Reasons to avoid fabric softeners:
- They can cause a build-up of gunky residue called 'scrud' in your washing machine, which can end up on your clothes.
- Many fabric softeners contain harmful chemicals that can be bad for the environment and irritate sensitive skin. Typically, fabric softener contains three main ingredients – a conditioning agent, an emulsifier, and colouring and fragrance – as well as various stabilisers and preservatives to extend shelf life.
- Fabric softeners reduce absorbency in your towels, which can make them less effective at drying (which is their only job!).
- They can leave residue on your clothes, making them look dingy and dull, and attracting dirt and bacteria that can make them smell worse over time.
- Fabric softener can also reduce the fire retardancy of clothing.
Alternatives to fabric softeners:
- Add half a cup of white vinegar or a tablespoon of sodium bi-carb to your wash cycle to help soften your clothes and remove any lingering odours.
- Lower the spin speed of your washing machine to avoid flattening the soft pile of your towels.
- A ball of aluminium foil in your clothes dryer may help to reduce static.
- Throw a dry towel into your tumble dryer with clothes to soften fabric and reduce static.
- A clean tennis ball in your dryer with your wet clothes will make them come out lovely and soft.
- Combine two parts water, one part sodium bicarb and one part vinegar in a bowl. Add two tablespoons into the fabric softener dispenser for each load of washing. You can also add a few drops of essential oil if you want to.
- If you have a top loader washing machine, add a few spoonsful of sodium bicarb during the rinse cycle. Unfortunately, you can’t use this in a front loader as the door won’t open until the whole cycle has finished.
- Make your own fabric softener.
More money-saving ideas in the laundry!
Source: choice.com.au
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