Learn how fabric softener actually works, and when you should—and shouldn't—use it. Getty Images / Vladdeep Fabric softener, also called fabric conditioner, is a laundry product containing lubricating ...

Although it’s become an everyday staple, fabric softener may be the most misunderstood laundry product of all. We assume, because of its name, that it will make our clothes feel soft. But, really, ...

Fabric softeners work in the rinse cycle to coat fibers with softening ingredients that make them feel soft and silky to the touch. The coating helps reduce static cling and most liquid fabric ...

DEAR HELOISE: Any hints for keeping the liquid fabric-softener dispenser in my washer clean and free of buildup? - Briana, via email Here is a really easy hint: Pour some hot water into it and let sit ...

Fabric softener is notoriously divisive. In fact, when we interviewed Rich Handel, a test project leader at Consumer Reports who specializes in laundry, about the things he would never do as a laundry ...

Learning the right way to launder bedding is an art in itself. Too much detergent and suds will go everywhere. If you use the wrong kind, you're at risk of damaging your sheets. It can be hard to know ...

Fabric softener coats fabric fibers with compounds that leave them feeling silkier to the touch and reduces static cling. Overuse of fabric softener makes fabrics less absorbent and breathable, while ...