Fabric Conditioner yes/no or alternatives

[Dave7]

For a long time we have used Comfort in the washing machine (other makes are available ).
Couple of days ago someone told me they had started to use a few drops of essential oils.........smells nice and better for the environment.
I am about to try it.
Anyone have any thoughts based on experience.

 

[vickster]

Only for certain things, never if any Lycra.
That’s what makes the machine slimy

 

[welsh dragon]

I hate fabric softner. I don't like the smell. It's quite a cloying smell. I never use Anything. Dry outside and if needed, throw stuff in the tumble dryer for 10 mins just to soften them.

Essential oil is very concentrated. You could end up damaging clothes by staining them depending on how you use the oil.

 

[T4tomo]

"unstoppables" the blue one, with bedding and towels only, makes them smell lovely.

 

[Randomnerd]

Just more shite going into the drain, ultimately. Knock it on the head. Phthalates and other chemicals in this guff are linked to asthma, cancer and infertility. Glutaral kills marine life. Quaternary ammonium compounds trigger allergies, asthma and the like.
why anyone wants to smell like a meadow is beyond my ken

 

[oldwheels]

I use a small amount of some kind of detergent powder and nothing else. Due to balance problems I don't hang anything out on a line any more either. I have a pulley in the kitchen and a tumble drier and for one person it seems to work.
Don't like the smell of fabric conditioner.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

We were given a load of hand-me-down clothes for the boy, and the fab con smell was headache inducing. I can't understand why anyone would want their clothes to smell so awful and artificial.

We use Bio-D for all our soaps and liquids and the scented versions are pleasant without being overpowering.

 

[fossyant]

Never use it.

 

[alicat]

Never bother with fabric softener. Only been running the experiment for 42 years so too early to tell if it's been a mistake.

 

[Fab Foodie]

For a long time we have used Comfort in the washing machine (other makes are available ).
Couple of days ago someone told me they had started to use a few drops of essential oils.........smells nice and better for the environment.
I am about to try it.
Anyone have any thoughts based on experience.

Conditioner is the work of the devil and to be avoided at all costs.
It's just another pollutant, another plastic bottle/carton.
As @vickster says it makes machines go slimy and mouldy inside (and some are near impossible to fully clean out) and it renders towels mostly useless.
The Essential oils work OK, I use them. And in glass bottles - but even then... they're not really needed.


Other than that...I'm undecided....

 

[numbnuts]

I use Bold

 

[HMS_Dave]

It's all marketing. Plus back when we used to use it the slimy cack that gets into the pump is disgusting... Since we stopped using it, touch wood ive never had to replace a pump...

 

[Juan Kog]

Conditioner is the work of the devil and to be avoided at all costs.
It's just another pollutant, another plastic bottle/carton.
it renders towels mostly useless.

It ruins the wicking on sports and outdoor clothing.

 

[winjim]

Nope.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I use Bold

That explains a lot
To be fair, I didn't think you wore clothes that often....