Is Fabric Conditioner the Same as Laundry Detergent | Expert Guide

Just as we use cleaning products and hair conditioners, these conditioners are conditioners for textiles. In this article, we will describe whether fabric conditioner is the same as laundry detergent. We will give this description with a brief example. Now the question is fabric conditioner the same as laundry detergent?

Fabric softener leaves a light scent on the clothes, reduces static electricity so you don’t have to fight against any clingy shirts or dresses, and allows for less drying time in between washes due to its water-soluble properties. And let’s not forget how much easier it is when ironing if there are no annoying wrinkles!

Fabric Conditioners will leave clean smelling clothing that has less chance of getting caught up in the dryer machine while taking up fewer loads requiring more frequent trips back out into public; also they make life easy by reducing wrinkle care during their wash cycle which ends with an effortless pressing job.

Learn More: Differences Between Laundry Detergents, Fabric Softener VS Conditioner

Fabric Conditioner and Laundry Detergent

You can add a fabric softener if you need to wash bedding and cotton in a single load. And, if you want to give it a scent, you can use dryer sheets. In this way, it will help reduce static, the duration of drying, and allow better ironing.

Certain detergents contain conditioner in their composition. However, fabric conditioner is different from laundry detergent. Many people need to differentiate between fabric softener as well as their uses.

Read More: Fabric Softener Vs Fabric Conditioner

To guarantee a good laundry wash, we must know the formula of the different laundry detergents. This is because, for example, washing colored clothes is not the same as washing white clothes. This is the case with types of fabric. Some garments require a special detergent for linen, for example, and cotton requires another formula, and so on.

You can never treat black clothing in its washing the same as washing clothes in general. The sheets will not be washed with a special detergent for baby clothes because they require other agents. On the other hand, are the stains? If they have blood, grease, or oil stains, these clothes should be soaked in a specific detergent and then a special wash.

According to the colors, fabrics, dirt, or grease that the clothes have, you will determine the type of detergent to use. This is the case with the fabric conditioner that has its special function.

Detergent and Soap

Detergent is simply a soap that contains enzymes that are relevant for cleaning when washing fabrics. But, some enzymes are not used in wool or silk. 

This is the explanation why wool and silk are not washed with detergent. Also, soap without enzymes is not characterized as a detergent.

Detergent Performance

Each detergent has different enzymes which have specific purposes. In washing, each enzyme fulfills its function. Some decompose, others seize, and others exterminate some particles.

Said particles are suspended in the water by the surfactant system, and rinsing those particles are washed. There are refined detergents that contain a high concentration of enzymes. Laundress detergent, for example, has four different enzymes: protease, amylase, lipase, and cellulose.

• Each one, has said previously, with a specific function.
• Protease is responsible for removing protein stains.
• Amylase kills starches.
• Lipase removes oils.
• Cellulose removes dirt like lint.

When washing, fabric softener is used to soften the fibers of fabrics, as it adds a layer of softness to them. Fabric softeners are generally sold diluted in water in liquid form. These contain cationic surfactants. The fabrics of fabrics absorb these surfactants from the softener, thus obtaining their softness.

Learn More: How To Clean Up Spilled Laundry Detergent

Fabric Softener or Dryer Sheets

Both fabric softener and dryer sheets have the same characteristics.

These wipes are dry non-woven material that has a fabric softener coating. That is why, for greater efficiency, fabric softener is used more because of its better concentration.

Although fabric softener is very useful, some items are not recommended for use. It is because the fabric conditioning coating decreases the absorption of the fibers.

These items are fire retardant, towels, silk, wool, or synthetics. In towels, you could use it every two washes.

Animal by-Products

Softeners are generally produced with animal fat, but their preparation is based on elements of vegetable origin.

• Uses of fabric softener
• A fabric softener has different uses, among which are:
• To remove the wallpaper.
• Serves as an air freshener.
• To polish furniture.
• Soften leftover food in pots.
• Softens carpets and muskets.
• Wash the crystals.
• Clean floors.
• Clean bathrooms combining them with water and alcohol.
• Eliminate bad odors by mixing them with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and half a liter of hot water.
• Soften fabrics such as carpets.

Washing Tips

Among the tips for washing clothes, it is recommended to avoid the use of bleach since:

• Clothing colors are endangered by bleach ingredients.
• Over time, clothing may turn yellow as the fabric weakens and deteriorates.
• It deactivates the enzymes in cleaning clothes because it removes the detergent in the wash cycle.
• If mixed with other products not specific for cleaning, it can cause harmful acids and poisonous gases.
• It is useless for certain stains such as rust.
• You should not use it on silks, synthetic wool, and other fabrics.

Learn More: How To Remove Laundry Detergent Stains From Clothes

Optional Bleach

In order not to use chlorine bleach, you can choose to use oxygen bleach it provides security for clothing color. As it does not contain chlorine, it is ideal for whitening and brightening clothes and the house.

The use of oxygen bleach is recommended because:

• Serves as a deodorant, antibacterial, and disinfectant.
• During washing, it strengthens the detergent.
• Effectively attack glare and brighten colors.
• Safe for color.
• Exterminate stains and bad odors.
• It does not turn clothing yellowish or weaken or deteriorate it.
• It does not expel toxic gases and has no toxicity.

Oxygen Bleach is used to Counteract Dull Colors and odors.

Not for use on leather, wool, or silk. It is very useful for washing cotton, durable synthetics, and bedding.

As you can see, fabric conditioner is not only very useful for smoothing but also has other uses.

Those other uses can be useful at home, whether for bathrooms, floors, scenting, washing windows, among others.

Many times we use these products for something specific. However, if we combine them with other elements, they can help us with other household needs.

We would like to have all the necessary products for each activity in the home. But nowadays we must use ingenuity resulting in very good homemade products and techniques. Everything in the world works that way. 

But if different drugs are combined, we can improve their efficiency.

Even if we combine traditional medicine with home remedies, as is the case with the Pandemic we are experiencing today, the results are more significant.

What should be clear before proceeding at home to make combinations of products is their composition.

At the beginning of the article, each detergent enzyme has its function, and each detergent has its composition.

Because of this, we cannot, for example, pretend to use a bleaching detergent for hair. It would be crazy, and this is the difference between detergent and conditioner.

Each one has its specific composition and function. If the detergent works to wash the clothes well, you can add a softener to give that touch to the fabric. Furthermore, fabric softener alone will not remove dirt from clothes as such.

So we must know how to differentiate what we can combine and what we cannot.

Today countless detergents contain fabric softeners. Others that do not contain it can be useful by adding the conditioner to the loads.

This is how both detergent and fabric conditioner are used.

In addition to the use of fabric, conditioner is the use of dryer sheets. Both have the same properties. However, the fabric conditioner is better.

As for bleaches, we could also see how some influence better than others according to the type of fabric. In this case, we are talking about the best and most recommendable for bleaching to use oxygen bleach.

This will benefit us in different ways, such as disinfecting the fabrics, giving them shine, and taking care of the color.

It also helps to eliminate stains, bad odors, does not release toxic gases. They prevent clothing from yellowing over time, among other benefits.

In short, we can obtain many advantages knowing that you use products at home such as fabric conditioners. We hope that the information we share here will be of great use to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is fabric conditioner the same as fabric detergent?

Fabric conditioner is different from detergent, even if some detergents contain it in their recipe.

Can you use fabric softener as laundry detergent?

Laundry detergent, like shampoo, eliminates all of the dirt and grime for a thorough clean. This implies that you won’t obtain a thorough clean, no matter how nice your clothing smell afterward, if you use fabric softener.

Can you use a conditioner to wash clothes?

Fabric conditioner isn’t just for washing machines; you may also use it for cloth hand washing. Drain the water and replace it with clean rinse water.

What does fabric conditioner do to clothes?

A fabric softener is useful for a variety of reasons. It’s a good technique to maintain clothes wrinkle-free and smooth. It also reduces friction between fibers, resulting in reduced static cling and protecting your garments from wear and tear, allowing them to last longer than if you didn’t use them.

Why is fabric conditioner bad?

Liquid fabric softeners make textiles more explosive, which no one wants (according to studies).

Can you wash clothes without a fabric softener?

Of course, you can! This is due to the waxy coating’s propensity to interfere with moisture-wicking and absorption properties: sports textiles drain moisture from the skin outside the fabric where it may evaporate, but a waxy coating acts like a drinking straw, preventing moisture from moving.

What can I wash my clothes with if I don’t have detergent?

Add one cup of Borax or baking soda for a regular load if you don’t have any detergent. Because of the action of the cleaning chemicals, water, and agitation from the washer, the clothing will be cleaner than you expect.

What happens if you put fabric softener in the detergent slot?

Nothing major! If you use fabric softener in the soap dispenser, you’ve just turned your wash cycle into a long rinse cycle, and you may need to rewash your clothing using the proper cleansers in the appropriate compartments.

Does fabric softener ruin clothes?

Yes, they do. Towels benefit greatly from fabric softeners. On the other hand, you must avoid fabric softener when washing garments for persons with sensitive skin or washing infant clothes due to their chemicals.

Can I use shampoo to wash clothes?

When washing your items by hand, use a mild shampoo such as baby shampoo. Do not use a shampoo that is both a conditioner and a shampoo that colors your hair. For a bathroom sink full of water, use only one teaspoon. For a bigger sink or many things, use more.

What to do if you run out of laundry detergent?

You can do hand washing using bar soap, liquid hand soap, body wash, and dish soap in the absence of laundry detergents.

Is laundry detergent the same as laundry conditioner?

A fabric conditioner is different from a detergent, even though some detergents include it in their composition.

Can you wash clothes without detergent?

Add one cup of Borax or baking soda for a regular load if you don’t have any detergent. Because of the action of the cleaning chemicals, water, and agitation from the washer, the clothing will be cleaner than you expect.

What can I use as an alternative to laundry detergent?

• Vinegar is white.
• Baking soda is a kind of baking powder.
• The juice of a lemon.
• Soap for dishes (Dawn recommended).
• Shampoo or body wash are two options.
• Borax.
• Vodka.
• Oxygen bleach in powder form.

What happens if you wash clothes without fabric softener?

Nothing special! Maybe less aromatic sensations and you can feel its softness when you touch it.

What happens if you only wash your clothes with fabric softener?

Laundry detergent, like shampoo, eliminates all of the dirt and grime for a thorough clean. This implies that you won’t obtain a thorough clean, no matter how nice your clothing smells afterward if you use fabric softener.

Why is fabric softener bad for you?

Fabric softeners include the most dangerous preservatives, such as methylisothiazolinone, a powerful skin allergy, and glutaral. They have a relation with asthma and skin allergies symptoms. Glutaral is also poisonous to sea species (or glutaraldehyde).

What does Borax do for laundry?

Laundry boosters like Borax and Arm & Hammer Washing Soda drain away hard water minerals from textiles. At the same time, detergents like Tide include surfactants and enzymes that break down and remove dirt that accumulates on fabrics.

Which is more effective, fabric softener or dryer sheets?

Fabric conditioner and dryer sheets have the same characteristics and functions. Dryer sheets are dry, non-woven cloth without any fabric conditioner. A liquid softener is typically more effective because it has more concentrates.

Bottom Line

Fabric softener gives a coating to textiles that makes the fibers feel smooth (and pleasant!). Use fabric conditioner (also known as fabric softener) or dryer sheets to enhance the smell, eliminate static, shorten drying time, and make ironing easier when washing just cotton and linens. While some detergents may contain conditioner, fabric conditioner is not the same as detergent.