The short answer is no, fabric softener is not a necessary component of washing your clothes. It's an additional substance with lubricating ingredients that help coat and soften fabric fibers and reduce static cling.
Remember, fabric softener is completely optional, and your garments will likely pop out of the dryer feeling fresh, clean, and soft without it. However, “For some, it might make doing their laundry a little more fun to use an extra product that smells very good and is colorful,” Fulford says.
Although most people do not recommend using fabric softener, hang drying clothes does benefit from using it. Just make sure to dilute it before putting it in your machine to avoid stains and accumulation.
Mechanism of action
Fabric softeners impart anti-static properties to fabrics, and thus prevent the build-up of electrostatic charges on synthetic fibers, which in turn eliminates fabric cling during handling and wearing, crackling noises, and dust attraction.
But it comes at a cost: Fabric softener can reduce flame resistance on children's sleepwear, and the residue buildup in the machine can create a healthy environment for mildew to grow in. It can even diminish workout clothes' wicking ability.
Simply add half a cup of white vinegar to your laundry during the rinse cycle, and your clothes will come out smelling clean and fresh. Baking soda is another effective natural fabric softener that can help to eliminate odours and leave your clothes feeling soft and fresh.
Air drying clothes is a great way of saving energy from not using a tumble dryer. It also helps to preserve clothing fibres, which can increase the longevity of your clothes! Not to mention the lovely fresh smell that comes with air drying.
While fabric softener is generally suitable for cotton, linen, and natural fiber fabrics, there are some materials that don't stand up well to the product.
There are a few things you can use to soften your clothes without using fabric softener. One is to add a cup of vinegar to the wash cycle. You can also add a half cup of baking soda. Another option is to use a dryer sheet.
It Can Cause Odors on Clothes
If it builds up too much, your clean laundry might start smelling like mold and mildew. If you are washing sweaty clothes like your gym wear, fabric softener can make the sweaty smell stick to your clothes.
"Add a cup of white vinegar or baking soda to your laundry cycle to help neutralise stubborn odours and freshen up your clothes. For extra freshness, consider adding a few drops of essential oils, such as lavender or eucalyptus, to your wash to leave your clothes smelling heavenly."
For Preventing Buildup: Fabric softeners can build up in your machine over time and cause parts to break down. Conversely, vinegar can help remove soap residues, making it a better choice if you're concerned about buildup.
It is perfectly fine to skip fabric softener. Your clothes will come out fresh and clean from the washing machine.
The coating that fabric softeners and dryers sheets leave behind, lock sweat into the fabric and keep it from drying. This often leads to permanent odor from the bacteria locked in the fabric. Yuck! Instead, wash with similar items in a cold, gentle cycle and air dry.
If you have sensitive skin or allergies, you may want to avoid using dryer sheets. Chemicals and fragrances added to dryer sheets have been known to irritate skin, cause headaches, and even trigger asthma. Environmental concerns may also deter you from using dryer sheets.
If you're looking for ease and combating static cling, dryer sheets might be the way to go. But if you want an all-around softening experience and are mindful of long-term costs, fabric softeners could be your best bet.
Pour 2 cups distilled white vinegar into the container or bottle bottle. Add 20 to 30 drops of your preferred essential oil to the vinegar (optional). Close the container tightly and shake it to thoroughly combine the vinegar and essential oil.
Fabric softener doesn't directly prevent clothes from shrinking. While it can make fabrics feel softer and reduce static, it doesn't influence the fabric's tendency to shrink. Proper washing and drying techniques are more effective in preventing shrinkage.
Air drying clothes is more environmentally friendly, saves money, reduces wrinkles and creases, and increases the lifespan of your clothes. However, air-drying clothes is dependent on the weather, takes more time and requires a little more effort. Tumble drying your clothes is quick and requires minimal effort.
Experts have found that clothes put on drying frames or draped over warm radiators raise moisture levels in our homes by up to 30 per cent, creating ideal breeding conditions for mould spores – and one in particular called aspergillus fumigatus, which can cause potentially fatal lung infections.
Hung outside, the ultraviolet light from the sun kills bacteria effectively in your laundry. Plus, clothes dried in the sun produce a range of aldehydes and ketones; organic compounds that our noses associate with the scent of plants or perfumes.
“Overuse of fabric softeners over time starts to build a film and deposits [that] start to slow down drain time. It can actually start to fill the drain lines and then you get other dirt, debris, grime and things from the clothes that we pick up from the environment [that] start to cling even more,” Copeland explains.
Baking Soda: Baking soda is another natural alternative that can help soften fabrics and eliminate odors. Adding half a cup to one cup of baking soda to the wash cycle can help soften clothes and neutralize odors. Wool Dryer Balls: Wool dryer balls are a specific type of dryer ball made from natural wool fibers.
Wool dryer balls could be considered the most non-toxic fabric softener. They are suitable for towels too. Since they do not contain fragrance or chemical ingredients, they're perfect for people with sensitive skin.