The Best Fabric Softeners and Conditioners in the UK

Everyone likes soft fabric, whether it’s sheets or clothes. As such, fabric softeners are a key part of the washing process in many homes.

Whilst most fabric softeners function using the same mechanism, picking out the right product for your washing can be extremely tough. There is a whole range of fabric softeners and fabric conditioners on the market with different formulas. Picking out the best option isn’t easy.

Thankfully for you, we’ve compiled a few of the best fabric softeners and fabric conditioners on the market.

Whether you’re looking for the best-smelling fabric softener, best fabric softener for hard water, or simply wondering which fabric softener scent lasts the longest – we’ve definitely got something that will float your boat.

 

 

How to Choose the Best Fabric Softener for You

Today, there are a wide range of fabric softeners available on the market, which can make choosing which one to use tricky.

Many people fall into the mistake of just choosing a fabric softener based on the price and scent, but there are other factors that should be taken into consideration.

Brand

The brand is one of the first considerations you should make. Ideally, you want to choose a brand that has generally good reviews for individuals with similar needs to you.

Consider the brand’s reputation, price point, and any unique selling points such as being recognised by allergy or environmental charities, for example.

 

Scent

The scent of a fabric softener is easily one of the most important considerations. After all, you don’t want to be wearing clothes all day that have a scent you can’t stand.

Modern fabric softeners are available with just about any scent you can dream of, including the classic clean linen, floral scents, and even more exotic scents such as tropical or coconut.

If you suffer from sensitive skin and have had issues with scented fabric softeners in the past, you can even now find either lightly scented or completely fragrance-free alternatives.

 

Ingredients

Once upon a time, fabric softeners contained many ingredients that could cause skin irritations. Today, fortunately, fabric softeners tend to be much gentler.

However, despite this, if you know that you or someone in your household does have sensitive skin or allergies, you will still need to check the ingredients list to reduce the chances of a reaction.

If the skin sensitivity is due to artificial ingredients, you might be better off looking at a product made with only natural ingredients and is approved by Allergy UK, such as the Ecover Zero fabric conditioner.

 

Environmental impact

The environmental impact of a fabric softener is also an important consideration for many households in the modern world.

Look for a fabric softener that uses recycled (or at the very least recyclable) packaging, and one that uses only natural ingredients.

 

Fabric Softener FAQs

Fabric softener is a chemical compound used during the rinse cycle in a washing machine. It softens the clothes as you might expect, and also leaves them smelling lovely.

Forms of fabric softener have been around since we started wearing clothes.

Before shops existed, people of old would use natural products to soften their clothes to make them a little nicer to wear. Even a medieval knight couldn’t put up with a scratchy jumper!

However, even in this day and age, fabric softener is misunderstood by some people.

So, here are some FAQs about fabric softener that will hopefully help you understand what fabric softener does and why it should be used in every wash.

Is fabric softener necessary?

No, fabric softener isn’t necessary, it is more of a luxury. However, using fabric softener in your washing machine can make clothes easier to iron, reduce static cling and decrease wrinkles.

Of course, it also makes everything softer too. For example, your towels will be lovely and soft on your skin. However, some people have noted that towels absorb moisture better when they aren’t washed in fabric softener.

So, no fabric softener isn’t necessary, but it can make your clothes feel great against your skin, save you ironing time and make them smell lovely.

The choice is yours, of course, but fabric softener can save you time and make you feel more comfortable in your clothes.

 

Is fabric softener toxic?

Some fabric softeners do contain chemicals that can be toxic. Long-term exposure to these chemicals can make you incredibly ill, and it would be remiss of us to say otherwise.

There are many chemicals in fabric softener that have been linked to forms of cancer and other nasty diseases.

However, these are only some fabric softeners; other fabric softeners are totally natural and perfectly good for you and your clothes.

Of course, using natural fabric softeners does come with a risk as well, you may be allergic to an ingredient, for example, but as long as you read the ingredient list before using it, a natural fabric softener can soften and crease-control your clothes without any harmful chemicals in sight!

Some scientists would recommend avoiding the use of fabric softener completely due to their chemical content.

 

Is fabric softener bad for clothes?

There is a lot of talk on the internet about fabric softener being bad for clothes.

Many say that fabric softener can make clothes more brittle and so they do not last as long. The truth, however, is that these people may have just been using too much fabric softener in their washes.

A lot of people add too much fabric softener to their washes because they think it will clean better or that all of their washing will end up cashmere-soft if they do. However, what actually happens is that it stays in the clothes and leaves them feeling a bit stiff and dull.

As long as you don’t go crazy with the fabric softener, your clothes should last a long time.

Also, if you are worried about fabric softener ruining your clothes, try a natural fabric softener instead, these have all the softness that you could want, with none of the chemicals that are “harmful” to clothes.

 

Is fabric softener flammable?

Liquid fabric softener isn’t flammable in its liquid state. However, tests have been done that show clothes with fabric softener on them can be more flammable.

A coroner in Quebec has noted that terrycloth and fleece washed in fabric softener may be more flammable than if they were washed without it.

Before you throw out your fabric softener, it is worth reading the full news story. It also states that dryer sheets do not have the same problems.

Unfortunately, it also doesn’t state which brand of fabric softener can make clothes more flammable.  This fabric softener may only be sold in Canada, we simply don’t know. Research is being carried out on the flammable properties of fabric softener because of this case.

In the UK, it should be noted that Lenor does have a warning on their packaging that clothing could become more flammable when washed with their product.

It is recommended that children’s sleepwear or anything marked as flame resistant, should not be washed using fabric softener as it could reduce this resistance.

The Sun’s news story here explains a little more about this and the mother who first discovered this warning and wanted to share her findings to warn other parents.

 

Is fabric softener the same as fabric conditioner?

No, fabric softener isn’t the same as a fabric conditioner. Fabric softener softens your clothes and gives them a fresh smell. Fabric conditioner, on the other hand, prevents stretching and fading and also softens your clothes.

So, if you think your clothes need a little bit more protection, use fabric conditioner. If you just want your clothes soft and fresh, use fabric softener. They both provide a certain amount of protection for your clothes, it just depends on the degree of protection you are after.

 

Does fabric softener go off?

If you want to buy fabric softener in bulk to save some money, but are worried about it going off before you get the chance to use it, you can rest easy.

Fabric softener doesn’t go off, well, not exactly. Like a lot of household products, fabric softener doesn’t have a use-by date, but its performance can weaken over time.

However, if you do notice your fabric softener not performing as well as it once did, just add a little more into the wash. Sure you’re going to use more, and each wash will cost a little extra, but it saves wasting any of your bulk purchase!

We hope these FAQs about fabric softener have helped you understand the important role it has to play in your washing routine.

To find out more about other household items, please explore our website further. We have plenty of articles here that can help you turn your house into a home.

 

Conclusion

If we had to pick just one fabric softener to recommend for most households, it would be Method’s Tropical Coconut Fabric Softener.

Not only does it have a lovely and unique scent, it’s also vegan and cruelty free. It uses naturally sourced ingredients that soften clothes and reduce static and clinginess.