Mumsnet promoting fabric softeners - oh dear!

We can't use them either but I don't find any washing is 'hard' anyway

I've never understood the need for all these scented products. I only want my washing to be clean - not to smell of anything.

If I want to provide a bit of extra softening to a wash then vinegar is cheap and effective.

I'm not trying to be funny here, and I do sympathise with you, but I'd imagine that many people who use the products you've mentioned do so precisely because they contain perfume.

It is a good job you don't teach Infants then, because I used to open the classroom door on a Monday morning to a wave of Comfort, Lenor or whatever.

Never used fabric softener. Never seen the need.

Not only is it bad for a lot of people it's really bad for the environment, and for washing machines. Haven't used fabric conditioner for over ten years, only white vinegar.

I did buy some tablets that contained conditioner while we were staying away last year to do a quick wash of our walking clothes. I had to rewash all our clothes twice when we got home to get rid of the sickly smell.

Never use the stuff - what is it actually for anyway? I hate the smell, and when you can smell it coming from the vent to someone's tumble drier as you pass their garden, you have to wonder how strong it must be in the house. I use BioD laundry liquid which is unscented and seems to do the job perfectly well without being a threat to the environment.

Staying at a friend’s for the night, I felt I was being suffocated by the smell, I couldn’t sleep.

I don't understand why that Mrs Hinch is so popular with younger people - she promotes all kinds of harmful cleaning products full of chemicals.

I thought the younger generations were supposedly more conscious of the damage to the environment than us "old dears" who apparently wrecked it for them.

I stopped using it on woollens after reading about it on here and sure enough my jumpers are soft and cosy without it. I once spilled fabric conditioner on a carpet and the smell was disgusting. I couldn’t get rid of it and the carpet had to go eventually.

Do the "sensitive" brands also cause issues?

I'm afraid I'm a bit of a smellaholic. When I did the laundry for 24 beds a week I resisted the temptation to use fabric softeners but I always used fragranced ironing waters, mainly rose petal and lavender. I tried making my own once but there must have been some vital ingredient missing?

Did it smell like the "perfume" we used to make from rose petals when we were children, Josieann?

Iie mouldy and disgusting?

Someone gave me a large bottle of rose fragrance for linen and I was going to put it in a raffle but there haven't been any raffles (Covid again).

Yes, my attempt had a stale sort of smell like when you leave flowers in a vase for too long.
But the bought one was silky and sweet.

Haven’t used fabric softener since reading on here how much it clogs up the washing machine. I use vinegar too, so cheap and effective.

VioletSky

Do the "sensitive" brands also cause issues?

they do with us but so does some non bio washing powder

We have a lot of allergies in this house, I need to look into it more the I think

JosieAnn I use lavender bags in the airing cupboard. They last most of the year and the smell isn't strong when you actually get into bed. Just a faint waft when I open the cupboard door too.

JaneJudge

VioletSky

Do the "sensitive" brands also cause issues?

they do with us but so does some non bio washing powder

Same here. I have trouble staying anywhere but home, because of the heavy scent most bedding has.
Bad headaches, sore eyes sneezing sore throat, sometimes itching.
Antihistamine doesnt really help much.

Thank you GrandtanteJE65 for highlighting this. Very few people understand exactly how incapacitating this type of allergy is.

What powder do you use? We use non bio persil powder but the liquid we cannot use either it is a nightmare

I just use asda sensitive non bio. Fairy sensitive non bio actually caused a reaction for us, I'd forgotten that as it was years ago

yes we can't use fairy either

I have a question, so if you are staying away can you not request that the linen be washed in a fragrance free detergent? A bit like telling them you have food allergies in advance.

I used filetti for sensitive skins. It used to be available in Waitrose. It might be Swiss?

Ooh Josieann, I love ironing water. I brought a bottle back from Paris..and yes, I remember the Monday morning fabric softener smell in the classroom, eazybee.
I was told by a washing machine engineer to use about half of the detergent and softener specified on the packaging.