why do clothes get more uncomfortable after every wash (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago by jackpot@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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they feel so 'chemical-y' and their texture goes from soft to uncomfy idfk?

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[-] Carighan@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

they feel so ‘chemical-y’ and their texture goes from soft to uncomfy idfk?

This feels like what you're noticing is actually the removal of the "chemicals" (technically, the fibres are a chemical, too, even cotton - everything is chemical in nature, btw, there is no "natural"). There's an oil on/in the fabric when you buy it to make it softer and to protect it during transport and storage, and over a few washing cycles this gets removed.

To re-apply this effect, use fabric softeners. That's exactly what they exist to do.

[-] Dirk@lemmy.ml 38 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

does fabric softener ruin clothes?

Yes! Fabric softener creates a waxy coating that can actually ruin your clothes over time.

This is because fabric softener essentially applies a thin, waxy coating to your laundry which must be water-resistant to survive the washing process. This waterproof coating initially makes your clothes softer but lessens their ability to absorb water and detergent over time.

This means your clothes won’t hold up as well in the wash and will likely begin locking in bad odors. These odors defeat the purpose of doing laundry.

Fabric softener can even ruin your cloth dish towels and stop them from absorbing water. That’s because fabric softener will build up on them over time, and since fabric softener is water proof, this interrupts how much liquid they can absorb.

https://www.goingzerowaste.com/blog/fabric-softener-why-you-shouldnt-use-it/

[-] heigre@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

Not to talk about the environmental impact which is also discussed in the link above.

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this post was submitted on 14 Sep 2023

67 points (85.3% liked)

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