We use fabric conditioner to make clothes softer, smoother, and more comfortable to wear by coating the fabric fibers, which can also help protect them from damage like stretching, fading, and pilling, allowing clothes to retain their shape and color better over time; essentially providing a protective layer to your garments while adding a pleasant scent.
Key benefits of fabric conditioner:
Softness: The primary function is to make clothes feel softer against the skin by smoothing out rough fibers.
Shape retention: Helps clothes maintain their original shape by preventing excessive stretching or shrinking.
Color protection: Can help prevent colors from fading during washing.
Reduced wrinkles: Smoother fibers can make ironing easier.
Static reduction: Can help minimize static cling on clothes.
Fresh scent: Most fabric conditioners add a pleasant fragrance to your laundry.
You should avoid using fabric softener on items like towels, athletic wear, swimwear, moisture-wicking fabrics, flame-resistant clothing, baby clothes, and delicate lingerie as it can reduce their functionality by coating the fibers, hindering absorbency, and potentially compromising fire-resistant properties; always check the care label on your clothes before using fabric softener.
Key reasons to skip fabric softener:
Reduces absorbency:
Fabric softener can coat towels and activewear, making them less absorbent and effective at wicking moisture away from the skin.
Compromises flame resistance:
Using fabric softener on flame-retardant clothing can decrease its fire-resistant capabilities.
Irritates sensitive skin:
For people with sensitive skin, fabric softener can cause irritation.
Can damage delicate fabrics:
Some delicate fabrics like lingerie can be damaged by the coating left by fabric softener.
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