The Fabric softener is a new invention. Some households are addicted to it because the clothes smell fresh for a longer time. But there are those who abhor the flowery scent because it runs against rhiunitis or allergy. And for me, I don’t want to use a fabric softener on my clothes because it tends to shorten the life span of the cloth. The fabric softener seems to literally soften the cloth thereby making it conducive to wear and tear faster than clothes that are not exposed to fabric softener.
I like fabric softeners because of the fact that it can make the clothes soft and smell fragrant, but we don't use it that much either. Yes there are also some people who are allergic to it so they choose not to use it. The only thing I know is that it's not recommended to use in undergarments as those are use for sensitive areas. The only time I use fabric conditioners is when it's rainy season, because clothes tend to smell awful without the sunlight.
I don't have that idea that fabric softener could hasten the the damage of the clothes. My wife has been using the softener and so far nobody has complained in the family that their clothes have been torn or damaged due to that softener. We're indeed grateful for such scent that we used to smell from our clothes for nobody is allergic to that scent.
I don't really care for fabric softeners because I don't see the point in clothes smelling good after washing. Just as long as it smells clean, that should be good enough and if you want extra smells, put a bit of perfume for going out. Fabric softener is way too expensive for just making the cloth smell good and giving it a hardly noticeable softer texture. They're a big waste of money.
@TheKnight I have to agree with this post. As I don't see why should I waste money for adding more chemicals to my clothes when I can just spray perfume on them.
@Decentlady I agree with both of you, the are a waste of money in my opinion too. Like @TheKnight said a clean smell is more than enough for me. Besides I don't like the extra smell since they hurt my head, I guess I'm allergic. I can't really tell the difference on the texture when softerners are used so there is no use for me.
@Alexandoy But I personally do not use a cloth for a very long period of time so it doesn't make sense to me for not using a softener as it shortens the life span. But the health part is really an important issue. It is also said that the chemicals used in softeners may build up over time and can cause yellowing of clothes. It also reduces its water absorbing capacity of clothes so it would become difficult to wash it clean over time.
@Decentlady Exactly. If you need some sort of extra scent so your clothes will smell good, then the clothes probably need a better wash. Clothes even usually smell good with the detergent so I don't see why you'd need it. Most detergent comes with a scent anyway. @kamai Yeah. Most of my clothes come out soft straight from the wash so many people that need fabric softener aren't buying the right clothing it would seem.
I never knew fabric softener could ruin clothes. I've always used it since that was how I was taught to do laundry...
I used fabric softeners couple of times and found it an unnecessary product to continue. This hardly softens clothes and does not make any remarkable difference. I found liquid detergents far better. If the fabric of the clothes is delicate, I use liquid detergent to keep it soft. And, for the scent, every detergent these days has ample of it anyway.