Do I NEED fabric conditioner?

I_wanna_live_for_free

Time_to_get_up_and_go wrote: »

Following on from the fabric conditioner thread, how do I know if u have hard or soft water?

http://www.bristan.com/customerservice/Hard-Water-Map

System

I havent used fabric softener for about 5 years now. I dont miss it.

When my son was at primary school i used to walk down with a Mother and her 3 kids. I kid you not, you could smell them before they came round the corner as the smell of fabric softener was so strong.... Funnily enough they all had really bad eczma which ive read since can be agravated by the use of fabric softener.

Rainy-Days

I will confess I do use fabric conditioner but I use just a capful and that is enough. The water is medium hardness, but i do like the scent on my clothes and especially things like socks and jumpers etc it leaves a nice subtle fragrance behind.

Could I do without it? I don't know. Probably not because I like the way it softens my woollens and I notice it very much with the sheets on the bed as well.

sonastin

I've experimented with not using it but the static electricity problem got to me. I don't use it in every load but generally put it in with my work clothes - combination of man-made fibres, really cheap carpet tiles, rubber shoes and metal door handles made life without fabric softener unbearable!

lostinrates

I use it occasionally (hard water area). Never used to though, and while there was a difference in some clothes...cardboard socks made me smile and nod, wear improved this within a short while of bending to the shape of the body they were put on. It's an easy way to save money to use it at least only on the things which seem most 'ridgid'.

kitschkitty

We have hard water and I use vinegar in most washes now, - no cardboard, stained or still smelly socks - also improved the armpits of hubbys t-shirts too.

To be honest though I rarely used fabric conditioner in the past. As for nice smells I will admit that's why I use

rather than anything else these days (there has to be a really amazing offer on to make me buy something else - and it's never as good) as it leaves my washing smelling lovely (especially when dried indoors - which is often)!

BargainHunter99

On the weekend I had bedding to do & all of the times i've used Daz i've never used it on it's own, not once!!!

Well, what can I say...it works really well! It softens alright (Daz Powder) & you can smell it, but I think it might take some more heartache to not use it on clothes yet.

teagan1966

i have to be honest i have a fc addiction, i just pour it in the drawer i go through quite a lot as you can imagine !
not very moneysaving i know but i just love the clothes to smell nice !

This_Year

We have some but very rarely use it as we forget! Our clothes are generally line dried anyway so smell lovely and fresh from that.

ash28

I haven't used it for years because of the chemicals that cling to the skin from the clothes and bedding that have been coated in them. The manufacturers don't even have to list all of the ingredients.

I wouldn't put it anywhere near a baby....

http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/behind_the_label/269604/behind_the_label_comfort_fabric_softener.html