Do I NEED fabric conditioner?

Living_proof

I didn't use it for years but have moved to a very hard water area from a very soft one, and have bought one bottle about £1.29 in the last six months. I will put it down as discretionary. I know I could do without it if push came to shove or could even dilute it further but I agree it is totally not necessary and can be completely overpowering.

Justamum

I tried not to use it for a while, but found the static awful. I never use it on towels, but do on everything else. I use the non-smelly sensitive skin one. I might try one of the home-made ones though - after costing it out. Making a quick mental calculation I don't know if they'd really work out any cheaper.

Ben84

I never use it, I actually don't like the feel or smell it leaves on clothes. So, as it has no cleaning properties and doesn't protect the washing machine in the way detergent does, it's not essential, it's just a matter of liking it or not.

RuthnJasper

No, sweetie, you don't need it. It's a luxury, NOT an essential. My mum never used FC when my brother and I were growing up. However, if you really feel it would benefit your fabrics (and I freely admit that I do use it now in my own home), why not try a "2-in-1" like Bold?

Best wishes to you in any case. xx

lollipopsarah

I used to, but after a tip on here, I've been using a capful of white viniger instead and no one has noticed - much cheaper and less gunk in the drawer.
xx

merlot123

After years of not using it, I bought a bottle last week. I have very hard water and what a difference it makes.

My house smells lovely too. Even the OH commented on how fresh his shirts smell.

merlot123

pigpen

I need it. I use ubercheap wash powder with no smell and I like my clothes to smell of something so I know they are clean. I don't think it makes much difference to the feel of them but they smell so much nicer than boring smells of nothing laundry.

I do love line dried stuff though it smells all fresh and outsidey whereas dried o the radiator stuff smells of nothing or dust or cooking smells which is vile.

Our water is so hard you can barely tell if it is water or lime.

FairyPrincessk

I actively prefer not to use it. It is heavily fragranced and made with chemicals that I don't need--so why risk finding out a few years from now that they're toxic? I don't particularly like the smell either. My OH loves it, and always likes to have his clothes washed by his dad who uses loads of the stuff. I can always tell when he pulls out something that he hasn't worn since the last time he was at his parents as it reeks, imho. But then, I don't like air fresheners either--be they spray, plug in or those little gel type things. Not even the pine trees for cars. I keep a bit of dried lavender around and will put a splodge of essential oil on the vac bag and that does me. If it smells bad, I open the window.:rotfl:

I have sensitive skin and even using too much laundry soap makes me itch, fc is even worse. As it is I use liquid laundry soap as I find it dissolves and rinses out of my clothes better--and I only use about 1/4 to 1/3 of the "recommended" amount. If I had heavily soiled clothing, it might be different, but I don't and I don't see any reason to add more chemicals and fragrances to my life without reason. That said, I don't think much about the chemicals in the things I do use--I just try to use less, iyswim. This saves me having a panic over ever internet article I read and going out and buying the latest free from everything. When I have a bit more money to spare, I'll probably experiment with washing soda and making my own. The only reason I don't now is that I've had reactions to things like borax added to laundry and it would be costly to buy, replace, rewash etc. if my skin didn't like my concoction.

thehappybutterfly

We have lovely soft water but I still use fab cond every wash - just half a capful. I like my washing to smell of something artifical!

lobbyludd

I stopped when first child was born, and like others he reacted horribly to even hypoallergenic stuff. so 10 years and counting without using it. pros: cheaper, doesn't make the kids come up in horrible eczema, towels are properly absorbent, much less cleaning out of the washing machine to find the slimy gunk that has gone mouldy imparting a mouldy smell to all washing! the clothes are as clean - in fact I think sometimes the fabric conditioner smell just masks that they weren't clean enough and I that doesn't happen now. I don't iron anything so that doesn't affect me but we wear mostly cotton and I haven't noticed that our clothes are more staticy.

cons: I do sometimes like the smell of clothes that are washed not-by-me, but sometimes I don't so on balance it's not much of a con for us.