Should You Be Using Fabric Softener?

[@BoulevardHome]

Are you Team Fabric Softener? Or do you find other ways to eliminate those crunchy staticky clothes?

[@alfrazz1799]

As a Home Depot Appliance Specialist, I inform my customers that I'm not here to "sell:"aappliances but to educate them so they can make an informed purchase. Thanks for a very informative presentation that adds to my body of knowledge and expertise. By the way, I subscribed to your channel. Thanks again.

[@BoulevardHome]

Thanks for watching!

[@laggingdragons]

Thank you! I've been looking everywhere for someone who will _actually tell me why_ fabric softener might not be good for my clothes! I've used it my whole life but need to find ways to save money, so I was thinking about following the trendy idea of not using fabric softener but I couldn't find anyone telling me _why_ it was "soooo bad" until now, and you did it neutrally, with seemingly no ulterior motive of clicks or profit or clout. Again, thank you! I think I will continue to use it but properly, as before I literally just dumped it on my clothes with the detergent (I have a top loading washer and didn't know that it had a cup in that cylinder down the center). Eventually I will phase it out though, as once I buy my own machines I would rather not deal with the cleanup and by then it will be more important that my clothes remain functional rather than comfortable.

[@BoulevardHome]

Glad to hear that! We aim to be as informative and unbiased as possible, and hopefully entertaining along the way!

[@KaptainCnucklz]

Thanks for this! I grew up without a washer and dryer in a small apartment, so as an adult who inherited the money to buy a house, I of course have to learn to do my own laundry. Including how fabric softeners work and how best to use them to not wreck my appliances. Very informative video.

[@BoulevardHome]

Glad to hear it helps, thanks for watching!

[@Speed.Racer.5]

Learned something. I use fabric softener pretty sparingly, but I also have one of those bigger bottles from Sam's Club. It lasts forever and never knew I was supposed to shake it.

[@_SurferGeek_]

I've used softeners for 30+ years with none of the issues you mention. Maybe because I use small amounts... less than they "suggest" and I use a separate dispenser rather than the built-in dispenser. I also shake the bottle each time. Lastly, I deep clean my washer once a year. Current washer and dryer are over 20 years old and still kicking.

[@BoulevardHome]

Glad to hear you haven't had any issues! Thanks for watching.

[@Drew-ql3gq]

Ya

[@plmpcharisma9686]

Could you do a review on the downy rinse and refresh? It's supposed to be like fabric softener but without the residue.

[@amiemartin109]

White vinegar for a natural fabric softener, it actually works very well.

[@BoulevardHome]

We've heard that as well, thanks for the tip!

[@Slyngelmis]

for me it gives the clothes a very bad smell that is almost impossible to wash out again. i tried all kinds of vinegar and its the same deal, specialy for cotton and jeans. I have even tried to put it on 2 extra flushing cycles afterwards where it only uses water but no. many people dont notice this smell but since i dont use soap with parfum in it i can really notice it, im sure if i used something with tons of parfum i would not notice. Also tbh i dont think it works very well compared to fabric sofetner to soften up the clothes

[@joannemcwilliams-foley1412]

Vinegar is hard on the machine

[@Slyngelmis]

@@joannemcwilliams-foley1412 one some machines. in some manuals it will say you cant use it, in others it actually say you can. But i would personally not use it. It all depends on what kind of rubber seals there is in the machine, some types of rubber cant handle the vinegar, and some bearings are to exposed also.

[@nelieltu9730]

What I heard is only use it once a year to clean the washer with no clothes in it just water and vinegar.

[@thortremble2794]

AMAZING video Blake. Love your energy and expertise.

[@riakata]

One other big negative if you use it on work clothing is it makes it much much more flammable to the point were you should never wash coveralls, lab coats, anything work related with fabric softener because the added oils just make it super flammable and any flame resistant clothing will become flammable as oils build up and embed fuel basically into it. This same flammable coating will build up in your vented dryer ductwork as well.

[@BoulevardHome]

We definitely wouldn't want anyone catching on fire at work, though it might make for an exciting day at the office... thanks for sharing!

[@pinkroses135]

​@@BoulevardHome 😂🙈

[@anonymousperson4363]

@riakata, He did mention it.

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

Wife uses wool balls in the dryer...seem to work just fine softening clothes and eliminating most of the static cling. A little vinegar in the washing machine helps with softening if you're going to hang clothes to dry...just don't use so much that your clothes smell like it

[@BoulevardHome]

Great info, thank you for sharing that tip!

[@Anonymous-wn2wj]

I use a wool ball in the dryer also and my items turn out just fine.

[@Anonymous-wn2wj]

What a great video! Who knew about fabric softener. Besides jeans,what other items can you use fabric softener for? Thanks!

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

@@Anonymous-wn2wj Clueless appliance salesman is wrong about conditioners containing fats. www.google.com/search?q=composition+of+fabric+softener&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

[@robertgdansk]

I really like that great knowledge passed with a sense of humour 😊 Who would think a film about laundry could be interesting and funny 😅

[@BoulevardHome]

We're so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

His guy is some kind of appliance salesman. Slept through chemistry class. Now posts a video to show how much he learned. Typical YT nonsense. Too made he didn’t bother to research what he’s blabbing about. www.google.com/search?q=composition+of+fabric+softener&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

[@Tyzbabie]

The "glooping" add ins got the thumbs up immediately... haha. Thank you for sharing!

[@BoulevardHome]

Haha we're glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@adriyen1944]

Is there any alternatives? I’ve heard of vinegar but some claim it can damage your machine because it’s acidic

[@theirmom4723]

wool and plastic dryer balls for static...other than that rinse well..vinegar is bad for front loaders.

[@frugalw4908]

I never use fabric softener for those reasons (both clothing and the machines). With towels, I use white vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser. White vinegar helps to remove body oils from towels and improve the nap in the fabric so it better traps moisture.

[@BoulevardHome]

That's a great tip, thanks for sharing!

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

That’s mostly wishful thinking. Much too little is used to make any difference.

[@airinkujo3207]

What about Downy Rinse & Refresh Free or Tide Deep Cleansing Fabric Rinse?

[@BoulevardHome]

We actually are working on a video about alternatives like that right now, so stay tuned!

[@no_handle_required]

if you like towels that don't absorb and are filled with perfumed oil, then go ahead and keep using that crap.

[@ParisLawLess]

If you put distilled vinegar in the rinse cycle you'll typically get all the softener off of it

[@chetha13]

my girlfriend says shut up

[@darkfox2401]

You use it on your clothes. And use vinegar or bleach in your towels/whites. Unbelievable.

[@ShadowDaPk]

​@@chetha13 Your girlfriend is a nobody like the rest of us.

[@3moirai]

Another great video with lots of info. What do you think the product Downy Rinse & Refresh as an alternative to fabric softener?

[@neilpickup237]

I was advised to stop using fabric softener, but warned that until the residue from previous useage was fully washed out, they wouod be rather harsh and unpleasant. After several washes, they actually started to get soft again - even my Levi's! One thing I have found if you don't want 'stiff' clothes is to ensure that your machine is not over filled. Too large a load prevents effective rinsing and the detergent residue stiffens the clothes.

[@BoulevardHome]

That's a great tip, thanks for sharing!

[@jayvito86]

I always wonder why they never make fabric softener in a more transparent container.

[@bradleybyrnes9907]

I use vinegar which does work but I have heard it can ruin the seals. However I put mine in the main wash so most of it is rinsed off but the washing is still soft.

[@mels8966]

Diluted citric acid should in theory work as an alternative to vinegar and is less harmful to most types of rubber and has a less unpleasant smell. Not tried it as a softener, but I do I use anhydrous citric acid to descale and clean my front load washing machine once a year. Best not to mix any acid in the wash with your detergent because the two will interact and it will reduce the PH, affecting the performance of the detergent.

[@MercedesMechanic]

We just had Culligan install a water softener and we stopped using Downey but our towels are now scratchy feeling. Is there a way to make the towels softer since the soft water isn't doing it?

[@plmpcharisma9686]

So if i shake the fabric doftener Everytime before use and run warm water in the rinse cycle for the washer periodically it should take care of the issues?

[@BoulevardHome]

Shaking up the fabric softener would be a good idea, but simply a warm water rinse probably won't do much. You can (and should) occasionally do a cleaning cycle with products designed specifically for that, but even those won't completely clean out the softener. And that doesn't stop the other effects the product has, such as on your clothes. Thanks for the question!

[@plmpcharisma9686]

@@BoulevardHome so eventually the buildup is going to occur no matter what? Even on front loaders?

[@sdavisrdh]

Same goes for dryer sheets. They coat your clothes and dryer. Obviously not the washing machine!

[@cryan5]

Could you please make a video on dryer sheets?

[@BoulevardHome]

Thanks for the request, we'll add it to the list!

[@Scully818]

Just got a downy FS in a commercial 😂😂😂 I just wanted to know what fabric softener with French linen 😅😅

[@alfrazz1799]

Hello again, what's you opinion regarding PODs in HE machine (both top and fron load machine)?

[@BoulevardHome]

We've got a video comparing the different types of laundry detergent here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6mXfaJ-bZ5jgM0

[@WhyteLis21]

Ever since I've learned how to do my own laundry I've skipped out on fabric softener. Now I know why not to use it. Lol.

[@Cliodhna-z1i]

Thank you for this educational video, I appreciate it a lot :)

[@BoulevardHome]

We're glad you liked it, thanks for watching!

[@ToddMoore1]

Loved you when you played for the Winnipeg Jets! 🏒😉

[@Boodieman72]

Distilled white vinegar is a great fabric softener.

[@BoulevardHome]

So we've heard! Glad that there are some alternatives people are using. Thanks for watching!

[@melindasmith3713]

Yeap , i stopped useing it yrs ago. It ruined clothes .

[@midlifemom5829]

New subscriber. I enjoy your content, editing and the humor😊

[@BoulevardHome]

Glad to hear, thank's for watching!

[@ajellison13]

What about fabric beads? Are they safe to use?

[@25566]

Got it, never use it because it's bad for basically everything

[@BoulevardHome]

Haha that's a way of looking at it! But if you do use it, just make sure to not use very much!

[@jw77019]

It makes no-iron clothes look presentable without ironing. No fabric softener and things don’t look good. I do not like it on towels, wash cloths, etc. it also has a bluing effect which nobody ever mentions. Whites look whiter with a slight blue tint. We used to be able to buy Calvin to soften water, but it’s not available. I assume it must have contained phosphates.

[@Philbo_Baggins_67]

25k views but 615 likes? make sure to LIKE peeps! Tip your youtubers with that like button!

[@BoulevardHome]

Haha so true, thanks for sharing the word!

[@insertgoodname4809]

I always thought it smelled terrible. Now that you say it's made from animal fats that makes alot of sense.

[@BoulevardHome]

You learn something new every day! Thanks for watching!

[@thegreatwhite9499]

I don’t know, the Yellow Suavitel Fabric Softener smells great!

[@insertgoodname4809]

@@thegreatwhite9499 I was speaking of the animal fat component. Not the perfume added to cover up the natural smell.

[@mfman2]

Great video

[@BoulevardHome]

Thanks for watching!

[@Birdmacher]

Why would anyone want to bathe their towels and clothes in dyed cow lard? Kind of nasty when you think about it. Just use dryer balls, or some people use a little vinegar instead.

[@BoulevardHome]

Vinegar is what we keep hearing as the best alternative!

[@michaelgoulding6609]

i hate anything rinsed in this crap, i like my jeans & also towels to be like cardboard when freshly washed, i acculy like cotton shirts to be starched, i also hate the smell of any fabric softener, & it make,s me sneeze constantly, so i avoid it like the plague.

[@justinmccord2714]

Thanks you, as a vegan, I never realized animal products were in the fabric softener!

[@BoulevardHome]

Glad that we could help! Not many people know about that. If you'd like, there are many homemade alternatives to fabric softener that should be free of animal products you can find online.

[@alejandrogalarza3147]

hahahahahaha

[@Baz.007]

Sounds like more trouble than the softener is worth

[@BoulevardHome]

That might be true!

[@KingsRight]

very helpful. glad i dont use them

[@BoulevardHome]

Glad you found the video helpful, thanks for the comment!

[@RidiculousReviews-ii9ky]

Using fabric softener the proper way is too much of a hassle. I'll keep not using it

[@krestdorl1697]

Why one don’t want to have clean clothes and so on, instead of clothes with stinky chemical. People stinking softener is totally discusting.

[@darkfox2401]

You use it on your clothes. And use vinegar or bleach in your towels/whites. Unbelievable.

[@ayandadube8131]

Suka laa