For decades, a marketing campaign has been feeding us a laundry list of lies, saying we need fabric softener to feel snuggly soft or, even worse, avoid the dreaded embarrassment of — gasp — static cling!
Luckily, one TikToker is giving us the dirty truth behind fabric softener.
The scoop
The TikTok account for the cleaning product company Active (@cleanwithactive) posts tips on how to clean appliances around the house while promoting its eco-friendly products. However, one video skips the product promotion to issue a warning: Stop using fabric softener in your washing machine.
@cleanwithactive This is What FABRIC SOFTENER Does to Your Washing Machine #washingmachine #toploadwasher #washingmachineclean #washingmachinehack #washingmachinecleaner #washingmachinerepair #appliance #appliances #washerdryercombo #washer #appliancerepair #washingmachinedeepclean #washingmachinecleaner #washingmachine ♬ original sound - ACTIVE
"This is What FABRIC SOFTENER Does to Your Washing Machine," the video is titled.
It starts with a person cleaning disgusting gunk out of the inner tub of a washing machine. "Do we really think our clothes are clean if this is what we're washing them in?" the expert asks.
As he disassembles the washing machine, he explains that the gunk is from years of incorrectly using soap and fabric softener. "I wanted to show you guys the detrimental side effects of too much soap and especially too much fabric softener, which you should not be using in your machine at all," he says.
How it's helping
As the person in the video points out, appliances can last a lifetime if taken care of properly. Dismantling your washing machine to clean it is a labor-intensive project that most people don't have time for, and having a professional do it is expensive.
Fabric softener is not an incredibly expensive product, but every little bit adds up, and saving $18 every other month or so can make a difference.
Eliminating plastic waste is also a huge bonus of not using fabric softener anymore. Plastic waste is one of the most significant problems facing our society. We produce about 440 million tons of plastic waste every year, most of which ends up in landfills or the environment, where it becomes microplastics and kills wildlife.
Cutting toxic fabric softeners out of your life also benefits your health. Many of the ingredients are linked to health issues. Plus, those toxic chemicals can end up in our waterways, poisoning wildlife.
What's everyone saying?
Many people in the comments mentioned white vinegar as a non-toxic substitute, and other experts agree.
"I use vinegar as a fabric softener," one person wrote.
"Once you break the bad habit you'll be OK," another person added.
White vinegar costs much less than fabric softener and has many other uses around the house. It's an all-purpose cleaner for bathroom and kitchen counters, and it even cleans built-up dirt and grime off faucets.
Finding cheaper, natural cleaning products is an excellent way to save money and help the environment.
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