Fabric softeners: how to choose and is there any benefit?

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Modern fabric softeners perform at least two functions: they soften the fabric and scent it. More advanced products can also prevent static electricity and bacterial growth, make ironing easier, and even repel water and dirt! It seemed like a miracle cure. But first you need to figure out why underwear becomes stiff over time.

Modern washing powders contain calcium phosphate, which is deposited in fabric fibers. Of course, you can get rid of it by rinsing the clothes well, but not all housewives do this. With each new wash, more and more of this substance remains in the fabric, some s alts are also deposited from hard water. As a result, clothes become unpleasant to the touch, and terry towels lose their hygroscopic properties. Fabric softeners create a film on the surface of the fabric that makes it easier to slip and gives a feeling of softness. However, this method does not solve the problem itself.

Eventually, s alts will continue to accumulate in the fabric, and there will be more on top of thema layer of silicone, of which fabric softeners are mainly composed, is retained. Clothes will wear out faster. If this is not a problem, you can continue to use rinse aids. However, over time, they will still become insufficiently effective. You can prolong the life of clothes by rinsing them at least once in the right way - up to 10 times. Of course, you can use a washing machine, but the most delicate fabrics are best handled by hand.

For babies, a special conditioner for baby clothes is produced, but anyway, at first, all things need to be carefully ironed on both sides - this will soften the fabric. In the event that irritation nevertheless appears, it is better to stop using any chemicals and wash children's things with laundry or baby soap. Many new mothers also use special liquid concentrates. And, of course, special rinses are often used by people prone to skin reactions to chemicals, since children's conditioners are considered hypoallergenic.

How to choose the best fabric softener and how to use it correctly? In fact, each housewife will have to look for a suitable rinse on their own, because some product may be allergic, the other will not like the aroma, the third will seem uneconomical. Almost all fabric softeners are approximately the same in composition: cationic surfactants, silicones and fragrances. So you have to push backonly from your own tastes.

It is also important to use fabric softeners correctly. In no case should they be poured into the detergent compartment, and the dosage must be strictly observed. It is very important to use the correct amount of rinse aid, because the silicone film on the fabric should not be too thin or thick, otherwise the end result is unlikely to please. Proper washing and rinsing is a guarantee that clothes will last a long time and will not lose their properties.