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

  • zeppo@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    What kind of detergent do you use, and do you use fabric softener? Personally I can’t stand the smell of mainstream scented detergents - they got worse and worse for me over time until I was wondering “why would I want my clothes to smell like synthetic grapes and weird cotton candy crap?”. At this point it irritates my nose and sustained exposure makes my lips swell slightly and my eyes turn red (I must be allergic to the fragrances somehow).

    I am fine with unscented All or Tide, but mainly use unscented ‘natural’ detergents like Seventh Generation or ECOS. Dryer sheets and fabric softener I avoid entirely, even unscented ones. Fabric softener to me makes my clothes feel like they’re coated in weird oil (makes sense, that’s what it is I guess). I use these wool spheres the size of billiard balls for anti-static and that works great.

    • canthidium@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Started using the wool balls about a year or so ago and it’s a complete game changer. The only thing I don’t like about them is they get caught in some clothes sometimes and I find them when folding in my bedroom and I forget to bring them back ha.

      • squiblet@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Ha, yep - I’ve gone from 9 to 4-5 and find them in my sleeves when I’m folding clothes. I think the missing ones are trapped in my gf’s clothes, which she just sort of stacks up rather than folding…

        • canthidium@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I’m bad about that too. I usually just empty the dryer into a basket and take it to my closet and fold/hang there. And I’ve got a bad habit of just leaving the whole basket and living out of it for the next week or so. Oh and I find bedding just eats the balls. I’ll go to put the blanket on the bed and do the flick in the air thing and a ball just comes flying out.

      • Very_Bad_Janet@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Wool dryer balls was going to be my suggestion also (unless the OP doesn’t have a dryer). Everything comes out of the dryer soft and fluffy because of the dryer balls. I haven’t used fabric softener in years.

        OP, if you line dry, I would switch to a powder detergent (rinses away cleaner than liquid) and use half the recommended amount. I’d also add extra rinses. Your problem.might be too much detergent residue on your clothing.

        • squiblet@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          I’ve noticed a lot of people don’t actually measure liquid detergent, too… just kind of pour some in. I bet that tends to use way more than is called for. We started using the detergent sheets (the ones that just dissolve, however those work) which helps with easy portioning.

      • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
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        1 year ago

        We have a couple tennis ball sized wool balls that I used for awhile, but the kitten decided they were for her to wrestle with and roll around the house. Now I would have to wash them separately before I threw them in with my towels and undies.