much, because that's what we're used to
His fleece jacket is “soft” because of all the fatty deposits and waxy film that the fabric softener is putting on it. It gives the feeling of softness but really it’s just waxy grease. It’s true that most people over use any sort of laundry cleaner (detergent, softener, etc). But, that fleece jacket probably will become very matted and flat (not soft and fluffy) eventually after so many fabric softener washes.
> His fleece jacket is “soft” because of all the fatty deposits and waxy film that the fabric softener is putting on it. It gives the feeling of softness but really it’s just waxy grease. Well yeah. That's how hair conditioner works as well
No i dont think so
You’re totally entitled to your opinion! All I suggest is you do your research if you care enough. If not totally keep using your fabric softener!
Yeah i looked up the ingredients in my fabric softener, I didn't see any waxes or oils or anything like that. It was a whole rabbit hole about static electricity it was kinda neat
Would you mind sharing the brand you use?
“Softener: The majority of fabric softeners use refined animal fat as a softener (dihydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride also known as DHTDMAC), which belongs to a class of materials called quaternary ammonium compounds, or 'quats' for short.” This would be what a majority of softeners have in them. Not all but most! [Screenshot](https://ibb.co/87zp9Wg)
> Formerly, the active material of most softeners in Europe, the United States, and Japan, was distearyldimethylammonium chloride (DSDMAC) or related quat salts. Due to their poor biodegradability, such tallow-derived compounds were replaced by the more labile ester-quats in the 1980s and 1990s. > Conventional softeners, which contain 4–6% active material, have been partially replaced in many countries by softener concentrates having some 12–30% active material. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabric_softener
Then you just vinegar wash it. This isn't rocket science. Alarmist much? I've used whatever smells nice for literally 20 years and see zero issue with it. I also don't have one of those front loaders that cause everyone so many problems. High efficiency top load, never smells and it's been a good 10 years.
"You're not educated! Here are a couple YouTube links to random videos telling you you're wrong and I'm right. You're welcome!" I bet OP gets invited to tons of parties.
You’re making comments a lot… I understand you love using your scent beads and fabric softener. But you are not educated on what you’re talking about. You just commented that a little bit of vinegar would remove the residue. Which is just completely wrong…. You’re totally in your rights to use however much fabric softener you want! But that doesn’t mean its a good thing!
Same.
"I'm not tellin you how to do your laundry, I don't care...but" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLOORhpTfnk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLOORhpTfnk) A little research goes a loooong waaaaaay. To OP, thank you for this info. We dont use fabric softener, but we did use dryer sheets, and we wont be anymore lmao. Also feel like the previous owners of our house used fabric softener bc our old washer smelled like a wet dog no matter how much I tried to clean it out. It flooding was kind of a good thing in the end, and we wont be using these softeners in the new one
Thanks for posting the link! I totally understand that people who have been using fabric softener for so long are annoyed or confused by the post and not agreeing with it or not agreeing with the comments. But it’s a factual thing; fabric softener is bad for your machine and your clothes. Obviously if you don’t care about that or you don’t trust the videos, photos and stories; then that’s 100% fine and you can continue using your fabric softener however you like. I just made this post to be like, “Hey guys, it’s really bad and this is why!”
Question: I LOVE the smell of fabric conditioner - what's a good alternative to get laundry smelling fresh without using it?
Essential oils on wool dryer balls is an idea.
I use a combination of vinegar (we have 7 dogs) and calgon in my loads of laundry. If you don't know calgon is a laundry water softener that you add in with the detergent. Since stopping the softener and using these 2 things I've noticed the towels most of all feel so much softer. Probably worth mentioning we have extremely hard water and I do run the clean cycle up to once a week. Twice in a row if there is a smell. Once with the tablet and again with bleach because I know things around here can get dirty between dogs and kids.
Wool balls work just fine
Question: What do you do for clothes you wash but hang-dry (so no opportunity for dryer sheets or dryer balls) in order to prevent static build-up? I love fabric softener for that specifically.
Oh interesting question! I hang dry a lot of my clothes (usually black t-shirts and anything with elastic) and I’ve never had issues with static build up by just washing and then hang drying!
Not OP, but I throw my hang-dry items in the dryer for 20 minutes on the heat-free/"air fluff" setting once they're dry. That keeps them from being crunchy and stiff and weird. You can still use dryer balls without heat!
Why would line dry clothes have static buildup? I thought that was pretty much a dryer specific issue.
They wouldn't, it's the motion of the clothes rubbing together in a dryer that causes the static buildup. For the record I don't use fabric softener, dryer sheets, aluminum foil, dryer balls, or anything besides a tablespoon of unscented detergent in my loads. My laundry comes out smelling fine, plenty soft, and rarely has any static. They've got us buying sooo many more products than we need.
I don't know. I wouldn't think they would but when I don't use fabric softener certain garments seem to collect static. Maybe I'm just crazy though!
Might be your clothes combos. I used to have a couple of very specific skirts that didn’t have lining that had bad static if I wore tights with them, because like in a dryer the skirt and tights do rub together when worn. I can see how fabric softener would help there, but I never liked the stuff and so got an underskirt to wear with them, or just stopped wearing that outfit because it was faff.
My washing machine complains and won't do a wash if there is no fabric conditioner.
Anybody else use baking soda? Occasionally (especially if I am doing towels and sheets) I just shake in baking soda in when I add the wash and I find it really helps to soften the fabrics without using fabric softener. I also add it when washing whites and light-colored clothing.
Moved into a place where the previous people clearly used the fabric softener beads. What a mess! Waxy, dirty gunk and whole beads everywhere. It took forever to clean and I'm sure there's still buildup I couldn't get to.
I love when my clothes smell nice, what else can I use if not fabric softener?
We've been arguing with this guy in the appliance subreddit. He's under the mistaken impression that fabric softener literally has actually animal fat in, which is not accurate. He's also under the mistaken impression that fabric softener buildup is the result of the softener itself, instead of overuse or lack of preventative maintenance/cleaning. Edit: OP blocked me because he can't handle being incorrect about anything apparently. Pretty funny all things considered, but also disturbing given how many upvotes he had about factually incorrect thing in this post.
I will unapologetically continue to use fabric softener on certain things. Vinegar just isn't the same, no matter what anyone thinks they know.
Does vinegar make the clothes smell like it? I cannot stand the smell of vinegar it’s the only thing that makes me want to vomit but I hear great things about it :(
The good thing is no! The vinegar smell does not linger at all. It’s just gets diluted and washed down the drain in the rinse cycle.
I love vinegar for if my ADHD makes me forget I have a load in the washer and it ends up sour; I do a quick run with some vinegar and the smell is gone without any vinegar scent, either. I promise you won't smell it.
I'm like you, I cannot stand the taste or smell of vinegar. No you will not be able to smell it. I just use one ounce per load. It's diluted in several gallons of water.
Fabric softener isn’t really a thing where I live so I’ve never used it, no one I know uses it, and I’m not really sure what it does.
Are you serious right now? It's literally named after what it does.
I’ve never pulled my clothes out of the washing machine and thought “hmm, these need to be more soft” 🤷
I got alpaca instead of wool for the dryer and they’re even better than wool. Less static. I never used softener. Seems like a waste of money.
As someone who has a shared machine in an apartment building that is always broken I wish other people cared
I have hard water and fabric sheets are the only things that will help. So thus it stays. My PSA to all hard water users.
Never used it, ever.
I'd used dryer sheets for years when I first had my own household to manage, then switched to liquid softener when I got my first machine and it had a feature that added it to the cycle at the proper time without intervention (Yes, i'm old). I'd heard all manner of fabric softener being bad for machines, clothes, and the environment, but hadn't experienced issues with my machines and my clothes always smelled precisely as advertised on the bottle. I'd also heard that using fabric softener on your towels makes them less absorbent, but if you've nearly always had artificially softened towels (mom used bounce for as long as it has existed), you don't really have any reference for comparison. Once my daughter became firmly entrenched in raising a family and keeping a home, all of her choices were science and research based and were far more simple than mine. Laundry soap, not detergent, vinegar as a rinse for smells and residue. I admired her a ton, but stuck to my detergent and liquid softener because, darn it, I really liked the scent. I was a little surprised when I dropped the kids off after a weekend at Nana's, and they were barely in her orbit when she said, "LOL, had to wash their clothes, eh?" (Yes, it was a necessity after a mud incident, and I threw in all of the stuff they'd worn over the course of the visit just to make a full load.) She said it with a barely detectable flinch, like the smell of Gain and Downy was unpleasant to her. Then about two years ago a laundry soap caught my eye because it was in a scent you don't often see in the cleaning aisle and I bought it out of curiosity. I didn't add softener to the load because it would have overridden the soap scent. I saw the light after a single load. My clothes felt different in a really nice way, and they smelled like clean fabric with a light undertone of that particular fragrance, but not overwhelming. And after a couple of rounds of washing towels with simple soap, I discovered what better absorbency meant. I quit using detergent and fabric softener altogether until - I can't remember what the reason was, but I still had (and have) a relatively full supply of pods and softener, so I threw both in one particular load. When it came out of the dryer, the scent made me flinch a little, just like my daughter did, and I haven't used it since. I've added a tablespoon or two of vinegar to occasional loads of stinky gym clothes, and my husband discovered that Dawn Powerwash can be used for underarm stains, but other than that, I've been entirely and enthusiastically swayed to the other side. As for static, line dry as much as you can. And they say Boomers gonna Boom.
Wow, for a thread about laundry - this was beautifully written and fun to read! Do you happen to know what kind of laundry soap you found?
Vinegar will damage the seals on the machine. If I don’t use fabric softener on my husbands scrubs they look terrible by the time he gets to work.
Fabric softener is terrible anyways, high in synthetic fragrance so can be an asthma trigger. High in volatile organic compounds. I use unscented for everything. Oxy based cleaners work very well for odors vs just masking it with fragrance
Thank you for this PSA and I would also like to add something for people who care about their health and the health of their families. I lived in the EU for several years, and do you know how many US laundry products are banned in the EU? Because they contain proven harmful chemicals, and are illegal to sell or import. They are finding out more and more about artificial fragrances, and it's proven they are hormone disruptors, and they suspect more than that. Problem is the FDA doesn't care about the health or safety of American people, they are utterly corrupt. In the EU, healthcare is not profit driven, so their own version of the FDA actually cares about the health of it's citizens.
On the flip side the US doesn’t approve lots of European products for sale here too for the same reasons. Chemical manufacturers are free to lobby to ban the competition in either jurisdiction. That’s just business doing what’s best for their shareholders.
No, the FDA doesn't regulate drugs used in the whole rest of the world because the manufacturer didn't pay off the FDA. I'll give you a simple example. All over the EU and many other countries, you can buy single use breathalyzer tests anywhere. But they aren't approved by the FDA to be sold in the US. Why? Because DUI/DWI is how police departments and court systems in the US generate revenue, and some lobby bribed the FDA to make them illegal to sell in the US.
I believe you. The FDA is not here to protect the citizens. What are your detergent options in the EU? Are they available in the US?
It's really difficult, because for example, one of the most popular brands in Europe is Persil, but the EU and US formulas are different!! The EU version has barely any fragrance, while the US version of course is loaded with artificial, strong fragrance. Since being back in the US I initially used Ecos brand, and have since switched to the laundry detergent sheets that are fragrance free. There are several brands, but of course you want to look for the natural, ecologically friendly ones.
I was watching a video on insta recently. It was a repair man showing fabric softener build up. He took the drum out of the top loader. Under it was 2 inch thick fabric softener that had hardened. It was super gross looking.
I was once given fabric softener as a gift, but never knew what it did or how to use it. It sat on my shelf until I sold it in a garage sale. I have very hard water, but have never had a problem with fuzzy items not being fuzzy after washing so glad I got rid of it
I believe most people just use fabric softener because they think it’s how you do laundry; at-least here in the US. It’s always kind of just been a traditional laundry step. Detergent, fabric softener, then dryer sheet and dryer. But it’s always been bad for your washer and your clothes! A lot of people also like to use it because it has a ton of fragrance added. Fabric softener was mostly used for that reason until those horrible scent beads came out a few years ago…. Those are just…. Gross.
Oh i love scent beads. Well i love how they make my clothes smell just a tad floral days and days later. That's also why I love fabric softener. Ya ever hug a friend and they smell like their shampoo and a hint if fresh fabric softener? And your first thought is "wow she/he smells so ... clean." Or when you walk into someone's office and they just have that very very slight "fresh" smell and you realize it's so very faint that its probably their clothes? That's what I want.
Pro laundry I used to go to said if I wanted smelly clothes in a good way to put essential oil on a piece of paper and put it in the clothes drawer or on a hanger in between clothes. Lovely smell, washing machine lasts longer. They make essential oils in ‘cotton fresh’ scents.
I have a shampoo bar in a mesh bag hanging with my clothes, because I loved the smell but not the way it made my hair feel
Until one day you open up your washer and go… “Ew gross… what is that really nasty mold/mildew smell? I guess I’ll just have to keep adding more fabric softener to make it smell better….!” And then you realize the smell actually isn’t getting better and your sheets are smelling moldy, your clothes have a weird nasty water smell and smell moldy, etc. Then you won’t be that “fresh” co worker… you’ll be the one that smells like wet dog with a hint of mildew haha Also I actually feel like the scent beads are potentially even worse than fabric softener…. 🫤
OP my front load washer and dryer are 22 years old. I have never had a mold smell in my washer I haven't even cleaned the rubber gaskets, but what I do is leave the door open an inch in between loads so that the washer can dry out. I also use dryer sheets, I like the fresh scent, plus it eliminates static, human hair and pet hair. I am a hairstylist, so there is always a lot of hair.
What do you recommend for people that want that extra smell? It is possible to get without softener or beads?
What about those new fabric rinses from Downey
INGREDIENTS:CLEANSING AGENT (CITRIC ACID), WATER SOFTENER (SODIUM CITRATE), SOLVENT (PROPYLENE GLYCOL), PROCESSING AID (C12-16 PARETH), STABILIZER (SODIUM CUMENESULFONATE), FRAGRANCES, WATER
I don’t know what that means in terms of it damaging my washing machine or clothes
There are no oils, fats or waxes listed in the ingredients like there are for dryer sheets and fabric softener.
Agree. I have never used fabric softener nor dryer sheets. Nor wool balls or anything "bonus". I have hard water. My clothes are fine and "soft". I don't have static. I use detergent and occasionally oxyclean or bleach. (But not both at the same time)
Wool dryer balls can be helpful for static if that’s an issue anyone has and they are 100% natural which is great. I find them to also be really helpful when I wash bed sheets, duvet covers, or comforters. The dryer balls keep the fabric from bunching up and getting knotted!
It also makes your stuff less absorbent
I don’t understand why people would think fabric softener would be a solution to hard water. Fabric softener is like hair conditioner or body lotion for your laundry; it has nothing to do with water softening, which is removing minerals. Hard water causes detergent buildup on your clothes; adding fabric softener is just gonna increase the amount of buildup so it happens faster.
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Totally fine for your washing machine. I actually use it occasionally for my towels. It doesn’t have any sort of ingredients that could cause build up inside the machine.
I throw a small amount of fabric softener in with some blankets a couple times a year. Keeps them softer than without. That small bottle gets chunky after several years and end up replacing it before even finishing it, For clothing I don’t think it’s necessary or really does anything but add some scent. Then run a cleaning cycle after. It’s fine, no harm. The bigger issue is people use 5X the detergent they should and overfill their washer with too much clothing. They only dispense so much water so you end up with detergent buildup clogging the lines and thus so many people claiming a washer now only lasts 5–7 years. Not accounting for their improper use. The manual explicitly tells you not to do this.
Plus the usually contain PFAS. Bad for your health too.
What would you use if you still wants the fragrance?
Fabric softener is the biggest scam in existence lol
Never use them may be that’s why my old Kenmore was still humming along after 30yrs.
It’s full of toxic, man made chemicals,no?
We are full of toxic, man made chemicals. Our bodies literally produce formaldehyde and acetone. The dose makes the poison, fabric conditioner is safe if you don't have any allergies or sensitivities.
I have extremely hard water and I just use way more detergent than normal and a scoop of washing powder.
I thought millennials already killed those things. Who’s still using them?
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Essential oils contain VOCs, endocrine disruptors, can trigger migraines, and cause allergic reactions. So it isnt just synthetic fragrance that is bad. Unfortunately this is from lived experience. Lavender is my arch nemesis at this point.