Here's Our Favorite Ways to Make Your Towels, Sheets, and Clothes Fluffy (2024)

“Fabric softener, also known as 'fabric conditioner,' is a fabric care product designed to deposit a coating that makes fibers feel smoother and more supple,” explains Lindsey Boyd, co-founder of The Laundress. That means, it can make your clothes feel soft, scented, and free of wrinkles and static. So, long story short: The necessity of fabric softener ultimately comes down to personal preference and how you want your clothes to feel when they come out of the dryer.

Our Top Picks

If you look closely, you'll see that Downy has opted to forego the "fabric softener" label for "fabric conditioner," a nod toward the scope of results you can expect to experience. Seven different benefits are promised: freshness, color protection, stretch fighting, softness, wrinkle reduction, anti-static, and anti-fuzz.

Liquid fabric softeners typically dissolve and leave behind a coating on your clothes that can feel soft, smell pleasant, or both. While we'd hesitate to dub any fabric softener a truly one-size-fits-all pick, Downy comes pretty darn close. The formula can be added straight to your wash cycle or dispenser, with directions specifying different measurements for medium, large, and high-efficiency (HE) full loads.

By our count, it's currently available in seven scents, plus a Free & Gentle option that's made without perfumes, dyes, or harsh ingredients, which we recommend for those with sensitive skin. One potential trade-off with this pick is that the plastic packaging and synthetic ingredients aren't as eco-friendly as some of our other favorites. If you prefer to shop as sustainably as possible, we like that Downy's Ultra Concentrated Liquid Fabric Softener is available in eco-box packaging, and we hope the brand goes that route with this formula, too.

_{Type: Liquid | Scents: 7 available}

If you have a soft spot (pun intended) for the Snuggle bear, you're not alone. The cozy mascot has been associated with the brand since the 1980s and, in our experience, is a great representation of the soft and snuggly results you'll get from this fabric softener—not to mention the consistency and reliability. Clothes come out of the wash feeling both fresh and soft to the touch, and smelling noticeably clean. We'd describe the scent as floral and sweet, but not overpowering.

Using Snuggle is straightforward, too; the cap doubles as a measuring tool, which you can then use to pour the liquid straight into your washing machine's dispenser. As with our best overall pick, we wish the plastic packaging and synthetic ingredients were more sustainable. Buyers who feel the same may want to opt for a large jug to reduce waste (and buying in bulk is typically a good way to save money, too).

_{Type: Liquid| Scent: Blue Sparkle}

Gain laundry detergent frequently appears on our list of the best-smelling laundry detergents, so it was an easy choice to highlight the brand's fabric softener, too. The liquid formula can be used to not only soften clothes, but to also leave them smelling amazing for up to six weeks—or until you wear them, whichever comes first. It's specifically made to eliminate odors (rather than mask them), so your clothes smell fresher for longer, and the formula's "scent capsules" release fragrance during wear as well.

The Super Fresh Blast scent is light, airy, clean, and reminiscent of being outdoors in springtime, and there are seven others to pick from, too. This fabric softener also helps minimize static cling. One tradeoff with this pick being our favorite scented fabric softener, is the reality that the scent will be too strong for some folks, particular those with sensitivities.

_{Type: Liquid| Scents available: 8}

Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets give clothes and linens a softer feel while repelling lint, hair, and other debris. Once activated by the heat of your dryer, they also combat static cling, reduce wrinkles, and leave your load with a super-fresh, energizing scent.

Sheets are a great alternative if you prefer something a little more subtle than liquid softeners: You can expect the post-wash scent on your laundry to typically be lighter, and there's less of a chance that residue will be left behind. They are activated by the heat in your dryer, and will transfer the conditioning agents from the sheet to your clothes, while also neutralizing static charges.

For smaller loads, you'll just need one sheet, and for larger loads, you can throw in two or three. Boxes come with 120 or 240 sheets, so depending on your laundry habits, you could go months between restocks. Just be on the lookout for them when you remove loads from the dryer as they can stick to clothes.

_{Type: Sheets | Scents available: 2}

If you or someone in your household is sensitive to fragrances or perfumes, these free and gentle sheets from Bounce will be a welcome addition to your laundry routine. You can expect results that are consistent with the brand's regular sheets (our best sheets pick), but without the added ingredients that may lead to irritation. When the heat of the dryer activates the sheets, their softening agents transfer to the clothes, and the built-up static charge is equalized, too. In other words, you can expect fresher, fluffier clothes with fewer wrinkles and less static. We think the results aren't as obvious as some liquid counterparts on this list, but also recognize that some users may appreciate the subtly.

Depending on your laundry load size, you'll use between one and three sheets, so you may find yourself shopping quarterly for these (package quantities are 120 or 240 sheets). In addition, the used sheets come out of the dryer with your loads, so there's a small amount of extra waste to tend to.

_{Type: Sheets| Scent: Fragrance free}

Seventh Generation Lavender Fabric Softener is both effective at softening clothes and gentle on your machine, skin, and the environment. The formula is made from plant-basedingredientsmixed with essential oils, and doesn't contain any dyes, fluoride, or synthetic fragrances, which means it's suitable for everyone in your family—babies and those with sensitive skin included. To use, add it to the dispenser before you start the wash, or pour an ounce for large loads into the water during the final rinse cycle. While this extra step means you'll need to stay close to the washer while it's running (or set a timer), this isn't an unusual instruction for fabric softeners.

The formula's lavender scent is calming and refreshing without being overpowering, but if you prefer unscented formulas, a free and clear version is also available. As with most detergents and softeners, if you leave your wet clothes sitting in the washer too long, the smell will turn musty, so it's still important to dry clothes immediately after washing.

_{Type: Liquid| Scent: Lavender}

If you're looking for a reusable alternative to dryer sheets, dryer balls are easy to use and can replace up to 1,000 single-use dryer sheets (nope, that's not a typo!). Dryer balls help circulate clothes in the dryer, getting them to dry quicker and with more "fluff."

They’re simple to store, last a long time, and are typically made of just one material: wool. The lanolin that naturally occurs in wool helps to soften clothes and protects them from premature wearing from over-drying. With Blueland balls in particular, the wool is sustainably sourced from New Zealand.

Dryer balls also reduce drying time on loads of laundry and lessen wrinkles by creating air pockets as they tumble inside your machine. Keep in mind that the tumbling can be rather noisy, so you might not want to run your dryer during a Zoom call or baby's nap time. On their own, these dryer balls won't leave any scent on your clean clothes, but you can always add essential oils.

_{Type: Balls | Scent: Unscented}

Laundry boosters such as scent beads and powders have grown in popularity over the past few years, and we suspect the ease of use and wide range of scents are just some of the reasons why. The beads dissolve in the wash, leaving their fragrance behind on your laundry. The scent of Downy Unstoppables Laundry Scent Booster Beads lasts for up to 12 weeks after your clothes have been washed (or until you wear them), and there's flexibility in the amount you can use, which allows you to control the strength of the scent.

While scent booster beads are a helpful way to mask odors, they're not technically a fabric softener. However, you might prefer them if priority is infusing scent into your clothes, so we still wanted to include them. Booster beads should also not be used in every load of laundry; certain fabrics, like elastics and spandex, can wear down from too much product exposure. And, as is always a possibility with laundry products, the added fragrance can be irritating for people with sensitive skin. Still, if you want your clothes to smell nice out of the wash, give these a try.

_{Type: Beads | Scents Available: 7}

Final Verdict

Our best overall pick is Downy Ultra Liquid Fabric Conditioner,which has a robust formula that offers seven different benefits (like wrinkle reduction, color protection, and freshness). Our best overall, runner-up is Snuggle Blue Sparkle Liquid Fabric Softener, which has a lovely floral scent and effective formula that keeps clothes feeling soft and clean.

FAQ

• How do you get fabric softener stains out of clothes?

  Lindsey Boyd, co-founder of The Laundress, notes that most fabric conditioner stains are oily in nature, so to remove them, apply an oil-specific stain-removing formula to a laundry brush and lather it into the fabric using circular motions. Then proceed with washing or rinsing the garment.
  

  “Fabric conditioner stains are easily prevented by using only the recommended amount of product for your washing machine type, and placing it inside the fabric conditioner-specific dispenser instead of pouring directly on top of laundry in the drum of the machine,” says Boyd.

• When should you use fabric softener? And when should you not?

  “Think of fabric conditioner as the facial lotion in your everyday laundry routine," says Boyd. "Just like you want to moisturize your skin after cleansing it, you want to do the same for your clothes to make them buttery soft." However, there are a few exceptions due to a heightened risk of buildup—namely towels, flame-retardant items (like kids' pajamas), and workout gear.

  “Outside of everyday laundry, more sensitive fabrics like cashmere, silk, wool, and other delicate natural fibers require fabric-specific laundering formulas,” adds Boyd. “These garments do not typically require the use of fabric conditioner when laundering with the correct fabric-specific detergent.” Lastly, towels also do not need fabric softener. While fabric softener will make your towels softer, as it is designed to do, it also weakens their absorbency, making them less effective over time.