Fabric Softener?

While we're talking laundry let's finish it with a fabric softener chat.

I spent years in retail selling clothes. During that time I went through extensive training both by the companies i worked for and on my own to learn about fabrics. And across the board one of the most common themes is avoid fabric softener! It ruins fabrics. It clogs pores and just reduces the lastabilty.

With that said most of us still prefer it. So here're some tips.

I once tried this recipe that didn't work for me but might for you. You take a liquid softener, I even found one that's fragrance free! Take a lidded storage container and put about 1 part softener to 3 parts water in it. Then take some ordinary unused kitchen sponges cut in about 1 inch squares and drop them into your liquid mixture. Do not over fill, all the sponges need to be covered by liquid. Then just throw one in your dryer with each load!

I didn't like this for a couple of reasons. First and most importantly I do NOT recommend using this if you have small children, like under 3. The sponge squares get lost in each load and i assure you a baby will be able one to find it and pop it into their mouth! Perfect little choke hazard. After we pulled about 3 of those out of our 9 month old's mouth I did away with it. Also, I stored mine on my dryer and it got yucky. Like mildewy and clumpy. Perhaps if I'd stored it on a shelf above the dryer the heat wouldn't have bothered it. Or perhaps it wasn't the heat? Still might be worth it to you to give it a shot.

This left me with almost a whole big bottle of liquid fabric softener so I started experimenting. I found that for my HE machine I used about a tablespoon to 2 per load and got great results. That bottle lasted for months! The manufacturers tell you to use a lot more than is necessary with most products. You can take the angle that they are trying to get you to buy more but it could also be that they want to make sure it works really well. Whatever the reason, you can probably use a fourth or even less. Play around with your particular brand.

Now I do not use fabric softener at all. I use white vinegar. That's it! About half full in the fabric softener spot on my machine. It works just fine and there is no smell that I notice and i have a super nose.

But if you do choose to use real fabric softener, do not use it on towels or cloth diapers. It will ruin them by doing just what it does to all your clothes and clogging them. On those things particularly though it stops absorption. Use white vinegar instead to help with softness and static and it also helps clean a little.

Plus if you happen to have invested in some of those fancy workout clothes that are made with a driweave or similar material that is supposed to help keep sweat off you while you exercise, fabric softener will ruin the function of these fabrics also.

I will keep on the lookout for ways to make your own and if i find any i will test them and post about them!