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Fabric Conditioner

(95 Posts)
Elless Tue 27-Aug-24 10:35:54

When fabric conditioner first became available it did seem to make a difference to a wash and you could smell it. I find it so annoying that you now have to 'boost' the scent with beads or elixir - I've tried both and it doesn't seem to make any difference. I also mixed the elixir with the conditioner but it went really watery and didn't smell much at all!

Patsy70 Sat 31-Aug-24 21:18:08

No to fabric conditioner and only put detergent in the drum. I also buy vinegar in bulk from Amazon. Line dry my washing when weather is good, otherwise I have a pulley maid in the laundry room. Vinegar & soda bicarbonate are great for cleaning washing machine, dishwashers, sinks.

twiglet77 Sat 31-Aug-24 20:49:20

Powder in the drum, not the drawer, and I would never use fabric conditioner, scent boosters or the like. Where do you think all those awful chemicals go?

Gin Thu 29-Aug-24 11:15:26

Sorry Madmeg, do not auto correct this time!!

Gin Thu 29-Aug-24 11:14:26

Madmen, you can buy five litre containers of white vinegar from Amazon.

Madmeg Thu 29-Aug-24 10:55:35

I used to use conditioner but stopped when I was very short of money (abt 30 years ago) and noticed little difference. |In fact, I recall that it caused brown patches on nappies. Also don't use rinse aid in the dishwasher. I am intrigued with the number of people who mention white vinegar. It seems to be recommended for everything these days but I can only find tiny bottles of it in my local supermarket.

I once had a friend (well, she is still a friend!) who stopped using anything in her dishwasher and declared it fine!!

Sennelier1 Thu 29-Aug-24 07:49:25

Fabric softener clogs up your machine and drains, gives you eczema and asthma and costs you money. I never use any. Just washing powder that comes in a cardboard box. I mostly line-dry my laundry, but if and when I use the tumbledryer I put a few dryerballs in with the laundry. They're wool, work very well. Sometimes I put a few drops of lavender oil on them, really nice for towels

Kayteetay1 Thu 29-Aug-24 06:36:13

I suspect there may be. I was given a sample of the liquid pods and was disappointed that they didn’t dissolve during a wash and had to pick the gunk and residue off the clothing. However after reading the instructions I noticed the advice was to put the pods in the drum under the washing. I tried this and no residue. So maybe this method is beneficial for other forms of detergent.

Boolya Wed 28-Aug-24 22:27:32

I found it made the conditioner dispenser coated in black gunk. Very slimy.

Oreo Wed 28-Aug-24 19:31:44

Another good use for it is to relax and stretch knitwear that you shrank, it really works. Warm water and Lenor or similar then soak the jumper, wring out gently and pull to reshape.

MayBee70 Wed 28-Aug-24 19:16:25

I no longer use fabric conditioner and wonder now why I used it for so many years. What I will be grateful to it for though is when my new car got covered in dried on sap from a tree and I read that fabric conditioner would remove it. Which it did. I thought the car had been ruined.

tattygran14 Wed 28-Aug-24 18:47:59

On several occasions I’ve had to stop sitting in my garden because of the very unpleasant chemical smell from my next door neighbours washing. Artificial and very unpleasant.

Bazza Wed 28-Aug-24 18:08:05

cc, if you think your washing isn’t rinsing properly with soft water, maybe you’re using too much detergent. Just a thought!

MissAdventure Wed 28-Aug-24 16:42:41

I've always thought it was cheaper.
That's why I use it.

These pods are another way of wasting consumers money.

Oreo Wed 28-Aug-24 16:39:50

MissAdventure

I'm pretty sure powder is considered better than pods for machines.

Washing machine engineers always recommend using powder but the supermarkets ate doing their best to phase it out as it’s the cheapest as well as the best option.🤬

petra Wed 28-Aug-24 16:37:06

Jzpap

Never use it, I don’t think it’s good for the clothes, towels or bedding. I might try the white vinegar thing though. I use Ariel pods but reading this thread I’m not sure about them either!

ALL pods are made with plastics. This is what you’re adding too.
Micro plastics found in human blood.

www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/24/microplastics-found-in-human-blood-for-first-time

Vintagegirl Wed 28-Aug-24 16:29:45

Never used it but luckily live in a soft water area. I thought it was irritant to sensitive skin?

MissAdventure Wed 28-Aug-24 16:29:10

I'm pretty sure powder is considered better than pods for machines.

Jzpap Wed 28-Aug-24 16:21:19

Never use it, I don’t think it’s good for the clothes, towels or bedding. I might try the white vinegar thing though. I use Ariel pods but reading this thread I’m not sure about them either!

Greciangirl Wed 28-Aug-24 16:13:13

I used to use powder but my new machine has a tiny dispenser drawer so I started to use pods.
I prefer powder detergent, but does it dissolve properly if putting directly into the drum?

I think I will dispense with the fabric conditioner beads.
They are not necessary.
All designed to encourage you to spend more money.

Spencer2009 Wed 28-Aug-24 15:58:59

Never use it, haven’t for years, was told by a doctor years ago not to use it as my daughter had eczema and it made it worse.

Gin Wed 28-Aug-24 15:23:31

The washing machine engineer dug out from the innards of our machine behind the dispenser a disgusting mess of solidified detergent that had been put in as a liquid in the tray. I was horrified. He told me to cut down to a tablespoon of washing powder and clean with soda crystals once a month and never use conditioner. There have been no problems since.

cc Wed 28-Aug-24 15:10:13

grannybuy

I never use it either. I’m tired of the adverts constantly trying to persuade us to buy yet another laundry product. I use washing powder, but I worry that this is going to be phased out, as in the supermarkets, powder is outnumbered by the large selection of pods/tablets.

The pods and tablets aren't much use to those of us with soft water as they make too much foam which is harder to rinse out. Also many of them are "All-in-one" - ie they also contain fabric conditioner.

cc Wed 28-Aug-24 15:08:17

When I used fabric conditioner I used to find that my detergent drawer got slimy and sometimes mildewed, without it there is no problem.
We also have a water softener and I don't think that soft water rinses as well as hard, so I often do an extra rinse.

Bazza Wed 28-Aug-24 15:05:34

Never use it. I used to but got fed up with th mess it made in my washing machine drawer. Don’t miss it one bit. I do live in a very hard water area but have a water softener which makes a massive difference, particularly how much detergent you need.

Parsley3 Wed 28-Aug-24 15:04:37

I used it until I spilled a quantity of it on a carpet. I couldn't get it out and it smelled truly awful. Eventually had to get rid of the carpet.