With the advent of automatic washing machines, special powders and conditioners appeared on the market. The use of these products allows you to completely rid clothes of dirt and make fabrics softer and more obedient. Fabric softener is a universal remedy that can have a complex effect. Many neglect it, but in vain, as it can make your things softer and more pleasant. Let's see what the air conditioner is for, how to use it and what user reviews say about it.
What is a conditioner for?
Fabric softener is needed in order to make fabrics soft, obedient, pleasant to the touch and fragrant. Some people believe that its main property is to give a pleasant aroma - this is how advertising once reported. After rinsing with conditioner, the linen really acquires a slight pleasant smell, floral or some other. A good effect is given by the aroma of "frosty freshness" - the linen smells like it was just brought from the street. Moreover, the smell persists for many days.
But that's not all - fabric softener conditioner is a means to give the linen special properties. Traditional washing powders make fabrics rough, and spinning at high speed makes clothes wrinkled and difficult to iron. Certain types of fabrics have the ability to attract dust, lint and other small contaminants. After washing, they need to be treated with an antistatic agent. In this case, fabric softener is better - it will make the fabric softer and get rid of stickiness.
In other words, a good fabric softener is a multi-faceted agent, replacing several agents at once.Let's see what characteristics these or those products presented on store windows have - there are many differences in them.
Manifested effects of the conditioner
As we have already said, giving a smell is far from the only property of fabric softeners, especially since there are odorless products on sale. Let's present their properties in the form of a detailed list:
- Fabric softener with antistatic effect (the bottle is accompanied by a visible mark) - is able to save clothes from "stickiness" and the ability to accumulate static electricity. At the same time, it prevents the folds from sticking to each other or to other objects (relevant for some women's skirts that desperately stick to other fabrics);
- Easy smoothing - it would seem that rough wrinkles can be removed by ironing with steam.But their appearance is easily prevented with the help of fabric softener. Keep this in mind when using clothes that are prone to wrinkling;
- Reducing the formation of pellets - the use of rinse aid will get rid of this ugly phenomenon and preserve the integrity of the materials;
- Improving moisture absorption - relevant for washing towels. Fabric softener with silicone has such properties. But here you need to take into account one interesting point - some silicone additives may have the opposite properties, water-repellent. Before choosing one or another bottle of rinse aid, do not forget to clarify this point;
- For smell - we recommend using a conditioner with the scent of flowers or winter freshness. But other flavors have every right to exist. The main thing is that they do not lead to a headache;
- Preservation of the color of fabric fibers is important when washing not the most resistant colored fabrics.It is recommended to use in conjunction with washing powders that have a similar effect;
- Long lasting cleanliness - some fabric softeners contain ingredients that give materials a repellent effect. As a result, dry and wet dirt does not stick to them.
Fabric softener not only gives clothes a pleasant smell, but also makes them noticeably softer, which is especially important for people with sensitive skin.
It is impossible not to note the softening effect, which makes the underwear softer, silkier and more comfortable to wear.
Harm and benefit
Some users are negatively opposed to fabric softeners, complaining about their chemical composition. It really does not contain the most healthy components, but their amount is calculated so as not to harm humans and even animals. Let's see what needs to be done so that the rinse aid does not become harmful:
- Do not allow it to enter drinking water and food - when you return from the supermarket, make sure that household chemicals are in a separate bag from purchased products;
- Avoid accidental contact of fabric softener on the mucous membranes and in the oral cavity - if this happens, rinse them in accordance with the instructions for use, and in case of complications, immediately consult a doctor;
- Do not exceed the indicated dosage - it is prescribed in the same instructions for use for each rinse.
Remember that no even the best conditioner can be absolutely harmless. But if you follow the dosage, then nothing bad will happen. If your fears are too great, here are some tips:
- If you are allergic to household chemicals, avoid using fabric softeners;
- Try using conditioners for baby clothes - their difference lies in the use of a more gentle formulation using harmless components (the harm from them is minimal);
- Look for plant-based fabric softeners without the use of ethanol, benzyl alcohol, pentane, phosphates and many other artificial ingredients.
Using these tips, you level the harm from household chemicals. Unfortunately, there is no GOST for rinses that determines the content of certain components. Some health-conscious people purchase expensive fabric softeners from organic cosmetics and laundry care products, and you can do the same if you don't mind the cost anymore.
The most popular air conditioners
Choose a fabric softener by brand and characteristics. We note right away that it does not make much sense to trust brands that produce penny funds. But the level of trust in eminent manufacturers should be higher - we recommend that you take a closer look at the conditioners Lenore, Weasel, Eared Nyan, Ecover, Vernel and others that lead the consumer rating. Consider the most popular tools in demand among buyers.
LENOR Concentrate Amethyst and Flower Bouquet
The best fabric softener according to buyers. It preserves color vibrancy, protects clothes from wear and tear, makes ironing easier, makes clothes softer and even retains their original shape. The smell of the product lingers for a very long time. Someone may be confused by the price of 300-330 rubles, but it should be remembered that we have a concentrate that is enough for 51 washings - this is very profitable. The safety of the composition for the skin is confirmed by dermatologists.
LENOR concentrate for sensitive and baby skin
If you need a conditioner for baby clothes, pay attention to the product presented.It is universal and suitable for all washing clothes of adults and children. Thanks to its concentrated formula, it replaces four bottles at once, resulting in significant savings. According to its properties, the conditioner is identical to the previous concentrate, but it is devoid of dyes.
BioMio Bio-Soft
Before us is a fabric softener, created on the basis of organic components. It has a delicate scent of cinnamon and contains cotton extract. A bottle of one and a half liters costs about 400 rubles, it is sold in many supermarkets and hypermarkets. Both machine wash and hand wash are allowed. Looking into the composition, we will not see aggressive surfactants, phosphates, artificial flavors and dyes, as well as other traditional non-natural components. One bottle is enough for about 50 cycles in the automatic machine, and in the case of hand washing, the rinse aid can be used up to 150 times.
DOSIA for children and sensitive skin
A two-liter bottle of this fabric softener will last for a gigantic number of washes, as we have another concentrate in front of us. And with a democratic cost - it costs only 210 rubles. The rinse aid has antistatic properties and can be used with all types of fabrics. In its composition there is an extract of chamomile officinalis. In short, this is the optimal air conditioner for economical users.
Mode of application
The vast majority of fabric softeners are designed for use in automatic washing machines.To do this, they contain the appropriate trays - they are located in the same place where the powders for the main and prewash are poured. In the case of concentrates, approximately 20-25 ml of the product is poured into one cycle, which is enough for 5 kg of laundry. If the machine can hold up to 7-8 kg, the dosage should be increased.
In general, when choosing a dosage, you should focus on a specific remedy. Ttraditional conditioners are added in large quantities, while concentrates are added in limited quantities. The label of the selected rinse aid will tell you the optimal dose. You can also use fabric softener for hand washing - in this case, the volume is reduced by at least two times.
User Reviews
In this section, we will introduce you to user reviews of popular fabric softeners - they were left by real users. Based on them, you can make the right choice of conditioner.
Vernal Sensitive Aloe Vera and Almond Milk
Angelica, 24 years
I have been using this fabric softener for two years, I consider it an ideal tool. The clothes after it are fragrant, but this aroma does not hurt the sense of smell - it is very soft. The fabrics are no less soft. Convenient bottle, there is a dispenser built into the cap. It does not spoil the colors, it is washed out completely, its residues on the materials are not felt, unlike some other rinses.
LENOR Alpine Meadows
Daria, 28 years
A good air conditioner, but with its own shortcomings. It gives the laundry a very pungent smell, so I always reduce the dosage. Moreover, in the store the aroma was one, and after washing it was already different. Clothes after it are like silk, easily smoothed without steaming. In short, it gives excellent results with every wash. But the flavor could be not so strong.
Vestar White Lotus Energy
Svetlana, 32 years old
Somehow I came across a TV show that said that the cost and importance of household chemicals from leading brands is too high. And I decided to try what would happen if you buy some cheap air conditioner.The result turned out to be discouraging - there is no effect from the rinse aid, it is inconvenient to dose, the aroma after washing is very weak, it does not have any effect on the properties of fabrics. In a word, wasted money (well, at least it costs a penny).
