What Does Fabric Conditioner Do? And Should I Use It?

I hear people on the internet recommend to not use Fabric Conditioner in their laundry to save the durability of the clothes. In my country, it was the norm to use Fabric Conditioner during laundry so I was at a lost.

Is it actually necessary?

  • reddig33@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    18
    ·
    1 year ago

    Products like “Downy” and “Bounce”(in the US) add fragrance and a waxy coating to clothing to make it smell good and feel softer. Some people think the wax makes towels and washcloths less absorbent. Some also have said that the product builds up on clothing over time.

    • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      ·
      1 year ago

      Found the Big Dryer Sheet guy! (/j)

      but, seriously, the only people that don’t say that are the people making the dryer sheets… and they’re really not going to tell you not to use their product.

      wax, historically, was used to weatherproof clothing prior to modern synthetics. It’s hydrophobic, meaning that it repels (or is repelled by,) water. applying that to a towel will absolutely make it less absorbent (and therefore suck at it’s job.)

      • incogtino@lemmy.zip
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        1 year ago

        And the wax can build up in the washer causing all sorts of issues, particularly in front loaders