When it comes to doing laundry, there are two types of people: those who use fabric softener and those who don’t. If you don’t use fabric softener but are thinking of starting, you may have a few questions about when to use it and what it actually does.
When to add fabric softener to the wash ultimately depends on the type of washing machine you have. If your washing machine has an automatic fabric softener dispenser, you can add it before starting the load. If it doesn’t have an automatic dispenser, the fabric softener should be added during the rinse cycle.
Does it really matter when you add fabric softener? If it does, why does it matter? What are the benefits of using fabric softener on your clothes? In this article, we will answer all of these questions and more. Hopefully, you’ll learn more about the proper way to use fabric softeners.
What Does Fabric Softener Do?
There are many benefits to using fabric softener on your clothes as they wash. Besides making your clothes smell good, the main purpose of fabric softener is to protect your clothes from wear and tear. This helps to keep the fabric in great condition. Fabric softeners can be purchased in either liquid or powder form.
No matter which type of fabric softener you buy, using it in the washing machine can help to prevent pilling and stretching in your clothes. Some fabric softeners can also help prevent the color of your clothes from fading.
Fabric softener works because it contains ingredients that help to lubricate individual clothing fibers. When the fabric softener is released as your clothes are washing, the lubricants coat the fibers and helps to soften them. Because the fibers are now coated, they produce less static as they rub together in the washer and dryer.
When to Add Fabric Softener to the Washing Machine?
The right time to add fabric softener to the washing machine depends on the age and type of washing machine that you have. Some washing machines have a dispenser that releases the fabric softener automatically. Others don’t have a dispenser at all.
If you have a newer model washing machine, it likely came with a dispenser. But if your washing machine is older, you will have to add the fabric softener yourself as the clothes are washing.
In washing machines that do have a fabric softener dispenser, you don’t have to worry about when the appropriate time to add fabric softener is. All you have to do is pour the recommended amount of fabric softener into the dispenser. The washing machine knows when to release the fabric softener and will do so at the appropriate time.
However, if your washing machine doesn’t have a dispenser, you will need to pay attention to what cycle the washing machine is at and add the fabric softener yourself at the appropriate time. In order for fabric softener to be effective, the appropriate time for you to add it is during the rinse cycle.
When Do You Put Fabric Softener In Front Loader?
As long as your front loader washing machine has an automatic fabric softener dispenser, you can add the fabric softener before you start the load. The fabric softener will be released at the right time.
However, most modern washing machines give you the option to stop them at different points during the load. So, if the automatic dispenser stops working, you’d rather add the fabric softener yourself to prevent any potential laundry accidents, or you don’t have a dispenser, you can just add it at the beginning of the rinse cycle yourself.
When to Put Fabric Softener In Top Loader?
Adding fabric softener to a top loading washing machine is very similar to adding it to a front loader. Again, it largely depends on if you have an automatic dispenser or not. For most top loader washing machines that have an automatic dispenser, you can add the fabric softener to the dispenser before you start the washing cycle.
However, depending on where the dispenser is located on your washing machine, it may be recommended to add it at a different time. Your washing machine’s manual should tell you how to properly use the fabric softener dispenser.
If you don’t have a dispenser or the dispenser stops working, you will have to pay attention to what point the washing machine is at in the cycle. As with front loaders, at the start of the rinse cycle is usually the best time to add the fabric softener.
When Does Fabric Softener Get Dispensed?
In most automatic dispensers, the fabric softener will get dispensed during the rinse cycle. It doesn’t matter if you have a front loader or top loader washing machine. But what does matter is what settings or how many rinse cycles your particular washing machine has.
Some washing machines have a setting that you select only when you are using fabric softener. There may be a knob that is labeled ‘fabric softener’ and you turn it to either ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Other washing machines provide the option to run an extra rinse cycle. Still others have a button that you press if you added fabric softener.
Additional settings for adding fabric softeners like those listed above are usually in place so that the washing machine gives your clothing a deeper rinse. Deeper or extra rinses are necessary to ensure that the fabric softener is adequately rinsed out. Otherwise, residue from the softener could build up in your clothes.
Every washing machine brand and model is different but it’s important to use the correct settings when adding fabric softener. If your machine runs multiple rinse cycles, using the correct settings ensures that the fabric softener is released during the appropriate rinse cycle.
Can You Put Fabric Softener Directly on Clothes in the Washer?
It is not a good idea to put fabric softener directly onto your clothes. Fabric softener is made with strong chemicals that could stain your clothes if it touches them. Fabric softener needs to be diluted in water in order for it not to leave a stain.
Your clothes can also become stained by fabric softener if too much fabric softener is used or if the fabric softener is added or dispensed at the wrong time. That’s why it is important to read the instructions on both the fabric softener and in your washing machine’s manual so that you know how to use it properly. The last thing you want is for fabric softener to ruin your clothes instead of protecting them.
Where Do You Put Fabric Softener In The Washing Machine?
If your washing machine has an automatic fabric softener dispenser, you just put the fabric softener directly into the dispenser. However, the location of your dispenser and how you put the fabric softener into it depends on your particular washing machine.
Front Loader
Front loader washing machines have a drawer that the fabric softener goes into and is dispensed from. To add fabric softener to the drawer, make sure to pull the drawer out as far as it will go.
In many washing machines, the drawer has a label that indicates how much fabric softener to put into it. Pour the amount of fabric softener that you need into the drawer, then add water to the drawer until the fabric softener and water mixture reach the maximum fill line.
Be careful not to fill the drawer past the maximum fill line. If you do, the fabric softener can either spill out of the drawer or be released too early, potentially staining your clothes. After you’ve put the fabric softener in the drawer, close it carefully. The fabric softener will be dispensed automatically during the appropriate cycle.
Top Loader
The dispenser in top loading washing machines can be found at the top of the agitator in the middle of the drum. To use the dispenser, just pour the recommended amount of fabric softener into the dispenser.
Once you’ve poured the fabric softener into the dispenser, pour water into the dispenser to the fill line in order to dilute the fabric softener. Just like with a front loader, be careful not to overfill the dispenser with either fabric softener or water. Once the load has started, the fabric softener will be dispensed automatically.
It is very important to clean the fabric softener dispenser if you notice residue starting to build up. If you don’t clean it regularly, the residue could clog up the dispenser. This could affect how much, if any, fabric softener is released or damage the dispenser. The residue buildup could also cause mold to grow; this is true for both top and front loading washing machines
Can I Add Fabric Softener To The Beginning Of The Wash?
You can add fabric softener at the beginning of the wash cycle as long as you have an automatic dispenser. If you don’t have a fabric softener dispenser, you shouldn’t add it to the beginning of the wash. It could stain your clothes if there is not yet enough water in the machine to dilute it. Instead, add it during the rinse cycle in order for it to be most effective.
How To Add Fabric Softener Without A Dispenser?
If you don’t have a fabric softener dispenser, you should pour the fabric softener directly into the washing machine during the rinse cycle. However, it is still important that you don’t pour it directly onto the clothes. Instead, you should pour the fabric softener into a water pocket at the top of the load where it can dilute before it is dispersed in the rinse cycle.
You may be wondering what could happen if you add it too soon (before the rinse cycle) or too late (after the rinse cycle). Adding fabric softener directly into the washing machine during the wash cycle could mean that the fabric softener will get washed away before it can penetrate the clothes. Likewise, adding it after the rinse cycle may cause it to not get washed out at all.
In either case, the fabric softener will be ineffective. You may have to rewash the load with new fabric softener if it gets washed away or run an additional rinse cycle if it doesn’t get washed out at all.
That’s why it’s important that you know when your washing machine transitions to the rinse cycle. If you pay close attention to the laundry, you can add the fabric softener at the right time. It probably isn’t a good idea to leave the house during a load of laundry if you want to add fabric softener but don’t have an automatic dispenser. You could lose your window of opportunity to add it.
If you don’t trust yourself to add fabric softener at the right time or you need to leave the house during a load of laundry, you could always try a fabric softener ball. Fabric softener balls work similarly to an automatic dispenser.
To use one, you simply pour your fabric softener into the plastic ball and close the lid. Toss the ball into the washing machine before you start the load. The agitation of the washing machine during the rinse cycle will cause the lid to open, and your fabric softener will be released.
When Should You Not Use Fabric Softener?
Due to their unique characteristics, there are certain fabrics that you should not use fabric softeners on. Doing so could damage the fabric. If you’re unsure whether or not fabric softener can be used on a specific fabric, check the care label. It should specify whether or not fabric softener can be used. Here a few items that you generally shouldn’t use fabric softener with.
Athletic Wear
Many types of athletic wear are made of fabrics that have moisture-wicking abilities. If a fabric is moisture-wicking, it will help keep you cool by moving sweat away from the body. However, since fabric softener adds a lubricating coat to the individual fibers that make up the cloth, it could hinder the fabric’s ability to properly move moisture.
Microfiber
Microfiber is a very soft fabric, but many people want to use fabric softener on their microfiber items in an effort to keep it soft. Just like athletic wear, microfiber fabric is designed to absorb moisture. Coating the fibers with fabric softener prevents them from being as absorbent.
Microfiber also does a great job at trapping dust due to the amount of static electricity in the fibers. When fabric softener coats the microfibers, it reduces the amount of static electricity that they produce. As a result of using fabric softener, dust won’t stick to the fibers as well.
Towels
One way to achieve softness and fluffiness in fabrics is by using fabric softeners. Who doesn’t love a soft and fluffy towel? While fabric softener is generally okay to use on towels, using it during repeated washes can cause the towels to be less absorbent. It is recommended that you don’t use fabric softener every time you wash towels. Instead, use it during one load and skip it during the next load. Your towels will still remain soft and fluffy.
Flame Resistant Fabric
Most pajamas are made of fabrics designed to be flame resistant. However, using fabric softeners on flame-resistant clothing can actually make them less flame resistant. Fabric softener is made of chemicals, some of which could potentially be flammable. Even if the chemicals aren’t flammable, the fabric softener will still coat the fibers, meaning that the flame-resistant properties could be ineffective.
Water Repellent Fabric
Just as fabric softener can affect a piece of clothing’s ability to absorb water, it can also affect its ability to repel water. Similar to flame-resistant fabrics, the effectiveness of water repellent fabric can be decreased as well. It all goes back to the main purpose of fabric softener, which is to coat the individual fibers.
Conclusion
We hope this article answered your questions about when and how to use fabric softener. Remember that if you have an automatic dispenser, you can pour the fabric softener into the dispenser before the wash cycle. Otherwise, you should wait until the rinse cycle in order for the fabric softener to be effective. Thanks for reading!