The Spruce / Ana Cadena
Who doesn’t love soft, static-free laundry?
And for many of us, added fragrance gives us the sense that our clothes are fresh and clean.
Here are the results.
The Spruce / Ana Cadena
Fabric softener is added during the rinse cycle in the washer.
It is this residue, often silicone-based, that makes fabrics feel silky.
you’ve got the option to create aDIY versionthat contains fewer chemicals and offers similar results.
I also don’t use dryer sheets.
It is this coating that makes clothes feel softer to the touch.
Instead of dryer sheets, I usewool dryer balls.
They fluff the wet clothes allowing them to dry more quickly.
I also remove most laundry while it is still slightly damp to prevent overdrying which leads to static cling.
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I found the scented variety overwhelming for my family.
So, I did reduce the amount recommended per load to half.
After two weeks, my shirts and slacks felt soft to the touch.
However, I did not like how my cotton and microfiber cloths and towels reacted.
They felt almost greasy and did not absorb water nearly as well as they had before.
The Dryer Sheet Test
Again, I purchased two boxes of dryer sheetsscented and unscented.
With each load of wet laundry, I tossed a dryer sheet on top after I loaded the dryer.
As with scented fabric softener, the fragrance was too strong.
I cut the sheets in half and it was more tolerable and the unscented sheets worked well.
I tried to let the clothes dry a bit longer to see if the sheets made a difference.
The loads that I dried on high heat and for a bit too long still had some static electricity.
The Final Choice
If I must choose, I’ll take the dryer sheets.
While the coating they leave on clothes reduces the water-absorbency ofcotton and microfiber towelsand the moisture-wicking action ofathletic wear.
the fabrics felt less “sticky” than when using fabric softener.
Both products leave residue on the drums of the appliances.
However, it does not cause odor and the sensor is easier to clean than an entire washer drum.
