Are Dryer Sheets and Liquid Fabric Softener the Same Thing?
Do dryer sheets and liquid fabric softeners do the same thing?
Essentially dryer sheets and liquid fabric softeners do the same thing, they both make fabrics feel soft and bring a fresh scent to your clothes. The obvious difference between the two is that one is used in the washing machine and the other in the dryer. Another difference between dryer sheets and liquid fabric softeners is the way that they work. Liquid fabric softeners penetrate the fabric fibers when added to the rinse cycle of the washing machine. The softening agents in dryer sheets are heat activated and coat the surface of clothing from the heat of the dryer.
What are the advantages of using dryer sheets instead of liquid fabric softener?
The biggest advantage is convenience. Liquid fabric softener needs to be added during the rinse cycle of the wash to reduce the risk of staining clothes from the dyes in the fabric softener. It is easy to forget to add the liquid softener, but dryer sheets can be put into the dryer at any time during the drying cycle. Dryer sheets are usually less expensive than liquid fabric softener. Dryer sheets also seem to do a better job at eliminating static.
What are the advantages of using a liquid fabric softener?
Since liquid fabric softeners penetrate the fabric fibers they do seem to do a better job at giving clothes a softer feel. Liquid fabric softeners also reduce the amount of pilling, stretching, and pulling of clothing. One of the disadvantages of using liquid fabric softener is the risk of staining clothes if not fully dissolved in the water.
Are there fabrics or materials that you should not use fabric softener?
There are fabrics that you should never use fabric softener on because they coat the fibers of the clothes which interferes with absorbency or function of some items. Do not use either dryer sheets or fabric softener on the following things.
- Microfiber cloth – fabric softeners will fuse the fibers together which will ruin the benefits of using microfiber cloth
- Towels – fabric softeners coat the fibers of the towel reducing absorbency
- Athletic wear – fabric softener interferes with the ability of athletic wear fabric to evaporate sweat and moisture when worn
by—Tami Boyd
Fresh smell of laundry detergent sheet |
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