Poll - Fabric softener used on towels

[franksdad]

When laundering towels do you use fabric softener in the final rinse or not?

I do not. I hate a "slimy-slick" towel that does nothing but spread the water around when you're trying to dry off. I know a lot of folks who love using fabric softener on their towels and claim they hate a stiff scratchy towel. Just curious about what you all do and why...

 

[yogitunes]

Some people get this build-up.....and who is to say why..the type of softner, and the amount used, soft or hard water, warm or cold rinse, line or machine dry......

I have never had a problem with it......I use anything from generic to name brand...usually a tablespoon...mostly in the wash, once in a while I will use a dryer sheet in the dryer.......I also don't always have it around, if I do, its gets used, if not no biggie.....more for an elimination of suds than anything else.......

If they are a colored load, sometimes I will put the softner in the bleach dispenser, and then the next few rinses are clear and rinse away any excess....sometimes I will turn the dial around for one last rinse in the FL....depends on my mood, and if time allows......

 

[pulsator]

I always use fabric softener on towels (twice the dosage too) followed by three dryer sheets in the dryer. I dry them on low heat, makes for the softest towels ever! Everyone always comments on how soft and silky my towels are. I've never had any issues with absorbancy either, I touch the towel to my skin and it absorbs the water just the same as a stiff and scratchy towel with no softener does. (Mom has cleaning rags that she doesn't want any form of softener on and they absorb just the same as my softener covered ones!

 

I will also say that I only use a towel once and then it's dirty. I have over 40 bath towels of my own and use each and every one of them!

 

[maytagbear]

Yes- every other washing!

I have never had an absorbancy problem with Downy or Final Touch, and I prefer things with softener as opposed to without.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[mysteryclock]

Nope - swore it off almost entirely after I started breaking out and the kids started itching. Now the only things I use FS on are silk shirts which have to be dried to avoid looking like a wadded up paper towel, but come out stiff as a board without FS.

 

[nmassman44]

I use softener for every load. I use what the bottle says to use and never have a build up issue. And only in the washer. I dont use dryer sheets since the wax builds up on the lint filter in the dryer. I saw first hand what that can do if one doesnt clean the filter from time to time. The worst filters are the ones that are a nylon/dacron mesh fabric. My sister in law uses dryer sheets on top of what she uses in the wash and my gawd I couldnt believe my eyes when I saw the filter in her Maytag Neptune dryer almost plugged up. She was complaining that the dryer was taking forever to dry a load. I washed the filter to get rid of the wax build up and it looked like new. Then ran a load and the dryer now dries much much faster. Next I will have to take the dryer apart and give it a good vacuuming out.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Probably once every 8 to 10 washings I will use some.  But due to the horrible scents I never use any modern FS on towels, usually vintage Downy or Final Touch.

 

[henry200]

I never use fabric softener on towels, and my bath towels come out of the dryer fluffy and perfectly soft.  I don't dry them to a crisp though.  I'm not a fan of anything scented and I've discovered in the last couple years that the fragrance left behind on my clothes by liquid fabric softeners is terribly cloying, even in small doses.   I just bought some Seventh Generation unscented softener to try.  If I'm not happy with the results I think I'm ready to swear off fabric softeners completely. 

 

[circlew]

None

I've not used it on anything for well over a year. Don't miss it one bit. I think it's a waste of money.

 

[mrb627]

Almost All

I almost always use FS on my towels.  Sometimes I use the recommended amount and sometimes slightly less.

 

Malcolm

 

[mixfinder]

Softening the Hardened

I like crispy sheets and soft towels. All loads except sheets get softener, anything cheap and Liquid. I haven't ever been aware of build up but the towels are white and my goal is to keep them that way. They get a cold prewash followed with a hot wash so it must remove the traces of softener.

 

[mtn1584]

USE IT??????????????????????????????

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would put Suavitel on my cereal if I could.....I would clean my toilets with it if I could......and yes I add it to towels on the first rinse, always use a second rinse cause I use ALOT of soap....A HOT SOAPY towel wash.............nothin like it!!!!!
PS I ALSO PUT SUAVITEL DRYER SHEETS IN THE DRYER WITH TOWELS AS WELL!
MIKE

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Not too often on towels

I do sometimes use a little softener, but generally less than suggested by the manufacturer.

I am one who says softener in a towel will reduce it's absorbancy. Proof for me is when I try to dry the glass sheet walls in my shower, which just streak with a softener laden towel, vs. being absorbed.

As Martin says, I too use softener as a suds-cutter when necessary, but I am finding certain detergents really great for towels (Fresh Start for example) as they have suds-free rinses so I don't need softener.

I don't like a lot of softener in clothes in general, but will switch from dryer sheets to various liquids at times for changes of pace, etc.

Gordon

 

[kenmore71]

Rarely

I hate the smell of almost all modern softeners. I occasionally usually use an unscented dryer sheet the winter but never in the summer.  I find that the damp, basement summer-time air through a gas dryer keeps things pretty fluffy. 

 

[hoovermatic]

I always use it but only half the usual dosage

 

[rp2813]

I'm not the biggest fan of traditional fabric softeners, and in the past have only used them on towels.  I've been using dryer balls for a few years and then a friend recently gave me a sample of Purex crystals, which go into the main wash along with the detergent.  I like that system, and the lavender scent is pleasant enough, but a little goes a very long way.  I just bought a bottle of Purex crystals yesterday (on sale at Walgreens for $3.99) so will be using it on other things besides towels to see how it does.

 

[powerfin64]

absolutely. The water here is a alittle hard. I use liquid fabric softener over dryer sheets, but I will use sheets once in-a-great while, but briefly. I use what the brand recommends, generally.

 

[stainfighter]

Experiment with Ivory Snow

I just tried Ivory Snow on our towels - no softener - and instead of drying with Hi heat used Warm level on the Permanent Press cycle (which has 10 minutes air-fluff at the end) for 40 minutes total. About one Tbsp in our front loader = SOFT towels with a light Ivory soap scent!

 

[qsd-dan]

Hard water here, so I use fabric softener in every load. I do use a natural plant based softener that's unscented and leaves no build-up what-so-ever. Towels wick up the water just as well as with no fabric softener. Everything comes out of the dryer soft, static free, and smelling.......clean.

 

[sudsmaster]

Robert...

Downy makes a scentless free-and-clear fabric softener... have you tried it? Or do you just prefer the vintage fragrances?

I think Method makes a fragrance free softener as well.

I happen to like the Kirkland Environmentally Friendly plant-based fabric softener. Its fragrance is mostly natural lavender. In the final result it's fairly innocuous.

 

[autowasherfreak]

I just ran out of fabric softener but I did use it on my towels.  I used less than the amount called for, and diluted it in the fabric softener on my Maytag 606.  I've using Arm and Hammer detergent, and it leaves a nice but not overpowering scent.

 

 

[xraytech]

I NEVER use fabric softner on towels, or anything else. I cant stand the horrid smell of the fabric softner or most scented detergents so I go without, and we do have hard water here, but I dont think the towels are crisp. I dont do dryer sheets either

 

[peterh770]

Yes, fabric softener in towels. 1/4 to 1/2 recommended amount. No effect on absorbency.

 

[appnut]

I generally use Snuggle in the ark blue bottle.  I find that Snuggle has a much less waxy build-up than Downey.  Now here's the contradiction:  I recently bought a bottle of some sort of lavender scented downey and have used it on my sheets and towels for the last two towel wash days as well as the sheets. 

 

[labboy]

We use Downy at the minimum recommended dose. We have had no issues with overpowering odor or decrease in absorbancy.

I'll have to try the Kirkland lavender softener when I run out of Downy.

 

[whirlcool]

We use fabric softener mainly to kill the HE chemical dump smell of the new compact Tide detergent we bought. We use about 1/8 of a capful, not much at all.

Other than that we'll also use some Downy April Fresh on the dog beds to make them smell nicer, but once again just a little bit.

 

[gmmcnair]

.Not Anymore...

...didn't notice any absorbency issues when I did. Lately, I tend to use natural soap flakes in the wash and follow up with a light dose of vinegar in the rinse. They're soft and still have some body. Of course, I don't mind crisp towels either and will line dry them when I have the space.

 

[3beltwesty]

Here I about never use fabric softener. The water is so soft none is required at all. It is really only used maybe once every year or two maybe on some new towels; or if somebody vists and "is in to using it".

There are two bottles of it that my mom bought eons ago and she passed away about 20 years ago. I may buy some in a few decades if I ever use up the old stuff. I do some other buying it and ponder why. I do see folks buying too 1/2 dozen bottles of Asprin with 500 tablets each; and also buying a shopping cart full of odd cola drinks too.

My usage is probably a bottle a decade.

Even when I lived in Southern Calif for two decades with really hard water I never was into fabric softeners. I might have bought a few bottles.

I am not into scents like others are too.

I tend to buy expensive towels and use them forever; towels that do not require scented goop to feel soft.

As far as volume of FS bought in the last 50 years; mine is less than suntan lotion; less than shaving cream; less than cleaners to polish kitchen pots and pans. it is about in line with shoe polish.

 

[kevin313]

No fabric softener on towels for me! It retards their absorbing ability - and then I get a filmy feeling on my skin. I don't even like to use dryer sheets when doing towels. A good towwl will remain fairly soft on its own without the use of a softener, I think.

 

[passatdoc]

I never use liquid fabric softener for anything.

 

I use dryer sheets, mainly to reduce static cling. I am aware that wax buildup from dryer sheets can coat the moisture sensor in a dryer and affect its operation. I clean the sensor quarterly with alcohol. I tear my dryer sheets in thirds and use only 1/3 sheet per load. This still kills static cling and the towels come out fairly soft but still absorbent.

 

I buy the Egyptian cotton towels from Costco. I typically buy six of them every three years and they last about 3-4 years, even if laundered weekly. I have very hard water and no water softener.