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The Science Behind Fabric Softeners: How They Work and Why You Need Them

There’s nothing quite like stepping out of the shower and wrapping yourself in a soft, fluffy towel, or slipping into a bed with fragrant, freshly washed sheets. But have you ever wondered exactly how fabric softener leaves your laundry super-soft and smelling heavenly? Read on to learn the science behind this wash-day must-have...



A woman smiling while folding her laundry

 

 

What is fabric softener and how does it work? 

Fabric softener is a laundry additive designed to soften and condition fabrics (you’ll also hear it called fabric conditioner). 

The short answer to “How does fabric softener work?” is: it coats the fibres of the fabric, reducing friction and giving them a smoother, softer texture. But if you’re interested in the science behind fabric softener, let’s take a deeper dive!

Both laundry detergent and fabric softener contain something called surfactants, short for surface-active agents. Laundry detergents usually have surfactants that have a negative electrical charge, called anionic surfactants. So during the wash cycle, they give the fibres of your fabrics a negative charge. 

On the other hand, fabric softeners contain cationic surfactants, which are positively charged. As you might remember from chemistry class, negatively charged and positively charged objects are attracted to each other. So when your fabric softener is added to the cycle, negatively charged fabric fibres attract and bind with the positively charged surfactants. 

The tiny molecules that make up cationic surfactants have a head and a tail. The tails are hydrophobic, which means they’re repelled by water, and the heads are hydrophilic, which means they’re attracted to water. So in the wet washing machine, these molecules attach to the fabrics tail-first, leaving the heads to face outwards towards the wet environment. 

Together, the heads create a smooth film over the fabric fibres, which acts as a lubricant to reduce friction between the fibres. Not only does this make the fabric feel softer and easier to handle, it also helps to prevent static build-up during drying.

Do I need to use fabric softener?

We spend almost the entire day in contact with one fabric or another, from our clothes to our bed sheets to our towels. Washing can be rough on those fabrics, which in turn can be rough on our skin. Take cotton and wool, for example. 

Cotton fibres have a natural waxy layer that can be stripped away with washing. That’s why air-dried cottons can sometimes feel stiff or rough. The surfactants in fabric softeners replace this waxy layer and restore the smoothness. Meanwhile, wool can sometimes cause irritation and itching of the skin because of its rough, scaly fibres, but surfactants can help to smooth these out. The result is less friction and irritation, something that can be especially helpful to people with delicate or sensitive skin. 

We don’t need to tell you how annoying static cling is! But by preventing static build-up in your fabrics, softener tackles this problem, too. That means no more fussing to keep your clothes and hair in check.

Fabric softener can also protect fabric fibres against colour loss, wrinkling and wear-and-tear, helping them to maintain their shape and quality for much longer. It also makes fabrics easier to iron, cutting down on everybody’s least favourite chore! 

Finally, fabric softeners infuse your fabrics with delightful fragrances, turning all of your everyday moments into uplifting sensory experiences. 

What’s the best fabric softener for my laundry? 

The best fabric softener for you will depend on a number of things, like your household size, personal preference and budget. For example, if you have a large family and a tight budget, you’ll want to get the most out of your fabric softener with Sta-soft® Ultra Concentrate, which packs 4x more softening power into ever capful. If you or your family members have sensitive skin, you’ll want to choose a hypoallergenic, gently scented option like Sta-soft® Ultra Concentrate Sensitive instead. Whereas if you have babies or very young children, you’ll want to protect their delicate skin with a specially formulated, ultra-gentle fabric softener like Sta-soft® Baby Fabric Conditioner. 

Other factors you might want to consider when choosing a fabric softener include scent preferences. Fragrance is a highly personal choice, but luckily we offer a huge range of delightful scents to suit every taste. For example, if you’re a big fan of florals, you’ll love the delicate scent of Water Lily Sensations. But if you love that clean, crisp first-day-of-spring feel to your laundry, you’ll want to stick with the classic Spring Fresh.

Now that you know the science behind fabric softener, you can see how it’s a must-have for fresh, soft, heavenly scented laundry! For help choosing your ideal Sta-soft® fabric softener and getting the best from your product, check out these articles:

  • Choosing the Right Fabric Softener for Your Laundry Needs

  • Choosing the Right Fragrance: A Guide to Sta-soft® Scents

  • The Complete Guide to Using Fabric Softener: Tips and Tricks

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