[Yaelle]

Yes ,clearly some of the components of detergent don’t wash out. Smell people’s clothing. Often it has that fake scent of Tide etc in it no matter if it was in a closet for 6 months.

There are cleaner detergents and homemade detergents. Even some commercial brands have less toxins.

But the most common fabric softener and ESPECIALLY dryer sheets are so horrible for your health they should never be used ever. A dryer that has had a lot of dryer sheets in it should be discarded. I wish I was kidding.

There are a couple more natural brands of softener that aren’t going to harm you, used in MUCH SMALLER quantity than the bottle cap. Ecover is one brand. I use it. Just a small amount.

[Blue Jays]

Dryer sheet products like "Bounce" literally feel greasy to the touch and have a petroleum-based fragrance.
I determined years ago that there was NO WAY that product could be beneficial to skin or the dryer itself.

[wardaddy]

I wash clothes mostly in the yuge Wardaddy household

3 loads a day minimum

I’ve been doing this since the 70s

I believe in Tide...it is most expensive cause it’s best

I buy it at Sam’s

Surf or Gain will do..I liked Oxydol long ago too as well as Cheer

I also try to keep a big tub of Oxyclean around or Borax in a pinch

Oxy really makes a difference on whites and in conjunction with bleach

Speaking of which...bleach....if it ain’t Clorox it’s ain’t diddly...it diluted

Again costs more but u can find 2/1 at dollar general

Fabric softener....Downy...the baby

40 years.....

If money is no object then I’d use this stuff which I splurge on sometimes

http://www.goodhomestore.com/our-scents/beach-days.html

Or have my 22 year old French maid do it...

Morgana....brave thread earlier....I salute u

[napscoordinator]

Oh my gosh. I am ready to go and wash clothes by rock in the creek like the old day. My family uses fabric softener and dryer sheets as well as Downy’s Unstoppables. You are literally questioning the families laundry process. I do the laundry as much as my wife.....ok she may do a bit more then I do but not much.

[T-Bone Texan]

Why are you anti-dryer sheets?

[Morgana]

Someone once told me this, don’t know if it’s true but will pass it on.

Around here we get an insect called “stinkbugs” don’t know their scientific name. While at the Laundry Mat someone said Fabric Softener repels them. They said “use a lot on your curtains in the fall it helps”. Many of us had taken our curtains to the Laundry Mat and when we pulled them out of the washing machine thousand of dead stinkbugs fell on the floor. These stinkbugs tend to try to come in our homes in the fall when we have our windows open somehow they slide past the screens. Was also told to spray Fabric Softener on the screen to deter them. I don’t go that far, just use Ortho Home Defense.